3 Ways to Get Ahead

Today's Career Tips

3 Ways to Get Ahead

 Interview Tips from Bill Rancic

Your look can make or break your career. Bill Rancic knows how to make the right impression

By Moira Lawler

You’ve checked your resume six times. You know why you’re a good fit for the position. But are you armed with confidence? Bill Rancic, the very first candidate Donald Trump hired eight years ago on The Apprentice who has gone on as a successful entrepreneur, reality TV star, and motivational speaker, says making an impression goes beyond what you look like on paper. “Confidence is critical,” the 41-year old says. “When you're confident enough to be yourself, that’s when you'll get the job.” We sat down with him to talk about his secrets to success and how self-assurance has paid off for him. 

 

 Wear confidence—literally
 

Is your interview outfit something you feel comfortable and powerful in? Or is it the same suit you wore when you were fresh out of school and about 70 trips to Wendy’s thinner? “Whether you want to admit it or not, people begin to judge you the minute you walk in the door,” says Rancic, who has a hands-on role in the hiring process of his various ventures. “When I’m interviewing someone, I want to make sure that he thought enough to take care of himself—to dress appropriately and to groom himself properly. If he wasn’t willing to do that for the interview, how will he act when he's working for me?”

 

Make good grooming a habit
 

When you sit across from the boss at a table, he’ll be looking at you from the neck up, so make sure you’re feeling assured. Rancic’s secret weapon? Rogaine. “When you lose your hair, it has an impact on confidence and your overall self-esteem whether it affects your career or your love life,” he says. He’s been a customer for years and admits he was shocked when he compared the photos from before he started using it to now. (Go ahead . . . Google it.) See what other experts say about good grooming.

One in four men suffer from hereditary hair loss, so Rancic knows he’s not alone. In his latest role as Rogaine’s “Growth Coach,” he’ll offer advice to men through social media outlets on how to take control of hair loss. Whether you’re hitting the gym to keep your belly in check or loading up on anti-aging products to delay wrinkles, tackle the issue head on instead of running from it. “No one even needs to know what you’re doing,” he says, adding that he’s not the least bit embarrassed to use Men’s Rogaine Unscented Foam. “It’s like a styling mousse. You use it once in the morning and once at night, and it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth.”

 

Be open to change 

 In his transient life—he and his wife, Guiliana of E! News, live in Chicago and LA to suit both of their careers—his dopp kit and the woman on his arm are both critical to his style. “Since getting married, it has changed significantly,” he says, laughing. “Oh my God, I was not a good dresser. I’d wear flip-flops and jeans. I guess that’s not cool.” Guiliana helped him with the little things—like introducing him to pocket squares for a simple way to upgrade a smart outfit and wearing proper footwear. (She’s right—flip-flops away from the beach really aren’t cool.) And Guiliana isn’t the only one who thinks change is a good thing. She also has him hooked on after-shave balm (“It tightens up my skin.”), blow-drying his hair (“My hair used to be really flat. It takes like two extra minutes.”), and anti-aging serum. Rancic doesn’t look like a guy who spends too much time grooming—he just looks good.

“I shouldn’t be saying this,” he says. “My buddies in Chicago are going to read this and I’m going to lose my ‘Man Card.’” See that full head of hair, though? Man card is intact.

http://www.menshealth.com/grooming/get-ahead