We’ve all done it, rushed out of the door without having a bite to eat because we’re pushed for time. When you were a child, you probably heard you mustn’t go to school without breakfast, as an adult that same advice rings in your ears but that great advice can often get ignored. When you were a child, an empty stomach hindered your chances of learning, now as an adult trying to function on an empty stomach can hinder your chances of success.
“Hangry”
Hungry and angry, it’s so common that it has its own word, “hangry.” Being hungry can make people irritable and even angry. Tolerance levels go down, and things begin to become a big deal when you’re hungry. The last thing you want is road rage on the way to the interview so make sure you get something in your belly before leaving your home.
Growling
Is your belly vocal when it wants food? Does it growl until you feed it? The last thing you would want during an important interview is for your belly to start to growl, it can be very off-putting. The person interviewing you will get distracted, and you’ll be so worried that your belly will keep growling that you won’t be focused on delivering good answers to the interview questions.
Bad Decisions
Being hungry can cause people to make bad choices. When you’re hungry thinking clearly can drop by fifty percent, making solution finding exercises and decision making incredibly hard.
Food psychologist Dr. C Fergusson carried out the research and found that sixty-two percent of adults got more answers wrong when they were hungry than if they weren’t.
Concentration
Hunger can cause your mind to drift which isn’t good, if it starts to drift halfway through an interview. The brain needs a regular supply of glucose and if it doesn’t get it the blood sugars start to drop and you won’t be able to concentrate. The glucose is needed on average three to four hours so make sure you time it right before an interview.
Sadness
The lack of glucose can make you feel sad, the last feeling you want to have during an interview. To break down in tears while trying to explain why you left your last job isn’t going to go well. Sometimes the shakes and sweats also accompany the sadness you can feel when you’ve not eaten.
Need a reason to eat? We’ve just given you five!
This article was originally published on the Glassdoor UK Blog. Reprinted with permission.
