Cell phones have made it virtually possible to do almost anything at the palm of our hands. People are constantly on their cell phones and are either communicating or flinging tiny, furious birds in an attempt to take down pyramids of pigs. I will be fair and say that I do understand the compulsion to reach for your cell phone, and admit that I find myself on my cell phone quite often during the day in order to connect with clients and candidates.

As helpful as cell phones can be, we need to realize there is a time and place for them. There has been a lot written about the cell phone being “the new cigarette.” In 2008, British researchers coined a new term “nomophobia”—short for “no-mobile-phone phobia”—to describe the fear of being without a cell phone. At this point, I must remind you that the interviewer is the most important person on the face of the planet. Who is more important: your buddy on the line or the person who impacts your livelihood?

While writing my second book, I hesitated about whether to tell my readers never to answer their cell phones during a job interview. Should I tell you never to whip out a skewered corn on the cob during an interview and start eating it? Of course not! It’s glaringly obvious and ridiculous to fathom that anyone could do that. But because I have heard of many instances of job applicants sabotaging themselves by picking up their cell phones during interviews, I decided I had to address this problem.

If you suffer from nomophobia, the solution is simple: Turn off your cell phone before an interview…or better yet, leave it in the car! Don’t set it on vibrate and think you’ll be safe because let’s face it, vibrate is as loud as a fat cat purring. Even if you do not give in to your instinct to answer the call or read the text message, you will get distracted and lose focus. I can assure you that your text messages and Facebook notifications will still be available EVEN when you get out of the interview!