Two women who are over 50 years old recently vied to be a senior vice president of a health-care company. One contender's powdered face, bouffant hairdo and expensive dress made her appear matronly. Her rival wore light makeup and a tailored pantsuit, conveying youthful enthusiasm.
Guess who got picked: The woman dressed "like she was 40," recalls executive recruiter Patricia Cook.
Appearance counts. How you look when you show up for a job interview can hurt -- or enhance -- your prospects. This hidden source of hiring bias affects older people the most. Attire, hairstyle, shoes and posture tell an employer whether "you're on your way up," says Ms. Cook, the owner of a Bronxville, N.Y., search boutique. "It has nothing to do with chronological age."
To uncover job hunters' worst appearance blunders, I canvassed recruiters, career coaches, business owners and image consultants. They cited many ways that your appearance can sabotage you even before your first handshake with a hiring manager. Among them:
Out-of-date styles. Your favorite "dress for success" suit fails to impress because you've worn it since the last century.
RitaSue Siegel, founder of RitaSue Siegel Resources, a New York firm that recruits senior design managers, sometimes asks an unfashionably dressed candidate, "When did you buy that suit?" If the answer is more than two years ago, she recommends donning "something a little fresher."
Your spectacles may hark back to an earlier era, too. "Huge glasses frames represent a style that's out of date," drawing undue attention to someone past 40, says Fred Whelan, a partner at recruiters Whelan Stone in San Francisco.
Slovenly appearance. Dirty fingernails, stained armpits, frayed cuffs, messy hair, unkempt beards and scuffed shoes broadcast carelessness and poor judgment.
"Sometimes, we get someone in front of us who doesn't dress the part," appearing disheveled on multiple fronts, says Anne Lim O'Brien, leader of the consumer-products global practice for recruiters Heidrick & Struggles International. "They don't go any further."
A few years ago, an overweight man sought a marketing position at CEO Perspective Group, a New York executive-advisory firm. He turned up wearing a shirt so snug that he couldn't close his middle button. "It was a very brief interview," remembers Dee Soder, the firm's managing partner, adding: "The things that shouldn't count often do."
A too-casual look. A Stanford University student slipped on backless sandals when she interviewed last spring for a summer job as a hospital-laboratory research assistant. Her would-be supervisor told a reference that she feared the applicant wouldn't take her work seriously enough, citing her informal "flip-flops."
"I didn't know they weren't appropriate," the student admits. Because the reference touted her professionalism, she got the job. She wore plain black heels to the lab every day.
Last year, Gary Goldstein, president of financial-services recruiter Whitney Group, was flabbergasted when an investment banker showed up sporting a Mickey Mouse tie. Mr. Goldstein urged the man to switch ties for job interviews, then decided against recommending him to the firm's clients.
Don't despair. A critical self-assessment can correct or prevent such gaffes. Scrutinize yourself in front of a mirror. "Put on a crisp white shirt and smile," urges Elena Castaneda, a New York image consultant. "If your teeth are yellowed, have your teeth whitened."
About 35% of Ms. Castaneda's customers ask her to revamp their hair, makeup, wardrobe and accessories because they're keen to change employers. But the consultant doesn't come cheap.
A 34-year-old program director at a Hartford, Conn., insurer paid Ms. Castaneda $1,200 for an image makeover just before she began job hunting this spring. "You have more confidence when you think you look good," the insurance manager explains. Among other things, the consultant critiqued her clothes as too baggy and helped her find well-fitted suits that make her seem taller.
The young woman, dressed in her new outfits, went on three interviews -- and landed three offers. She will soon become senior director of business development for an information-technology concern.
There are less expensive ways to spiff up your appearance. Enlist help from a major retailer's personal shopper, a stylish colleague or an acquaintance who already works for a targeted employer.
You should also reach out to recruiters. Many are eager to advise you about how to package yourself and the proper interview attire for different corporate clients.
The executive rejected by the health-care concern never quizzed Ms. Cook about how to dress for her interview there. If she had, the recruiter would have suggested wearing something casual to fit in with the company's fairly informal culture. Ms. Cook believes the woman's lack of curiosity about suitable attire made it easier for company officials "to pick someone who looked like them."
Wall Street Journal
