CHAPTER 4

Grooming For The Big Day

Your biodata has passed the test and has been short listed. You have received a call letter and now for the first time you are actually going to go and face your selectors. You must be very excited and rushing around to prepare, making all sorts of arrangements. In addition to all the other preparations you need to make, keep in mind grooming too. You have to make a favorable first impression because first impressions do matter, they do make a difference and you get only one chance to make it. You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

An employer will size you up in a matter of 10 seconds as you walk into the room based on how you look and how you carry yourself. What you wear speaks a lot about who you are, how you see yourself and who you are presenting yourself to be.With first impressions there is no erase button, so you need to make certain that your first impression is the most positive one possible.

Your looks have to impress employers enough that they will consider you seriously. If you appear for an interview carelessly-groomed, a potential employer will assume that carelessness is in your nature and you will be careless about other things too. He or she may think you lack initiative, may need close supervision, and thus may not be a good employee. Dress to project the image you want the employer to receive. Since a working position requires maturity, refrain from dressing like a college student going for a class. Let your clothing reflect your knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of the job for which you are applying. Your appearance will also affect how you feel about yourself. Knowing that your appearance is good and impressive, gives you added confidence in yourself.

Most candidates applying for the job will be equally qualified and equally capable. You never know, correct appearance and grooming may end up being your competitive advantage over someone else. It is true that potential employers seek individuals who are qualified, skilled, dependable, and enthusiastic and someone who will represent the values of their organization, but during the interview one more thing that the potential employers are concerned about is whether or not you will “fit in” with the culture of their company. One of the determinants for this is your appearance. If your appearance is very different from the other employees, you may not “fit” the image that the company is seeking. Therefore, when seeking employment you may need to alter your appearance to match the values of the company where you are seeking employment.

Your clothes are talking about you. Not in words but in dozens of quiet unsuspected ways. What you wear expresses how you feel about yourself. If you are in dirty, scruffy and unkempt clothes for this important day, it shows that either you are a rebel or just don’t consider yourself and the interview important. Nobody wants such employees. On the other hand, if you are well groomed and dressed, down to the minutest details, it shows your fastidiousness and attention to detail. The second case is of course preferred over the first one. Remember, what your clothes say about you is within your control.

There are three main components to your appearance. They are each equally important and have a bearing on each other. If any one is overlooked it will reflect on the other two also. Whether you are going in for a selection procedure or whether you are already working and are attending office, these are the three areas you need to look into –

Personal Hygiene

No amount of fancy and expensive clothing can hide improper hygiene. Daily hygiene practice is essential not just for office but for overall health too. Everyone should have simple but complete daily, weekly and monthly hygiene routines mapped out. These routines should be followed diligently. At all times your hygiene should be impeccable. This will mean –

• Clean teeth and odor free mouth. Avoid eating ‘gutkas’ and ‘paan’ a few days before the important day. The red staining of the teeth because of these is unsightly. Have mints ready if you have a case of smelly breath.
• Clean and grime free skin surfaces. Proper baths with the use of products will ensure this.
• Well cut, shampooed and groomed hair. Maintain an appropriate hair style, nothing very fancy or flamboyant when looking out for formal jobs. Keep a simple combed look for the interview and not a punk gelled look, however smart you may look in it.
• Clean, trimmed (and maybe manicured) nails. If you are a boy and like to keep one finger nail long (usually the smallest finger) keep it unpainted. Girls will do well to remember to use very light or clear nail varnishes on nails that are not too long for interviews. Definitely no nail art.
• Use of deodorants and antiperspirants as per requirement.
• Body odors of any kind are not good. If you happen to suffer from them, find out the cause and take the required steps. Sometimes simple anti-fungal and anti-bacterial body powders are enough to fight this condition.
• Proper shave and a well trimmed moustache or beard for men. Do not try to have a fashionable or a trendy look with a two day stubble. This is not the place or time for it.
• If you suffer from smelly feet, adequate use of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal products is required. Fresh socks and well aired shoes on the day of the interview are advisable.
• A ready supply of handkerchiefs and/or tissues in case you have a cold or cough. You should never be caught sneezing or coughing without a handkerchief or into your hands or sleeves.
• A ready supply of handkerchiefs, hand towels or tissues if you tend to sweat a lot. Nobody likes to see beads of sweat dripping down from everywhere.
• Judicious use of moisturizers in the winters as dry, flaky and whitish skin is unsightly.
• If wearing open sandals, feet should be well-cared for i.e. clean, trimmed toenails and smooth heels. Opt for shoes otherwise.

Overall you should look like a picture of good health. If you generally have a good sense of health and follow a reasonable routine of hygiene, your skin, hair and eyes will shine with robust health. Take care not to have a late night before the interview. Also do not drink much the night before. These will leave your eyes red and puffy. Have a good nights’ sleep the night before. Not only will this make you look healthy but also help you in being alert and tackling the discussions and questions well.

Clothing and attire

Most workplaces have some sort of dress code which could range from very strict to not-so-strict. If your office has strict ones or maybe a prescribed uniform, there is not much for you to think about as you dress for work every morning. Just make sure your clothes are clean, ironed and generally neat at all times. In case your office has a loosely held dress code or if you are going in for a job selection procedure, the following should be kept in mind –

• First and foremost make sure you are dressing according to the requirement of the job you are applying for. Office desk jobs, executive positions usually require a basic sense of formal/semi-formal dressing which is salwar suits or sarees for women and trousers, shirt and tie for men with or without jackets. Some companies also allow or expect their women work force to wear western style pant suits or skirt suits.
• It is not necessary that men wear suits only. (a suit is understood to be where the trousers and the coat are made up of the same material) Combinations like dark trousers, a light shirt and a third color jacket is good as long as they ‘go’ with each other. For example, black/dark blue trousers, white/light blue shirt and a dark grey jacket will be just fine, but, you cannot wear a brown jacket with this combo.
• Some jobs are more practical in nature and if you are aware that a practical round of selection may take place, dress and be prepared accordingly. For example, if you are applying for a position of a chef, you cannot do it in a jacket and tie, especially if you know you will be asked to demonstrate your skills. You should have a change of chef coat, cap and apron. Another example could be of a physical education trainer where it would be advisable to go in proper sports shoes instead of pointed, heeled leather dress shoes.
• Make sure that your clothes reflect the current trends or the evergreen styles. Clothes that look outdated or are very rebellious in style should ideally be avoided.
• The colors of your clothes should be neutral or muted. Women’s clothing can be a bit brighter but not flashy. The styles and patterns should be simple. Sarees are best plain with thin borders or of small prints. Men’s shirts should be plain, thin stripes or in small checks. Avoid large checks, prints or embroidered shirts. Shirts are normally lighter in color than trousers.
• Girls should practice wearing and moving around in a saree if they are not accustomed to it. Make sure to fix the pleats and the ‘pallu’ with safety pins for easier handling. Do not use fancy brooches. The pallu should hang till the knee.
• Coats and jackets should be formal. For day wear double breasted coats and jackets are not recommended since they are considered evening wear unless you are going in for a very important meeting. Blazers are okay but remember, sports jackets are not formal office wear.
• Ties should be thin and not very broad. The color should be muted, not very bright and it should not have very large prints or designs.
• The tie should be knotted properly in a double knot. No half knots. The under hang should be at least 2-3 inches shorter than the front lap. The tip of the front lap should reach your belt buckle. It should hang neither below nor above the buckle.
• If a girl is wearing a western style pant-suit or skirt-suit, make sure you wear a proper tailored, fitted shirt with a collar. You will also have to tie a scarf in a formal manner. The scarf should be simple, elegant in a muted color. You can learn how to tie scarves on youtube. Also, with skirts, remember to wear sheer stockings and shoes.
• Comfortable footwear is a must to see you through the day. Formal shoes for men and shoes or sandals for women. The height of the heel should be such that you are comfortable in it and not hurt yourself. Just because it is footwear, it does not mean it can be scruffy and shabby. They should be clean, dust free, in good repair and polished where required. The laces, if any, should not be in tatters.
• Belts should be formal and in good condition. Buckles not too big and showy. Belt color should match the color of shoes for formal dressing.
• Socks are an article of clothing about which many men are confused. They wear white socks with everything and that is so wrong! An easy way to remember and decide which color socks to wear is this – your socks should be the same color as either your trousers or your shoes. If you follow this rule, you can never go wrong. Women wearing formal western style pant suits can follow this rule too. With sarees and salwar suits, of course, skin color socks are worn when required.
• Accessories require great thought. Belts, handbags, wrist watches and pens should be in good condition, well matched to your clothes and not very flashy or of poor taste.
• Jewellery is an area where much can be said. All jewellery for both, men and women should be simple, quiet, understated and complementary to attire and your personality. Shiny and flashy jewellery is not appreciated in any official set up. Modern chunky jewellery should be worn only if the atmosphere of the work place allows it. Place of work affects these decisions. For example, working in a bank or in a premium hotel would require muted jewellery and accessories whereas if you happen to be working in a fashion house, you probably can indulge in a lot of bling.
• Flavors of perfumes and fragrances are a very personal choice. Day and office wear perfumes should not be very strong and overwhelming. When you pass by someone or are in an enclosed area like an elevator, your perfume should not produce a swamping feeling. Take care to wear soft tones in the day and leave the stronger ones for evenings.
• Make up is an area where great restraint and skill is required. You have not been employed for your looks but for your skills. Light and basic make up is recommended for office. Very bright and garish lipsticks, eye shadows, designer bindis and any other products are best left for evening get-togethers and parties. Healthy, well cared for skin which is clean and looked after is adequate in itself for work time. Keeping good health via intelligent eating and sufficient exercise will help a lot. Some work places, like hotels, airlines etc, do require make up and have their own standards for it. Adhering to those standards will be enough guideline as to how far to go with products.
• Girls should preferably not wear flowers in their hair for selection procedures.
• Also make sure the anklets you wear (if any) do not have tinkly bells and do not make any such sounds while walking.

The Briefcase and the Portfolio

The Portfolio

This is the file or the folder that you will take with you to carry your papers, certificates and documents in. There are literally thousands of options available in the market. There are files made of paper, hard paper, cardboard, plastic, cloth, leather, jute etc. These can be plain, printed, designed, embroidered or transparent, with or without compartments and pockets and of so many other possibilities.

There are two criterions to help you decide which kind you are going to choose to take for your interview. The first is functionality and the second is style.

Functionality

If you have just a few sheets of papers to carry, the simplest of the files that is neat and tidy will do. If you have to carry a lot of stuff, documents, maybe a CD or two, newspaper or magazine clippings, photographs etc, then a thicker and a properly compartmentalized portfolio will be required so that it is easy to store stuff and then quickly find it all in the shortest time. Compartments are important because if you have lots of stuff and bunch it all together in one space, it will be time taking and difficult to find any one specific item when required. This will make you appear disorganized. But if you organize and put things in different compartments, it will be easier to produce the required item quickly and smartly. If you are a designer of some sort and need to show your work, then you may need additional bags. So, assess your requirements and invest in a good portfolio to suit your purpose.

It is better to opt for ones with pockets or compartments rather than ones with clips or rings. In a clipped file, once you open the clip to take out a document, there is always a chance that several papers may get dislodged or displaced or even fall out. You will then either have to excuse yourself to take the time to sort it all out or just stuff it all back in, in a haphazard manner. This will only add to your nervousness during the interview. In a ringed file to take out a paper, several have to be moved to the other side first and this takes time. Moreover, there may be some documents you do not want to punch holes in. Therefore, in all considerations, it is best to have folders with pockets and compartments. Also make sure there is a loop or two to hold pens.

Style

The style of your portfolio should match your clothing style. If you are very formally dressed, a formal and official looking file will be best. Men can usually carry only simple files or folders. Make sure they are of good quality and not very flashy in color. Women can use varied kinds of folders. If in a formal western attire, the folder will be simple and official. If in a salwar suit or saree, an ethnic designer portfolio would add to the look. There are simple, stylish and beautiful fabric covered ones available with traditional gold borders and/or embroidery on them and these look very attractive with Indian attire.

The Briefcase

The same considerations apply to the briefcase you carry to office. The briefcase can be hard or of the soft variety. Make sure it is of good material, neutral color, of a lasting style and complements not only your usual office wear but also the kind of office atmosphere you work in. A shabby briefcase in a plush office will be frowned upon. Men should mainly opt for leather ones. Women may alternatively go in for the cloth, canvas or the lovely fusion of tradition and the modern jute ones available.

Carrying a plastic shopping bag to office with some of your stuff in it is definitely not the way to go. If you do need to carry a bag with things that cannot to be kept in a briefcase, invest in a decent looking cloth, jute or leather bag.