Today's Business Tips

4 Small Grooming Traits Employers Notice

Ace Your Job Interview

By Sandra Nygaard, Photographs by Weston Wells

 

http://www.menshealth.com

 

When your potential employer sees you for the first time, make sure he sees hiring material

 

In this competitive job market, you need more than a sharp suit and a killer resume to gain an edge. "It's all about the first 30 seconds," says Dan Kilgore of the recruitment consulting firm Riviera Advisors, which fills positions at Fortune 500 companies. "When it comes down to two candidates, the choice will often be determined by fit and finish." Be the one they call back.

 

FACE
 

What they notice: A beard. "You don't meet a lot of CFOs with beards," says HR executive Brendan Courtney.

How to fix it: Buzz it short a week out. Moisturize before shaving, and use a sharp razor. Apply aftershave balm; moisturize again.

 

EYEBROWS
 

What they notice: A unibrow. They also notice nose and ear hair, Courtney says. "Unkempt, poorly groomed candidates will never gain the edge on higher-level jobs."

How to fix it: Use tweezers on your brows and trimmers for wayward nose and ear hair.

 

HAIR
 

What they notice: Nonconformity. Corporate positions require a clean-cut look. Kilgore suggests showing uniqueness "in what you can bring professionally, not in your haircut."

How to fix it: Schedule a haircut (or at least a sideburn and neck trim) with your regular barber or stylist a few days before the interview. This is not the time to try something new; it's the time to clean up any distracting flyaways.

 

HANDS
 

What they notice: "If you're interviewing for a white-collar job, hands that look like you work in a garage or on a farm tend to stand out," Courtney says.

How to fix it: It's finally time—have a professional manicure and buff.

NEXT: Your clothes, your manners, and what to do at lunch

More Interview Essentials

(and what you can do to nail them)

 

YOUR CLOTHES
 

No, you don't have to go out and buy a new suit, as long as the one you have fits well. Consider a trip to a tailor to refresh your go-to look, because a suit (or shirt) that is too big or too tight looks amateurish and will undermine your confidence.

 

YOUR MANNERS
 

Be on your best behavior upon entering the building. "Some places go out of their way to choreograph the waiting room," admits Kilgore, who has used the receptionist and a lobby camera to observe job seekers. You'd be surprised how rudeness, nervous tics, and preening can ruin a candidate's chances.

 

YOUR LUNCH
 

Restaurant etiquette provides strong clues about a person's personal habits and refinement. Kilgore suggests taking cues from those around you and choosing an entree at a similar level. If the waiter calls on you first, order a simple fish or chicken dish.

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