First impressions matter and that is the reason why people spend so much time and money developing their wardrobes and trying out new styles, what to wear. First impressions matter. The way you look and carry yourself create an impact on people you work and interact with in any setting. And as studies have shown, it only takes a few seconds for a person to develop an opinion of you as a person. It might not be fair because they only have your appearance to base on, but this is how it has always been.
The good news is that if you have made a good first impression, then the first step to success has already been won. Bad impressions can be recovered in time, but the old saying proves true: “prevention is better than cure.”
A perfect example where this can be applied is in a job interview. You’ll want your interviewer to hire you based on your experience and the things you know, but the way you look has more weight than you know. As a general rule, interviewers are more biased towards prospective employees that know how to dress and groom themselves well.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Keep your colors simple, unless you want to be an eyesore, choose business suits that come in basic colors. Never under estimate the basics.
- Teeth: Brush them and don’t forget the mouthwash. Be minty fresh.
- Fingernails: Trim those. You don’t want to horrify your interviewer with your overly long nails
- Face: Wash, make sure you are not oily; apply some powder to achieve a smoothing effect.
- Hair: Styled properly, make sure your face is clearly seen.
- Be Considerate. Avoid eating candies, smoking cigarettes, or chewing gum when you are inside the office.
- A portfolio case for documents would look better on you instead of a crumpled up folder. Look professional from the get-go!
- As much as possible, hide or get rid of tattoos and body piercings; you want to look professional, not like an ex-con.
Here’s a fun infographic about what to wear and what not to wear from the nice folks at Rasmussen College:
Don’t forget to visit their site and show some love!
ExeQserve offers Professional Image Enhancement Training for teams who wants to level up and dress for success!
