You can be turned down for a job in just minutes because you do not look right for the part
Accepting the right candidate takes a bit longer. That is when skill, ability and experience kicks in.
Mrs Christina Ong of Imageworks explained that the rejection is usually a subconscious decision.
She said: “Instinctively, we form impressions about others based largely upon the person’s appearance and behavior.”
Mrs Ong should know what she is talking about. As the managing consultant at Imageworks, her job is to help people present the correct image. Her corporate clients include Bally Singapore and the Trade Development Board.
A common problem she has encountered in Singapore is the “mismatch of styles”. An example, she said, is a woman putting on a sundress, with black chunky shoes and throwing on a business jacket.
It does not present an image casual formality. Instead, Mrs Ong said, with her clothes “going in every direction” the image is of someone who is “not quite right”.
Women tend to have a more difficult time than men, when it comes to presenting the right image. This is because men are more restricted in what they can wear to work.
But they have their glaring faults too.
Some examples of poor grooming among men include “clothes that are too tight so they look like they are bursting, belts under pot-bellies and wearing the wrong tie”.
Some men think that wearing a tie, any tie, is fine. They do not realize that the choice of ties says everything.
Mrs Ong added that while dressing is an art, there are certain rules that can help people avoid pitfalls. One of them is, “If it walks or talks, it doesn’t belong in the office.”
For those who want a quick fix, Mrs Ong offered four basic tips which top her list of personal image essentials:
Personal Hygiene and Health:
Don’t just dress well. Watch for dirty fingernails, greasy untrimmed hair, poor dental hygiene and body odour.
The Mirror Check:
Never leave home without checking yourself in a full-length mirror – from head to toe, front, back and sides. When you decide that you love the reflection in the mirror, hold that impression in your mind and leave with the confidence of knowing that you are looking and feeling great. Then forget about your looks and focus on the challenges of the day.
Appropriate Dressing:
Make a distinction between casual wear, professional day wear and evening wear.
Proper Fit:
Many women and men wear a size too small. In effect, the tighter the clothes, the “fatter” one will look.
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