Appearances matter, I know you are saying, well I knew she was superficial…well that is not true…however, how you look and what you present matters because that is all people know at first and they base a great deal on how you appear, what they see…is it fair? Probably not, but what does fair have to do with anything…really…
Scenario: Young man goes on job interview, hair unkempt by choice, pants hanging off his butt, it is the style after all…is so qualified as to be a shoe-in, does not get the job…unfair, perhaps, but the general idea by that particular employer is that if he didn’t care enough to comb his hair, or pull up his pants, he possibly will not care enough to do a good job…
Scenario: Young woman already has a job, however a promotion is coming and it is in a position where she is publicly marketed. Extremely qualified, very personable, however, her hair is several colors, her face and clothes look as though she just tumbled out of bed without caring how she looks or about the company she represents…not promoted, never sure why…
These are two simple examples that I have seen get in the way of where a person is trying to go…and many young will say and have said to me, that to cut their hair, et al. is becoming a sell-out…and to that I say, sellout what, you are unemployed, or underemployed and unable to sustain yourself and you are holding on to a look…you have nothing to sell…out, come on already…
Or you feel that as long as you do a good job it shouldn’t matter if your hygiene is a bit compromised, shoot, it shouldn’t be about that…well children, wake up and smell the afro-sheen and the Jergen’s lotion…it is about that and employers are just people and people, especially men, who still employ most people are visual. Unfair again, but it is true and the place of employment is not about you…it is about the product the employer is offering and how they want it presented to the world and you my dear are part and parcel of the presentation…
I am telling you as someone who has hired and recommended for hire, if two candidates are close in qualifications, I am going with the one who cared enough to place his or her best foot or face forward…also, if the unkempt one is way more qualified, I will probably go back to the drawing board and start again…
When you get up in the morning and are preparing to go out and sell yourself to get what you need, pull it together, showered, face washed, hair combed, clothes presentable and most importantly attitude straight…and if you are already in there, don’t get lazy…because you never know where you can go or where you can be kept from going, based on ‘What They See…”
BE THE PEACE YOU SEEK…
Angelia
www.angeliamenchan.com
