Grooming

GROOMING

 Explanation of grooming is Care for one's personal appearance, hygiene, and clothing. Grooming is also known as commonly used to refer to a person’s appearance. It is made up of personal hygiene, tidy hair, appropriate dressing for an occasion.

Grooming for Employment

 Job applicant’s dress and grooming can be important — and sometimes even critical — factors in an employer’s hiring decision.

To many employers, first impressions still count. Poor personal appearance and careless dress at an interview are major factors leading to the rejection of applicants.

In fact, in one major survey:

• 95% of the employers interviewed said a job seeker's personal appearance affected the employer’s opinion of that applicant’s suitability for the job.
• 91% said they believed dress and grooming reflected the applicant’s attitude towards the company.
• 61% said dress and grooming had an effect on subsequent promotions as well.

Thus, whether you’re preparing for job interviews or concerned about job advancement, it’s worth a few minutes of your time now to think about what your appearance tells an employer about you.

First Impressions

Before you get a job, your job is to impress employers enough so that they will hire you. The first impression you will make on an employer may be based on your appearance.

If you appear for an interview carelessly-groomed, a potential employer may assume you are careless about other things. He or she may think you lack initiative, may need close supervision, and may not be a good employee.

Dress to project the image you want the employer to receive. If a position required maturity, don’t dress like a college student going to class? Let your clothing reflect your knowledge of the type of job for which you are applying.

Your appearance may also affect how you feel about yourself. Knowing that your appearance is good may give you added confidence in yourself — and self-confidence is essential if you are going to make a good first impression.

Appropriate Dress

Employers may judge your appearance as a reflection of your total personality, but also in relation to the type of work you will be doing. There are various standards of dress, each valid for different kinds of jobs.

For instance, employers hiring workers to unload box cars, or work in a factory, may not want to hire the person who looks "too dressed up."

On the other hand, don’t wear overalls or blue jeans if you are applying for an office or sales position. You may be giving the impression that you really want a laboring job.

(Jeans, in fact, appear to be regarded by many employers as unacceptable for job interviews, period! Other unacceptable factors listed in one survey included open-necked shirts or open or low necklines, a "no bra" look, and tennis shoes or sandals.)

Prior to your interview, you probably will be learning about the company for which you hope to work. This is a good time to get an idea of the appropriate dress there. If you dress as other employees do, you will give the interviewer the impression you likely will "fit in."

If you apply for a job with a company where the employees wear suits or dresses and you dress casually for your interview, your chances of obtaining the job probably will be diminished — regardless of your qualifications.

In a few situations, casual dress is standard and may even be desirable. But in these instances, dressing too casually should be avoided.

There are no hard-and-fast rules to guide you as to the most appropriate way to dress, but you ought to consider the following advice.

When dressing for an interview, it usually is best to dress conservatively. If you wear loud colors or faddish clothes, the interviewer may remember your clothes, but not your name or qualifications. This is an unnecessary obstacle to getting the job you want. Common sense and simple good taste are the best guidelines to follow.

It may be a good idea to have more than one outfit for interviews. If you have more than one, you will not have to worry in case of a spill or a rip. Also some employers may want to interview you more than once and you may not want to wear the same outfit each time.

One final tip: Many employers seem to regard a neat and clean appearance as being at least as important as the type of clothes worn.

Grooming tips

Here is a grooming check list to use before job interviews:

• Hair should be neatly combed, or properly arranged.
• Be clean-shaven or trimmed, or use fresh make-up.
• Teeth should be brushed, breath fresh.
• Wear clean clothing.
• Clothes should be pressed and neat-looking.
• Shoes should be shined.
• Face, hands and fingernails should be clean.

Once the Job is yours...

Don’t forget about your grooming once you’ve been hired.

Despite an apparent trend towards more freedom of expression in dress in today’s society, many employers have kept dress codes.

As soon as you’ve been hired, find out whether your employer has a dress code. Some codes are written out, but others are "just understood."

Your dress and grooming also may affect the initial friendships you form on your new job.

Dress extremes may attract some people, but turn others off.

And while it appears that dress and grooming rarely are the major factors involved when workers are fired, 1 out of 5 employers in one survey said that both has at least some impact on firing decisions.

All in all, dress and grooming are important to most employers, whether they are looking at job applications or current employees.

Personal grooming

 Everybody's personal grooming is not equal. There are generally agreed upon guidelines but their interpretation varies. Put a widely diverse bunch of people in a room and give them a quiz about personal grooming and they'll more than likely all agree on the basics: clean hair, shoes, tidy dress etc. But get the same bunch of people to dress as if they were all going to give a similar speech at a similar venue to a similar audience and guess what? You already know the answer.

Personal Grooming does have to be left out. And for those of you think it's a petty concern and only of interest to those who want to blend their individuality to bland, think again.

You have a 5 second count-down starting now 5-4-3-2-1...

We know from research a person has approximately 3-5 seconds to make an initial positive impact on strangers. While we may like to think we are not so 'shallow' or so easily influenced one way or another, we are. We judge people on their appearances. We do it all the time but we especially do it when we meet someone new. Bad hair day? Missed a bit shaving? Sloppy shoe shine? We've noticed and logged it. We might not be totally conscious of ticking off the boxes on a personal grooming check list but the reality is, we have a sharpened pencil poised for action the moment we set eyes on them.

So what is on A Personal Grooming Checklist?

• Face
• Hair
• Clothes
• Shoes
• Accessories

All of these elements combine to make the first important initial impression. To make it positive each has to work harmoniously with the other. But more than that, the total effect must be appropriate for the occasion.

Because I'm at risk of sounding like my Mother, we'll take skip the bit about being clean! You know it already. Instead we'll go straight to what is appropriate presentation. For this is where the danger really hides. If you've ever been to a party where everyone is dressed casually, except you, you'll understand. If you don't know, ask what the suitable dress is for the occasion. Make sure you get a clear answer and listen to it. And NOW you plan. Your goal is to present yourself attractively while not detracting from your purpose. Your task is to present a speech. Your choice of clothing and grooming should support that. Too much (as in over-the-top) and your appearance get all the attention. The same happens with too little effort. The result is the reception of your speech flounders.

Guidelines for Clothing, Shoes and Accessories

• Clothing must be comfortable. You have to be able to breathe and move, so nothing too tight.
• Clothes must be tidy. Check loose buttons, dodgy zips, hanging threads, hems that have come undone...
• And clothes must be freshly pressed or dry-cleaned
• Furthermore, those clothes must look all-of-a-piece: the skirt goes with the blouse; the shirt belongs with the trousers. (If you're unsure, get a second opinion from someone whose clothing choice you know is sound.)
• Keep accessories simple. This is not the time to wear the string of little jingly brass bells brought back from a recent trip.
• Shoes must be comfortable and freshly cleaned.(Avoid breaking in a new pair of shoes while standing to talk. It's painful!)

Personal Grooming Preparation

Prepare everything you need several working days in advance.

• Go through your wardrobe to sort out the possibilities and try each of them on.
• Be sure to try the whole outfit, shoes and accessories included.
• Check each selected item for damage and cleanliness.
• If anything needs to go to the cleaners or be washed, do it.
• If anything needs minor mending, do it.
• And do it sooner rather than later. You don't need the added hassle of trying to sew a button on while driving to the venue.

Now turn your attention to tour hair

• Do you need a haircut or a trim and tidy up? Get that done earlier rather than later too.
• Don't plan a radical change too close to your speech date. If you don't like the result, you might not have the time to do anything about it.
• Choose a style you feel comfortable with, one that you do not have to worry about and lets you get on with your task.
• A key consideration is making sure the audience can see all of your face. If you wear a long fringe, it may mask your eyes. Likewise long loose hair may cover your face while speaking.
• The audience needs to 'read' your face while they listen to you talks. Covering or partially covering up makes the communication process harder. It may also send unintentional signals. The audience may interpret you as 'hiding behind your hair'. They may think you are avoiding them or very self-conscious and unsure of yourself. Some of that may be true but you don't need to advertise it. You're going to stand tall, face them: 'feel the fear and do it anyway'!

Make-up Considerations

Wear what is appropriate to go with your clothes and the occasion. If you are going to be lit while talking you may need more than you usually wear? Stage lights can drain all the color from your face. Get advice if you are unsure.

The final step in your personal grooming preparation is to have at least one full dress rehearsal wearing everything as you planned it. This will let you know whether or not your choices are suitable and comfortable. If you have to stop to push straps back where they belong or keep tucking in a shirt whose tail is too short, change your choice. These clothes will be distraction rather than an aid.

And while you are still in preparation mode:

• Get an Emergency Personal Grooming and Care Kit ready!
• This is a speaker's first aid bag that you take with you to the venue. They're great to have as a backstop to meet the just-in-case scenario.
• The first items to put in are any prescribed medicines you use on a regular daily basis. Other useful items are:
• a packet of tissues
• a couple of small safety pins
• a small emergency sewing kit
• some regular painkillers to knock a beginning headache out
• a deodorant
• a small water bottle
• a comb
• a little mirror
• a couple of energy bars...

And NOW let's fast forward.

You're ready to go. Quite rightly you aim to be there with plenty of time to spare. You've done all the preparation. Your personal grooming is superb. You will pass the 3 second positive impression test easily. Your speech is entertaining and informative. The audience is excitedly looking forward to your presentation. Here's ONE FINAL CHECKLIST. Complete it as you go out the door do you have:

• the address of the venue
• the name of a contact person there and their phone number
• your speech notes or cue cards
• your props
• your first aid bag
• AND anything else you might need: wallet, phone, keys...

That's it! Good luck and remember to breathe!