Everyone is reminded time and time again about interview preparation which includes bringing in the perfect resume on the perfect bond paper with the perfect grammar. But there is one little detail that career coaches may forget to remind you which you ABSOLUTELY must take into consideration.

I was searching for an accountant and finally had the perfect candidate's resume lying on my desk. All I needed was to meet this candidate, let's call him John, and the score would be 1-0 in my favor. Finally, the clock struck one o'clock and John was in the lobby. When I went out to greet him, I quickly learned something about John within the first 3 seconds – it was apparent that he had eaten an onion sandwich for lunch. Throughout the interview it was hard to concentrate on John's words as I kept being reminded of his recent meal. If only I would have kept the noseplugs I wore when I first learned to swim in my desk, as they would have come in handy.

As much as your words and body language are being evaluated during an interview, your professional appearance and hygiene is also on display and must be in tip-top shape. If this was a once-in-a-career event I wouldn't bother mentioning this to you, but this seemingly small error has crinkled my nose time and time again. Always, always, always, carry mints or gum in your pocket, especially when you are in job search mode. Five minutes before you expect to start talking to anyone, including the receptionist, pop one of them into your mouth (and finish it before you start talking). Here are some reminders on other things you can do to be sure you are making a good first impression.

1) Definitely opt for wearing a suit regardless of the company's dress code. You do not need to have the most expensive suit in order to impress a recruiter. A clean, pressed, and well-fitting suit will suffice. Be sure to check your clothes for holes, dirt, wrinkles, and stains and remember to shine your shoes.

2) Women: your nails do not have to be manicured but if they are, choose a pastel color. Your interviewer should be focused on you, and not on your fingernails. Women and men, make sure that you have clean fingernails as well.

3) You can certainly wear jewelry but it should not be flashy. Leave your tongue rings at home unless you would not consider working for a company that does not allow you to wear one. Also leave your baseball cap and sun glasses at home.

4) Your hair should be neat and professional and women who choose to wear makeup should be sure that it's subtle and unassuming. Also, do not go overboard on the perfume or cologne – your interviewer may be overwhelmed by it, or worse, allergic to it or.

5) Carrying a nice briefcase or portfolio portrays a much more professional image to your interviewer or networking buddy. Carrying this simple prop can also be a nice confidence booster. Remember to clean out all of the piles of papers from your last few interviews so that you appear to be organized.