Lipstick Color

There are many factors that decide whether or not a person makes a good first impression. Part of my job as a career consultant is to help people understand that they cannot undo a first impression. This is critical during job interviews as well as for people that do face to face marketing. That first impression is a lasting one, so it is important to pay attention to details. This applies to everything from the clothes that you wear to your grooming. Many of the people that I work with under estimate the importance of this. They feel that their skills and education will be the reason they are hired. This is partially true; however in a competitive job market candidates that have the right credentials as well as a professional appearance are going to have the edge.

I spend more time with women on this issue than men. Women have the added concern of applying makeup that contributes to their appearance. Everything from application of the makeup to the choice of lipstick color contributes to the impression that a woman portrays. These may seem like small and insignificant details, but I have researched this area with perspective employers and have found that it does have an impact.

I asked several human resource workers to take part in an interview panel for the employment seekers that I work with. I had them complete surveys at the end of the interviews that not only addressed the knowledge that a candidate displayed, but also the first impression that the person made. I would then have the prospects interview dressed in business attire as well as inappropriate clothing. The interview questions were the same and the candidates were the same, yet the women that did not wear appropriate clothing were always past by for the position. When I discussed this with the interviewers they realized that if a woman had on distracting attire or makeup, they were not considered as a viable candidate. The choice of lipstick color was one of the factors that was mentioned often, by both men and women interviewers.

I think that the reason for this is that the wrong lipstick color is very distracting. In an interview setting the face of the person is watched closely regarding their expressions as well as eye contact. If a woman has on a lipstick color that clash with her skin tone or clothing, it is hard to over look this. Also many women do not take the time to insure that their lipstick color is fresh and not smeared. This lack of attention to detail can be concerning to a perspective employer. The small attention to details can mean the difference to getting a job, or being passed by.

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