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If you want to be taken seriously as a professional, then you will have to look like one first. It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that we are judged so much by how we look instead of by how we act. Job interviews are a perfect example of being judged by our looks. While your looks alone will not (or should not) get you a job, they will determine the opposite. Someone may decide not to hire you immediately upon your arrival because of your appearance.

Women should be especially careful of how they dress for job interviews as male attire is fairly uniform. There are fewer choices; therefore there is less chance of making a mistake. Women, however, are faced with an endless set of choices for clothing to wear to job interviews. If you are a woman preparing for a job interview, you should begin by wearing a dress suit or pantsuit. Although certainly business skirts are still acceptable, more women are finding that they are more comfortable in a pantsuit than in a skirt.

Your pantsuit should be a fairly muted color. The traditional colors are black, navy blue, and gray. Sometimes brown and perhaps even off-white suits are acceptable under the right conditions. If you are interviewing for a job at a corporate office, the off-white may be a little suspect, and you should always go with the more traditional look if you are unsure. The place where you can make your clothing more intense is with the shirt that goes underneath the suit jacket. Instead of just wearing a plain white shirt, you can try a brighter color to give the image that there is pizzazz in your personality.

Your shoes probably are the next most important part of your ensemble. You should avoid flat shoes as they tend to give the impression of indecision or weakness. Also avoid any heels that are higher than three inches. You should get shoes that are a similar color to your suit or are a complementary color but match your blouse. Be sure that the shoes are shined and are free of any scuff or wear marks.

When you are thinking about the makeup that you want to wear, imagine that you are going to a casual event. While that may sound odd considering how you will be dressed, it is the best way to get a visual of what type of makeup is acceptable for women to wear to job interviews. Avoid any dark or bright colors. Stick with subtle makeup that accentuates your face. If people notice your makeup, then it is not subtle. You also should avoid wearing any jewelry to your job interview. You never know when someone could have an allergy, and you do not want to miss out on a job because someone was too busy blowing her nose to pay careful attention to you. If you must add a scent, try a light spritz of body spray instead of a perfume.

The final issue you have to consider is how much jewelry you should wear. It is best to play it safe here as well. Try to stick to no rings or only your wedding band. Then you can wear a small chain and a watch. Avoid big jewelry and do not wear bracelets. They can be distracting when you move your arms, and you want to avoid anything that may distract the interviewers from your abilities.

While you should not try to hide who you are when you go in for an interview, you should make every effort to appear professional. I would never advise hiding a nose ring, for example, if you plan to wear it everyday on the job. While some people believe that you should get your foot in the proverbial door first, it would be worse in many ways to get the job only to be fired during your probationary period. With that said, it is not necessary to try to be flamboyant at your interview. You want the people who are interviewing you to be impressed with you. It is best not to do anything that would distract them from seeing you as a candidate for the job. If they leave talking about your clothing, that is never a good sign.

By Julia Mercer