Boomer Job Interview: Making a Good Visual Impression
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As the saying goes, “You have only one chance to make a good impression.” Nowhere is this truer than in the interview. 80% of interviewers say that within the first few seconds after a candidate walks into a room, they’ve made up their minds. Obviously, the visual component in making a good impression is huge. If a candidate’s clothing and grooming are at variance with interviewers’ expectations, it creates visual dissonance and discontinuity that makes interviewers uncomfortable. When interviewers are made uneasy, the ”offending” interviewee is more likely to be rejected. Fair or not, it’s the way things are.
This fact underscores the importance of a candidate’s attire and overall appearance. Given the highly competitive nature of today’s job market, why is it that many boomer job candidates wear clothes and hair styles that brand them as outmoded? In part, it’s because a large number of age 50+ job seekers have not had to look for employment in a long time and settled somewhat comfortably into a state of complacency about how they appear to others. Time to confront reality.
Take pleated pants AKA ”the Dockers look.” This is an equal opportunity fashion faux pas making both men and women look 15 lbs. heavier than they are. Wearing flat-front pants addresses this problem.
Hair care is another area where many boomer candidates fall down. Wearing a hairstyle that is compatible with your shape of your face is essential. Click here for a good resource to help you analyze your face and select the right cut for you. After you’ve done your analysis, share it with your current hairstylist. If your hair care professional is unresponsive or dismissive, it may be time for a change in your stylist.
