Did you know that the mistake made most often in getting ready for an interview is unkempt shoes? According to the Shoe Service Institute of America, 89% of business recruiters rate good grooming high on the requirement list for senior executive material, and the way you take care of your shoes is a big part of the image you present. Here’s another quote from this source:
“Shoes are a reflection of their owner’s personality. That’s what both personnel professionals — who have been known to observe people closely — and white collar workers (the people they usually observe) said. Well kept shoes stand for professionalism, attention to detail, ambition, efficiency, conscientiousness, organization, confidence and even friendliness.”
Now most of us really don’t go around looking at everybody else’s shoes all the time, it’s true. But there is one time that your appearance is critically evaluated from the top of your head to the soles of your shoes, and that’s during an interview. The way you have groomed your clothing and shoes shows how much you care about detail and the work it takes to keep things in good repair.
If you don’t bother to shine your shoes or repair that ripped seam for an important interview, what else will you ignore once you are on the job? If you aren’t interested in ironing a wrinkly shirt, will you be the best candidate for a position that represents the company? These issues might seem a bit nit-picky but what sloppiness reveals is character, and all the interviewer can go on to determine what you will be like is the references in your resume and the evidence in your appearance.
It doesn’t take much research to figure out how to dress for that job interview, and it doesn’t take much work to get that outfit in good condition. But don’t forget to shine your shoes.