Interviewers really do judge a book by it's cover according to new research. Top tips inlcude: make sure your grooming is polished and that you wear traditional interview attire.
The survey by NACE interviewed employers to find which factors influenced their recruiting decisions. In a tight job market even a small bias on the part of the interviewer might differentiate between candidates. Enhance your chances of securing a good job by following this advice.
Figure 1: Candidate physical attributes and their influence on employers, by percent of respondents
| Attribute |
No Influence |
Slight Influence |
Strong Influence |
| Grooming |
6% |
21% |
73% |
| Nontraditional interview attire |
13% |
38% |
49% |
| Handshake |
22% |
45% |
33% |
| Body piercing |
26% |
43% |
31% |
| Obvious tattoos |
25% |
46% |
29% |
| Nontraditional hair color |
26% |
46% |
28% |
| Unusual hairstyle |
30% |
49% |
21% |
| Earring (male) |
54% |
34% |
12% |
| Beard |
73% |
22% |
5% |
| Mustache |
83% |
16% |
1% |
| Source: Job Outlook 2006. National Association of Colleges and Employers. |
Source: National Association of Colleges and Educators (NACE