Did you know that the people that you meet are creating observations and making judgments about you and your character from the first moment they lay eyes on you? They are checking out your dress, your jewelry, your facial expression, your hair, hands, body language, and your overall demeanor. Studies have shown that within the first 10 seconds a person has already formulated 11 or more judgments about you. This is something to consider as you analyze what type of image you wish to project each day.

Your 'Appearance' is one of the most important assets you own. At the very onset of meeting someone, your image is being observed and evaluated. It is very easy to detect high or low self-esteem in a person. If you present yourself with confidence and poise, you will have a much better chance of achieving success in life. Being unsure of yourself or of your appearance can be very harmful to your image.

Your personal appearance is the finished product of how you look when you walk out the door - to a job interview, social function, business luncheon, a golf outing or a weekend get-away. The rule of appearance also applies to the corporate world. Most of the organizations pay lot of attention towards the appearance of their employees. Even there is a dress code in various organizations

GOING for interview?

is another word of caution. Don't go for a professional interview or to attend a function where you are expected to show some glimmer of conservatism and wear more than one ring on each hand, glitter nail polish, dirt under your unpolished fingernails or clothes that are completely inappropriate for the position you are hoping to obtain or the impression you would like to make. Actually, depending on how your overall appearance comes across, you may find you have high, or low self esteem when you meet someone, because you feel and sense whether you ‘fit in’ or are a ‘sore thumb.’ Bearing that in mind, people will judge you on the way you look and carry yourself. The time old saying of never judge a book by it's cover has never been as out of place. People and perspective employers especially will be doing just that! More often than not, your appearance will play a huge part in the way you are perceived and treated.

Make an effort to wear what you feel good in and something that you feel looks good on you. When you feel good about your appearance, it will show in the way you carry yourself and your overall performance. Choose colors and styles that accent your personality, but never wear clothing that is too flashy. After you ready yourself for an interview, take a long look in the mirror. Employers are very good at making connections: sloppy appearance often equals sloppy job performance. Basically, common sense is required. Ask yourself: Is there a slim possibility that what I'm wearing might make a negative impression on someone? Take into consideration the time needed to affect the perfect appearance. Once accomplished (before the interview), you will be better equipped to handle the other intricacies of the process without worrying about the physical judgments being made about you.

DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE

At a job interview, even one of the following items can negatively affect that first impression:

1.Chewing gum or smoking

2.Physical habits such as tapping fingers or clicking pens, bouncing legs or shuffling feet

3.Messy or unclean hair

4.Negative body odors or strong cologne/perfume

5.Visible tattoos

6.Torn or patched clothing

7.Unusual hair, such as lettering cut into it, spikes, bleached, odd colors

8. Avoid a Three-ring Circus with These New Interviewing Strategies
I referenced the circus because I just finished another interviewing book that recommends asking for the job before leaving the interview. I can envision up to 15 qualified professionals each asking the interviewer for the job. If each asks for the job, doesn’t that make the question null and void … cross out each other’s great gesture? If everyone jumps through the same hoop, performing like a good little circus monkey, what’s going to set you apart from other candidates?Giving this great thought, I decided to look at the things that would impress me. I’ve been in the career industry for many yea