Pack away the plugs and tame that hairdo because physical appearance is a deciding factor for employment candidates.
“Making the first impression is very important,” said Angi Carrillo-Humphreys, a career counselor for the Career Development Center. “Employers do still judge people based on their appearance.”
According to an article titled “If You Have the Right Skills, Does it Matter if Your Tongue is Pierced?” by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 73 percent of employers who responded to the Job Outlook 2006 survey stated that grooming has a “strong influence” on their opinion of potential employees. Employers view grooming and interview attire as the most important aspects of your appearance.
“If you want to increase your chances of being hired,” Carrillo-Humphreys said, “it is best to conceal anything that will distract the employer from your qualifications.”
For some, it may be difficult to warm up to the idea of downplaying personal expression and style.
However, paying close attention to your physical appearance and donning professional threads will help you get your foot in the door.
“It is best to be professional or conservative in your dress if you want the job,” Carrillo-Humphreys said. “Later, once you get it, you can learn more about what is acceptable.”
Marilyn Mackes, executive director of the NACE, said in the article, “Job candidates need to remember that their overall grooming and choice of interview attire project an image. They are marketing themselves to the employer as a potential employee, and part of marketing is the packaging.”
According to a recent national survey from the Employment Law Alliance (ELA), 47 percent of the supervisors surveyed considered that employers should have the right to deny employment based solely on looks, and this includes weight, hairstyles, clothing and body piercing.
In “Interviewing Fashion Blunders” on CareerBuilder.com, one of the tips suggested is finding out about the accepted attire at the company and then dressing one level higher in professionalism. If you are not sure what the company’s dress code is, call and find out before the interview.
For some, the importance of unique, personal expression runs deep and compromise is not always an option.
“If those distractions are so significant to who you are, it is a good way to weed out companies that do not support that kind of self-expression,” Carrillo-Humphreys said. “There are certain companies that support that kind of self-expression and allow more freedom. You do always want to find employers that support your values and interests.”
