ExEx 15009

February 2004
Youth Development
/ 4-H

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES / SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY / USDA

Workforce Series #8

Your Appearance at Work

By Carolyn Clague, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Extension Youth Development / 4-H Specialist

Why Appearance is Important at Work message whether we intend them to do so or not. The
People who work need to consider how they look. following are examples of your nonverbal communica-
Appearance does count and how you appear to others tion: how clean and well-groomed you are; the condi-
can make or break a job opportunity or your success on tion of your clothes; your posture, walk, and tone of
the job. Appearance counts all the time––from the job voice; your facial expression; your hand gestures, how
application, to the interview, to every day on the job. close you stand to the other person; whether you make
The key is to find a style that fits your particular job and eye contact with the other person; and your body image.
type of work, makes you and others comfortable, and
makes a positive statement about you. Consider your Your Clothes on the Job
clothes, hair, skin complexion, hygiene, scent, posture, Dressing for the job starts with the job interview. Men
facial expression, tone of voice, and even the way you interviewing for any professional position should wear a
walk. Clothes will be the most expensive item. suit, preferably in conservative colors like navy or char-
However, your hygiene, grooming, posture, smile, tone coal gray. For several consecutive interviews at the same
of voice, hair, and nails are also important. Your company, one can wear the same suit and a different
employer’s goal is to have the employees project a shirt and tie each day. Women interviewing should also
favorable image; your goal is to represent the employer wear a business-like suit. Professionalism dictates a suit
and yourself in a favorable way. With care and or jacket with skirt or pants matching or coordinating. A
planning, you can achieve both goals with style and professional looking pantsuit is usually very acceptable.
satisfaction. The key is to dress at least as formally and conservatively
as the position requires, or slightly more so.
First Impressions
The first impression you make influences how people For the interview and on the job, the message you need
react to the way you look and present yourself. Most to send is: “I am a capable person and take my job seri-
experts believe that first impressions can be very ously. I know what I am doing, and I am ready to get to
lasting, even though you may look and act differently work.” When you buy clothes for work, buy classic
later. Looks alone cannot bring you job success. But styles that will endure from one season or year to
not caring about your looks is one sure way to keep another. Watch for out-of-season sales and buy at thrift
yourself from succeeding. Looking like you are ready to shops where you can put together several outfits for the
work helps to make you feel like you can do the job. If price of a new one.
you are working with the public, your customers will
have more confidence in you just because you look like When you are dressing for work, you need to be thinking
someone who belongs in that work environment. Your of several things: dressing for comfort in the cold or
feelings and the reactions of others help you do a better heat; what others are wearing at the time of the year;
job. The way you look at work is critical to your success how professional you will look; the situation or the
on the job. activities of the day that you are dressing for, and the
message you want to send. Clothes that are unacceptable
Sending a Message in most work settings are any clothes with a rude or
When we want to tell someone something, we usually controversial logo, picture, or phrase, soiled, worn-out or
think of talking or writing to them. These are examples torn garments, wearing hats indoors (except for religious
of verbal and written communication. But we do our reasons, after you have received permission), clothes
strongest and most honest communication without saying that are revealing, and outfits that are too dressy. In
a word. Our looks and behavior are called nonverbal general, clothes designed for sports, the beach, or fancy
communication, and together they send a powerful parties are not suitable for work.

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Your Job Culture organization’s dress code. Employees preparing or
Different companies and different types of work have handling food may be required to wear a hair net.
different types of cultures. The three main types are
traditional corporate culture, relaxed culture, and open Hair growth patterns vary a great deal among people,
culture. A workplace with a traditional corporate culture but most of us have to deal with hair that is somewhere
will have employees who dress in the traditional ways: other than the scalp. If the hair from your nose or ears
shirt and tie for men, businesslike dresses, skirts and is clearly visible, clip it, or have someone else clip it for
blouses for women; and/or uniforms for men and women you. For men, mustaches and beards are almost always
who work in certain departments. There is little room acceptable as long as they are clean, well trimmed, and
for fashion trends or clothes that are very flashy. conservatively styled. For women, removal of facial
A workplace with a relaxed culture is more often found in hair and hair on legs and under arms is a personal
smaller companies. Employees wear more casual choice, unless your job specifically requires that the hair
clothes, pants for women, men may work in sports shirts be removed. Your total look should be one of neatness
and no tie, and there may be no uniforms. A workplace and cleanliness.
with an open culture may have no dress code at all;
people wear what they want. We have much less control over our skin than we do our
hair; you cannot change your skin tone, birthmarks,
Many companies discuss their dress policy in an scars, etc. Don’t worry about them; instead, focus on
employees’ handbook. If no such information is the things you can change. The most important thing
discussed, think about what you observed other you can do about your skin is to keep it clean. If your
employees wearing while you were at your interview skin is greasy, dirty, or loaded with make-up, you don’t
and dress in a similar fashion. New employees are more look clean. Make-up, including eye shadow, eyebrow
likely to be accepted by their coworkers when they don’t pencil and lash mascara, blush and lipstick, should be
“stand out in a crowd.” applied with a light touch to accentuate facial features
during the work hours. If you have a skin condition that
Wearing Uniforms for Work you cannot deal with on your own, see a dermatologist.
If your job requires a uniform, keep the following things
in mind. Your uniform must be exactly what the compa- Your fingernails send a message, too. It is important
ny says it should be. Your uniform must be clean. If that fingernails be kept clean. Keep in mind that at
your work is hard on your clothes, you need to replace work, you express yourself with your hands and your
your uniform whenever it starts to wear out. Wear your nails are seen. Nails need to be clipped, filed, and
uniform as it was intended to be worn. If the shirt is smoothly shaped.
meant to be tucked in, tuck it in; if the collar is meant to
be folded down, fold it down. Avoid dressing up your Personal Differences
uniform with a lot of personal accessories and jewelry. Employers know that people are different. But every
A simple neck chain or ring is generally acceptable. employee needs to understand that the work world is the
Keep in mind, the company wants to convey a profes- place that is the least tolerant of personal differences.
sional image to its customers. In the workplace, you are not just sending a non-verbal
message about yourself; you are also sending one about
Identification the company. Many employers have some very specific
Most large organizations today require an identification expectations of how you should look and present your-
badge for all employees. This is used for several purposes; self. In general, employers want their workers to have a
including security at the work site and immediate fairly conservative and traditional image. Employers are
knowledge of a person’s name. If your employer thinking of their customers and how the customers will
requires a badge, wear it all the time when at work. react to your appearance. These concerns will deter-
Your supervisor and customers will notice. mine the expectations of your appearance and the rules
or policies in the workplace.
Hair, Skin, and Nails on the Job
Your hair, skin, and nails say as much about you as your Cultural Diversity
clothes do. In all cases, keep your hair, skin, and nails Some of our differences are due to individuality, reli-
clean. This is the heart of good grooming. The main rule gion, or ethnic background, and there is acceptance for
for hair at work is an easy one: keep it clean and simple. cultural and ethnic differences in the workplace.
You send the right message when your hair is clean; kept However, remember that your organization expects you
neatly out of your face and out of your way; worn to represent them in a way that will not discourage
without too many beads, jewels, bows, and clips; not customers from purchasing their goods and services.
demanding your attention all day; and in step with your Study the unwritten rules that govern the behavior in

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your organization. Regardless of how you are accus- ing or shouting will cause others to think that you are out
tomed to dressing, adapt your style to the organization. of control or drawing attention to yourself.

Some of our greatest cultural differences are expressed Exercise Regularly

in how we physically relate to others. In some cultures, Getting into a regular exercise routine—whether it is
people stand very close to each other when they talk or walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing—will help you in
work. In American workplaces, allow about two to three a variety of ways. You will look better, sleep better, radi-
feet between yourself and your co-worker or supervisor. ate more energy, and have a more positive image. There
is increasing evidence that being in good, physical shape
Touching another person’s hand or putting your hand on helps to minimize the psychological impact of stress.
the shoulder is normal and even a positive signal in Being physically fit will benefit you in many ways.
many cultures. In the American workplace, touching is
generally limited to handshakes. Avoid touching others Sources:
in more personal ways.
Graber, S. (2000). The everything get-a-job book: From resume writing to
interviewing to finding tons of job openings. Avon, MA: The Adams
Most of the people in the world expect other people to have Media Corporation.
a natural body smell. In the American workplace, a natural
body odor is exactly what is not expected or desired. It is South Dakota One-Stop Career Center System (1998). Look sharp:
Making your appearance work for you at work. Northfield, MN: Life Skills
necessary to be clean and use deodorant if you are to avoid Education, Inc.
disapproval of co-workers and supervisors.
Messmer, M. (1999). Job hunting for dummies (2nd ed.). New York, NY:
We naturally express ourselves in our facial features, Hungry Minds, Inc.
hand gestures, and tone of voice. That is not a problem
as long as you don’t become too dramatic. Think about
your tone of voice, as sarcasm, loud laughing, loud talk-

This publication can be accessed electronically from the SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences publications page at
[Link]
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the USDA. Larry Tidemann, Director of Extension, Associate Dean, College of Agriculture
& Biological Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings. SDSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Male/Female) and offers all benefits, services, and educational and
employment opportunities without regard for ancestry, age, race, citizenship, color, creed, religion, gender, disability, national origin, sexual preference, or Vietnam Era veteran status.
ExEx15009: PDF February 2004.