5 Tips for Looking Like a Professional

Man in gray suit cell
This might come as a shock to many — especially men — but your physical appearance is comparable to your resume in a job interview. You might have vast experience and the highest education possible for the open position, but if your appearance isn’t up to par, you could be passed over for the job.

Perhaps you’re wondering how this is possible. It’s very simple, really: How you present yourself to a potential employer will be viewed as how you’ll present yourself to future clients, customers, and business associates. If you’re unkempt, it’s not going to go well.

The art of perfecting a job interview is more than just educating yourself about the company and its founders and leaders; it’s about looking the part. Master the following five tips if you want to score well.

1. What you wear
Dressing for an interview, no matter where, is something you must do well. You should look just as put-together and well-dressed when interviewing for a sales associate’s job at your favorite retailer as you would when applying for the CEO position at a Fortune 500 company.

A well-fit suit, free of wrinkles and imperfections, a white shirt, a tie, and clean, polished dress shoes are essential. Don’t forget your socks; they shouldn’t be white cotton socks you’d wear to the gym. Wear dress socks.

2. Your hands
Believe it or not, even your hands matter in a job interview. Potential employers will inevitably observe that your hands are well-kept and groomed because it’s something many people notice. If your cuticles are rough, the nails dirty and uncut, it’s an absolute mark against you.

3. Your haircut
Nearly everyone goes a few days overdue on their hair appointments. Some men have a few days of extra growth rather than a neatly trimmed cut, and some women have a little more root showing than they’d like. That might be acceptable in everyday life, but it’s not for a job interview.
Schedule an interview and promptly make an appointment with your barber to trim your hair and ensure your appearance is neat and tidy. It might not seem like much to you, but to future employer it can be a deal breaker.

4. Even your teeth matter
Dental care is something everyone should take seriously. Your teeth are one of the first things others notice about you. If you have yellowed, stained, or missing teeth, people will take you less seriously and not consider you very professional.

While it’s admittedly a judgment and not entirely fair — judging books by their cover and so on — it’s reality. If you want to become a professional, you must look like a professional, teeth and all.

5. The art of shaving
Beards are in and more popular than ever. That’s fine. Most people have no issue with a little facial hair.
What they have a problem with, however, is overgrown and unkempt facial hair. Trim it up and make it look good before you head in for your interview.
The Art of Shaving offers a wide array of the most popular and skin care-friendly shaving accessories. You’ll find your next shave closer, more precise, and longer lasting than your previous shaves.

No one cares to be judged primarily on his or her appearance. Sometimes you have the ‘flu and haven’t enough energy to remove your pajamas before you head to the corner store for medication. It’s not an accurate portrayal of who you really are, but it’s the impression you’re leaving.

The Art of Shaving offers a wide array of the most popular and skin care-friendly shaving accessories. You’ll find your next shave closer, more precise, and longer lasting than your previous shaves.
No one cares to be judged primarily on his or her appearance. Sometimes you have the ‘flu and haven’t enough energy to remove your pajamas before you head to the corner store for medication. It’s not an accurate portrayal of who you really are, but it’s the impression you’re leaving.

If you want to make it in the professional world, you must look, dress, and behave as a professional. While you might be able to be a little more yourself once you’ve established your reputation in an industry, looking perfectly professional is a must during the job hunt.

Originally posted on November 14, 2013 @ 6:24 am

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