Well meaning counselors will often ask heavy people to visualize carrying around a bowling ball (5 pounds) or a five-gallon water jug (40 lbs), thinking this mental image provides some mental motivation. The image works since we all can visualize the difficulty in carrying around the water jug or bowling ball of extra weight. If you have ever manhandled a five gallon water jug, or a 40-pound bag of water conditioner salt, you understand the analogy. Unless you are a body builder, the extra weight–in five gallon jug form–is not something you want to carry around with you during a whole day at the State Fair.

How does this pertain to job seekers?

Jobseekers often carry around an extra 40 pounds on their body, whether they are heavy or not, or know it, or not. Hiring managers see this everyday because the job seeker’s shoulders slump a bit and it is obvious to everyone that the ‘load’ they are carrying is not comfortable. Instead of a real 40-pound bag of salt, it is a mental load of ‘salt,’ or discouragement or mental anguish or giveupitis, it’s that proverbial ‘monkey on your back.’

Here is the difference: a heavy job seeker gets a bit of slack from HR managers today. Eg., no one will ever say that the heavy candidate was not hired due to being overweight. We are much too sensitive today to admit that. But if the jobseeker is carrying around this mental extra weight, and it shows in the body posture, or other attitudes…he or she will not get hired.

Before the interview, tell yourself to put the five-gallon jug down and leave it in the car, or at home. You can hide a few extra reality pounds by wearing baggier clothes, but the mental weight cannot be disguised.