We are a very superficial little beings. A business suit and tie doesn’t remove the twisted, irrational human out of us, and much of the judgment we make in a corporate environment are governed more by our animalistic side than we ever want to admit. There’s a dirty little secret about interviews, and we’re betting you want to know…Cause we like dirty little secrets too.

Letting your future employer unclothe you with their eyes is strategic for interviewing!

Okay, so we’re half-joking here, in case you are already shifting into something more encouraging of probing pupils. What we really mean is that the human inclination to check each other out is natural, even if we are more often than not under the social pressure to refrain from this normal behavior.

And even if getting too liberal with your eyes in a job setting can get you into some trouble, or spark some backroom fun in some situations, entirely attempting to block it can create an abnormal feel in any situation.

Common interview advice states that maintaining consistent eye contact is one of the most essential tactics when getting interviewed, but think about the last time somebody did this to you. We’ve all got a creepy friend who likes to make full eye contact throughout the whole conversations, and chances are we don’t like talking with this guy all that much.

In his judgement, he’s just being "real"—you can see his eyes going dreamy when he says this even. This guy also usually did too much acid his freshman year. He thinks he’s got it all figured out but all his extreme eye contact isn’t taking him anywhere but alone on Saturday nights. So, what makes you think this will get you any further in an interview?

How about those conversations with a man and woman who are apparently drawn to each other and both know it but are trying to avoid it? He’s trying hard not to look down at her cleavage because he knows he’s not supposed to, but every once in a while his eyes flick down involuntarily. She’s trying really hard not to notice his effort because he’s supposed to be taking her serious and doesn’t seem to be. She might be too occupied trying to get over the ugly hat he’s wearing to even notice.

How freaking awkward is this for everyone? Wouldn’t it be easier if they could just step back, take a good gander at each other, and get on with the conversation?

Well, our society probably isn’t going to take that kind of leap forward (or backward) anytime soon, but nevertheless, it is clear our natural hormonal curiosity plays a huge role in the way we meet and greet members of the opposite sex. While we typically don’t begin sniffing each other’s asses straight off unless we belong to one of those cool clubs from Eyes Wide Shut that we can’t tell our parents about, we still have our biologically-ingrained ways of checking each other out, regardless of how the sexual harassment disclaimer in the employee handbook reads.

Men, especially, will always take in a woman’s bodily appearance.

He’ll soak it up if he can and possibly take another look later on to make sure he got it right. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything—it’s the nature of a man and something he’s just got to get out of the way ahead all the other significant things he has to do, like chewing on tennis balls and howling at the moon.

If she locks that all-important eye contact with him the whole time and never gives his eyes the chance for a free wander, he will feel disappointed and not know why. He’ll try and force quick sneak peeks in between questions and keep prompting himself not to be a perv. On some level, both know what is going on but neither actually knows why, and the whole interview becomes a blasted mess.

Before women begin screaming sexist pig and throwing out charges, it just is not something that can be avoided, and this is a phenomenon that has been caught again and again on hidden camera. We all try to be civil, but in a lot of ways, we just are what we are.

And women are not angels either. They get away with their body checks more than men because they have greater peripheral vision, but they are especially guilty of being judgmental about appearance when it comes to interviewing the opposite sex. With the invasion of the metrosexual male into modern society, more often a great sense of style is associated with a man who is able and competent.

Yep, these office style judges are including it all in to be sure a style-criminal doesn’t infiltrate their arena. When did he get his last haircut? My God—he shops at Ross—I just know it. That crease is crooked. That shirt could have used a little more pressing. And what in the Hades is up with the polish on those shoes? He totally missed the backs!

While to men this might all sound a little farfetched, it is the truth about what you’re up against if a member of the opposite sex sits in that interview room, so pay attention to the details. Women will be checking your appearance up from the moment you walk in until you turn around and exit, whereupon she will be judging your BACK!!! This has been captured on camera and documented in studies—psychologists are showing more and more often just how silly we creatures are—the backs of the shoes! Who would have known?

So how to apply this dirty little secret to your advantage—besides shining the backs of your shoes, of course?

Simple.

Let them swallow it up. They want a nice long look at you, and who can blam ‘em. After all, you’re hot stuff (keep telling yourself that), and they are only human. Distract yourself with something after your first handshake. Ransack through a briefcase, go through paperwork, or move your seat while looking away. This is a powerful gesture and it causes our biological impulses out of the way without having to throw open an over-sized trenchcoat with nothing beneath and screaming, "Happy Birthday!"