Free interview tips. Job interview appearance and how to look the part for an interview.
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Interviews - Look The Part
There are some things about an interview that you cannot control Appearance is
not one of them. Consider conservative very carefully.
The key word for all business interviewing (regardless of the position you are
seeking) is conservative. An applicant can never go wrong displaying conservative
demeanor during a job interview. Proper planning beforehand can help make the
experience easy, beneficial, and almost pleasant However, lack of planning will
be recognized immediately by a competent interviewer.
An important part of the pre-planning stage is appearance. Studies indicate that an
applicant's appearance is the most important part of a first impression,
created during the first few minutes of a job interview. The fact is,
if you provide a positive first impression, you will be considered for
the position a high percentage of the time. On the other hand, if you
provide a negative first impression, you will be rejected for the position
a high percentage of the time. These percentages vary, but remain
consistent with that age-old saying: You never get a second chance to
make a first impression. The first impression is based primarily on
appearance, and secondly on communications skills and basic interviewing
practices. There are other principles that come into play here, as well.
Employers believe that people are more productive when they are dressed well.
Further, an applicant should dress for a position as if applying for a
job one or two steps higher than the one being interviewed for. Many years
ago, these theories could have been ignored or argued. Hiring was
accomplished by evaluating proper education, skills, work experience,
or any combination of the three. But in today's society, with the
incredibly competitive marketplace, the criteria of impact packaging has
toppled any previous standard of hiring. Yet, there are applicants who
sincerely believe that the way they look is not terribly important and that
their appearance does not truly affect their changes of getting a job, as
long as they are qualified. Only minor preparation takes place for some
people in the appearance arena, and this is a mistake. Upon polling interviewers,
it was found that at the outset of a job screening (usually the first three minutes),
several things unconsciously occurred. Many interviewers noted that the first
items observed in that three-minute time frame were whether the applicant
was the same or different from him/her.
Examples:
- Is this applicant male or female?
- What is the approximate age of this individual?
- What is the ethnic background of the applicant?
In other words: Is this person the same gender as I am, near my age, and of my same
race or ethnic background? These thoughts or observations are not negative or
positive - though at first glance they may seem to be. They are just
unconscious observations. This thought process occurs without the interviewer
even realizing it. Unfortunately, there is nothing an applicant can do about
such facts, not even for the perfect position. However, the next question -
or observation - offers the applicant some control. What about this person's
appearance? In addition to the actual physical appearance, a physical presence
must also be maintained as part of the conservative interview package: poise,
eye contact, confidence, and smile. Wear basic, conservative clothing for
interviewing. Though a positive trend in society might be to dress according
to the most recent fad, just one conservative interviewer can make the practice
a risk for the applicant. Although a conservative interviewer might make a
negative judgment due to an applicant's trendy clothing, a chic interviewer
will usually not make a negative judgment if the applicant is dressed
conservatively. Conservative behavior is respected across the board.
Make an effort to wear what you feel good in and something that you feel looks good
on you. When you feel good about your appearance, it will show in the way you
carry yourself and your overall performance. Choose colors and styles that
accent your personality, but never wear clothing that is too flashy.
Women should reject low-cut clothing. Men should avoid too-short pant legs,
outlandish ties, and clothing that does not fit appropriately. Party clothes
and blue jeans are not acceptable - no matter what. After you ready yourself
for an interview, take a long look in the mirror. Women should not have
runs in stockings, poorly applied (or too much) makeup, excessive jewelry,
or glittery hair accessories. Men should not have stained ties or wrinkled
shirts. Employers are very good at making connections: sloppy appearance
often equals sloppy job performance. Basically, common sense is required.
Ask yourself: Is there a slim possibility that what I'm wearing might
make a negative impression on someone? Take into consideration the time
needed to affect the perfect appearance. Once accomplished (before the interview),
you will be better equipped to handle the other intricacies of the process
without worrying about the physical judgments being made about you.
DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE
At a job interview, even one of the following items can negatively affect that first impression:
- Chewing gum or smoking
- Physical habits such as tapping fingers or clicking pens, bouncing legs or shuffling feet
- Messy or unclean hair
- Negative body odors or strong cologne/perfume
- Visible tattoos
- Torn or patched clothing
- Unusual hair, such as lettering cut into it, spikes, bleached, odd colors
- Too much jewelry or jewelry attached to odd places visible on the body (such as nose piercing)
- Worn or unpolished shoes; gym shoes
- Any form of poor grooming
Written by: Dinah Courtney
Courtesy of Employment911
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