Every single day, there are so many bite-sized TV segments dedicated to this very topic. I watch NBC’s “Today” daily, and without fail, the program producers are prone to throw its female demographic a shopping party at every turn. This frustrates me on two fronts. First, when focusing on “economy shopping,” the outfits shown are so trendy-oh-so. I’d hesitate to suggest the average female shopper rev up her professional image by spending money on anything other than updated wardrobe essentials. Second, what about men?! They’re part of the workforce, too.
So I was excited and flattered when Nina Price, The Professional Competitiveness Coach, asked me to be a part of her upcoming teleseminar series. It’s happening the week of September 14. Each day at 9:00am Pacific, Nina will interview one of 5 experts [including me] about a strategy topic that is part of her upcoming book, “5 Strategies for Staying Employed in Today’s Economy.” Naturally, I’ll be talking with Nina about how people – maybe even you – can successfully rev up their image.
Job interviews today are a real test of wills. But the credentials on the resume tell only part of the story. Knowing how to show up for an interview is very important because it shows the right attention to detail was paid. What’s the proper balance? The industry you work for has some norms, a sub-culture you want to respect while making your best case. Show up over dressed, and you’ll look as if you’re covering up for some shortcoming elsewhere. Under dress and you run the risk of being the less attractive of two candidates.
Even with all these considerations to take into account, a job candidate should show up to an interview with a good smile, a flattering hairstyle, clean and pressed clothes, shined shoes, and manicured hands. Your smile is your passport to a less stressful interview because when you smile you can show some easy confidence. A flattering hairstyle is crucial because it frames the face, which helps to put that smile on center stage. Clean and pressed clothes, no matter how informal, show self-respect, respect for the interviewer, and for the occasion. Shined shoes today don’t necessarily call for a spit shine. A matte shine can be totally appropriate in many industries, like high tech. But scuffmarks should be buffed out. Speaking of buffing, manicured hands don’t have to be done by a manicurist if you’re on a zero budget. But nails should be clean and trimmed; and hands should look and feel like they belong to a professional.
It’s a smart idea to practice eye contact along with the handshake, and to videotape yourself while doing a mock interview. Presentation skills like these are so valuable because when you’ve practiced and studied your mannerisms, you know what to do with your eyes, hands, body, and voice. You want to be sure not to stare or avoid looking at the interviewer. A firm handshake with just a pump or two is appropriate, but you want to avoid giving a clamping handshake or the limp and lifeless handshake {I personally despise this]. Your posture should be upright but not uptight, and your body language should be comfortable, but arms should not be flailing about as if you are trying to balance yourself while walking a tightrope. Vocal tone and tempo are also important. The tone should be moderate and you want to avoid speaking too slow resembling a robot or speaking too quickly like the tape is on fast-forward.
There’s so much to cover in just one hour. This is just a taste of what’s to come when Nina Price interviews me on Wednesday, September 16 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific. Join us, won’t you?
Designing and managing your image is the secret science of your success.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.
