Get Ahead in the Workplace: Image Matters

Who needs a stellar resume when you can have stellar makeup and present the right image for your job interview?

I know lots of people are out there in the job market – especially in Richmond, VA. If you’ve been affected by the multitude of job losses, chances are you’re out there pounding the pavement in search of a new job.

This article in no way suggests you spend more time on your makeup than your resume and research on the company you are applying with. But you can feel more confident walking into that interview if you have flawless makeup. Image really does matter!

It is great to be confident in oneself and comfortable with who you are. In an ideal world, you should not be judge by how you look, but rather by your character. Wake up. The real world is highly influenced by how one presents herself. Physical appearance is especially a key factor in this for women.

If you are in the process of interviewing for jobs, chances are your interview will fall on a weekday. This is the absolute best time to go to your favorite department store and have your makeup professionally done. As a general rule, weekdays are notoriously slow times for department store makeup artists. That’s a great opening for you to add an extra hour to your travel time to your interview, and stop in and have a professional get your skin looking its’ best to impress the person you’ll be interviewing with. This is a two-way street in many ways.

While self expression is great, some forms of wearable originality are distracting in a work environment. More importantly, it will take away from the professional image you want to create. Stay away from the obvious wild colors. Stick to something somewhat neutral (that is the way the industry is trending this season, anyway), and warn your artist to stay away from over-use of eyeliner and shimmer lip-gloss.

The most notable is that you will get a signature and professional makeup application, and a makeup artist will have something to fill time throughout a slow weekday. The best part of this is that you won’t need to call in advance to book an appointment to have your makeup done on a week day. You can simply walk up, say, “I’m on my way to an interview for _____, and I really want to look my best.”

Depending on the type of job you’re applying for, you can discuss how far you want to go – “Minimalist”, “Confident”, or “Daring” – with your makeup artist. Different brands have different terms for what type of makeup application you would like. You can talk about this with your artist.

Now, some artists and brands have different standards. Some will try to convince you that there is a minimum purchase or “seat fee.” If they give you that kind of ultimatum, politely move along to the next artist or counter.

Having your makeup done professionally is very relaxing, so you can shake off your pre-interview jitters and come out of the experience looking great, feeling calm and you will have neutralized that pre-interview anxiety.

I would caution against letting a makeup artist experiment on you with moisturizers and serums. If you have an allergic reaction to the skincare products, this could completely back-fire. Simply ask for a “professional look” makeup application, and refuse any skincare treatment products or masques being applied to your face.

Some Other Words of Encouragement & Advice

Whether the last few years on your resume read Stay at Home Mom or you were a victim of the recent major job cuts worldwide, the current job market has become extremely competitive. What tools are available to someone who has the qualifications, drive, but just hasn’t landed that perfect position yet? Enter www.360jobinterview.com, a new site that promises to give you a professional edge. They claim to have a large pool of consultants in every major field, ready to help you polish your resume and perfect interviewing skills.

What is interesting about the idea is that you can connect live with any of their consultants … for a fee. The fee, however, is relatively nominal compared to most career coaches. And it seems easy enough to connect - just log on to Skype and prepare for your interview or e-mail your resume over. This beats going to an office that is either too far out of the way or is only open during inconvenient hours. They also have a blog with some interesting tips for your job hunt that may be worth checking out.

Go get your makeup done for the right image, and check out www.360JobInterview.com and get your resume polished and some coaching. This economy is not so job-hunter friendly. It may give you the edge you need to land not just any position, but also the ideal one.