Presenting a Professional Image

Presenting a Professional Image

In today’s world of “accept me as I am” and “casual Fridays”, it seems that there is some confusion about how best to present a professional image for interviews and the regular work week. More and more we see candidates showing up for interviews in attire that is, shall we say, less than one could hope for. It is okay to be ‘you’, but there is a time and a place for showing your individuality in non-professional ways. When going for an interview, it is best to dress professionally and let your credentials and experience show the things that matter to a prospective employer, instead of making them wonder about your professionalism due to your clothing choices.

Tattoos and Piercings:
While this is not technically a “clothing choice”, let’s start with tattoos and piercings, since we have been seeing a lot of them lately. They may have special meaning to you, but let’s face it – to someone who does not know you yet, or your motivation for having either of these decorations, they can give off the wrong signals. So what do you do about them? Cover up tattoos and remove piercings. It’s that simple. Unless you are applying at a tattoo or piercing shop, this body art will not gain you any points, and may seriously damage your chances for attaining the position that you desire. Especially if you are seeking a professional position. It was unfortunate, but we know of a highly qualified medical professional who recently lost the opportunity of a lifetime due to leaving facial piercings in for an important interview. Another example is a nurse who lost the chance at a position because of visible tattoos. It may be your way to show your individuality, but if it does not mesh with the vision that the employer wants to present to the public, then your chances of obtaining a job with them while showing tattoos and piercings is slim to none. Piercings are easy – just remove them. You can put them in your purse and re-insert them once you are back to your car if you’d like. Tattoos can be a little more difficult to hide, depending on their location. A good suggestion is to not get a tattoo where it can’t easily be hidden, but if it’s too late for that there are still things that you can do to make them disappear. For tattoos on the arms, wear sleeves that are long enough to cover the entire tattoo and won’t ride up and expose a portion of it when you move. This may get hot in the summer, but it was your choice to get the tattoo where you got it! Tattoos on the legs are easier – wear long dress slacks. If your tattoo is on the top of your foot or your ankle, try wearing opaque hosiery to hide the ink or make it at least a lot less visible. Wear a higher neckline to disguise tattoos on the neck or upper chest. For tattoos on the wrist, wear a bracelet that covers the tattooed area.

Slacks or Skirts:
For an interview, either wear a skirt that stops approximately an inch below the knees, or wear a nice pair of dress slacks. Do not wear jeans, knit pants, sweatpants, corduroys, Capri’s, or something that is most appropriate for a picnic or day at the park. If you are not sure exactly what constitutes “dress slacks”, type in the phrase on Google Image Search and it will show you literally hundreds of examples. Not all of them are exactly dress slacks, but if you look at what is feature most often, you will get the idea. As for the skirts – avoid the long type that have multi-layered tiers (“peasant skirts”) or anything that is too short or too tight. Make sure that your skirt or slacks are clean, pressed, and free of stains, lint or pet hairs. You do not have a pay a fortune for a decent skirt or slacks (or any article of clothing, for that matter)…if you use good judgment and pay attention, you can find perfectly appropriate items at K-mart, Wal-Mart, and even Goodwill. Choose solid, muted colors – charcoal, navy and black are the most versatile and professional.

Blouses & Jackets:
Generally for an interview the best way to go is a blouse and jacket combination. The jacket should be in a solid muted color that matches your slacks or skirt, or at least coordinates well with it. Blouses should not be low-cut! Be sure that the attributes you are showing off are the right ones – your experience and abilities – not the physical ones. It is okay to choose a lightly printed blouse, but avoid anything that with wild patterns or very vivid colors. Remember – the goal is to be professional, and you can wear the wilder choices after hours. In some offices, once you have been hired and everyone has become accustomed to you and have judged you based on your merits, it’s okay to loosen a little on the color/pattern choices, but keep it simple and basic to start out.

Shoes:
Shoes should be of a color that goes with your jacket and slacks/skirt, and should be dress shoes. Please, do not wear a nice skirt or pair of slacks and then ruin the effect with a pair of tennis shoes or canvas shoes. Dress shoes with a slight heel look good, but do not choose the same type of shoes you would wear for a night out on the town – those 4” spikes may make you feel attractive, but they aren’t professional. If you cannot wear heels at all, you may choose a pair of nice flats. Avoid sling-backs and open-toes for an interview. Depending on the office, those shoes may be fine after you have started, but they’re not the correct choice for an interview. Also, make sure that whatever shoes you choose are clean and in good repair with no visible scuffs, tears or dirt. If they are dirty, wash them off with a damp cloth. If they have scuffs or tiny tears you can disguise these using a marker in a matching shade (make sure it is a very close match!). If they have significant scuffs or tears, don’t wear them.

Jewelry:
Jewelry should be kept simple and appropriate. If you usually wear a playboy bunny necklace, remove it at all cost!!! Avoid bangles and clunky jewelry that will distract your interviewer or make a lot of unnecessary noise. Also, stick to a few key pieces of jewelry, such as a watch, wedding/engagement ring, one bracelet, a simple necklace and moderate earrings. (Avoid the big dangly type of earrings that detract from the rest of your outfit.) Again, you want the focus of your interview to be on your abilities, not on what you are wearing. This is another one of those situations where once you have gotten the job, depending on the office, you can branch out and wear different types of jewelry – but continue to leave that playboy bunny necklace at home!!!

Makeup and Hair:
This tends to be more geared towards ladies, but there are a few brief tips for men as well. Guys, have your hair trimmed a couple of days before an important interview and make sure that any facial hair is neatly trimmed as well. Be sure to use a comb or brush before you leave home, and bring one with you for touch-ups if needed. Everyone should wash and dry their hair before leaving home. Ladies, choose flattering styles for your hair – do not show up with it in a ponytail, or worse, looking like you just rolled out of bed and didn’t even bother to brush it. If you dye your hair and it’s been a while, do a touch up a couple of days prior to your interview. If using hairspray, try to go with an unscented type and make sure that the sprayer doesn’t malfunction and leave you with an unattractive glop of hairspray stuck in your hair. Ladies – even if you are not accustomed to wearing makeup, it is appropriate to apply at least a little before an interview. Coming in with no makeup tends to make you look as though you didn’t care enough to bother, or like you quit in the middle of getting ready and forgot to finish. For those who are used to wearing makeup, be sure to keep it light and simple – try to stick to neutral colors and avoid the ‘party’ look. For those who don’t normally wear makeup, try adding just a little light eyeshadow, some mascara, and perhaps a light lipstick. Be sure that if you wear foundation it is the appropriate shade for your skin-tone – you do not want to look like a vampire (too light of a shade) or a zombie (too dark of a shade).

Scent:
You cannot believe how important this one is!!!! The best option is to not wear perfume, cologne or body spray at all, but if you absolutely feel that you must, please, please, please keep it light! Some interviewers are allergic to scents and some are not – you never know which one you will end up meeting. And for those who are not allergic, strong scents are still a turn-off. We have had several candidates arrive and by the time they were half-way through filling out the paperwork we were ready to throw the window open (even in very cold weather) to air out the room. If you wear strong or heavy scents, it leaves a lasting impression – unfortunately it’s a negative impression. So avoid that and either forego the scents altogether or go very very light on them!

Conclusion:
It’s not hard to present a professional image – it just takes a little thought. Choose professional clothing that is suited for an office, not a night out or a trip to the garden, and accessorize accordingly. Remove your piercings and cover your tattoos. Follow the tips outlined above and you will present the type of image that employers will respect and find appropriate. Let your individuality shine at other times and other places, or introduce it in very small amounts over time. Good luck with your interviews!