The stinking socks in the sharp suit

How many of us are concerned about body odour?

This is a trivial matter for some, but body odour can be a turn off for some people especially during summer months when we sweat a lot and stuck in an office with little air circulation, or cramped in a tram or train during rush hours. It is a very tricky situation to inform someone that they have a strong body odour. In my office, everyone had an understanding and agreement that every now and then, someone shall send out general circulars to remind everybody that summer months is here, so please take extra effort to put on at least a deodorant first thing in the morning before hitting the door and head to work.

Can you imagine, there you are applying for a tender or contract and the discussion is distracted by strong unpleasant odour and the discussion had to be cut short because the interviewer is about to faint from lack of oxygen.

I recently had this close discussion with a candidate, and his body odour is so potent that it almost knock me off unconcious. You may think I am exaggerating but I am not. It was very difficult to stay focus during the discussion because I can't breathe. This person certainly gave a whole new meaning to the saying "took my breathe away" Of course he doesn't notice I'm turning blue because I ran off and jumped out of the window before I could even spell out the word d-e-o s-t-i-c-k!

On all fairness, I managed to cut the discussion short and made a new arrangement for further discussion on a different date and really hope this good looking guy comes back for the meeting, care enough to take a shower in the morning, change his socks and apply something under his armpit.

There are people who get very nervous during interview that they sweat in sprays. I fully understand what nervous is all about, and I also understand the hectic of running about trying to catch a plane and then running after the taxi and all those rushing about are stressful and such situations exerbate the sweat glands even more but how much is the cost of a deo stick?

It also make no sense looking all sharp in a suit and knotted nicely on the neck but lost a job opportunity due to unchanged socks?