Tips for Making First Impressions Last

A recent series of articles by On Style columnist Christina Binkley of the Wall Street Journal brought Ms. Binkley into contact with several executive recruiters (a.k.a. "head hunters") and personnel officers of major corporations and law firms throughout New York City and Washington, D.C. During her interviews with these experts, the author discovered that even 30 years after the publication of John T. Molloy's ground-breaking how-to Dress For Success, the problem of personal appearance still presents a minefield for many movers-and-shakers in the corporate world. If decision-makers operating in the rarefied atmospheres of Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue have difficulty determining which tie to wear, or whether pumps or sandals would be more appropriate, then how can mere mortals here in the Sunshine State be expected to traverse successfully such an esoteric labyrinth?

To shed some light on this topic, I decided to do a little research of my own. First, I compiled a brief questionnaire, posing such questions as (1) "When an applicant arrives for the interview, do you think he or she is dressed appropriately?" (2) "What is the applicant's body language telling you?" and (3) "What differences do you perceive among the 'Traditionalists', 'Baby-Boomers', 'Generation Xers', and 'Millennials'?"

Then, I passed my questionnaire to several senior level executives of various industries, including some Florida-based entities as well as nationally recognized firms. These individuals include representatives of the healthcare, construction, insurance, employment, and social welfare fields. I asked them to respond to the questionnaire on the basis of their observations in the course of performing their professional duties. I was surprised by some of their answers. Candid comments regarding appropriate dress among employment applicants included, "The younger generation does not understand the rules, or chooses to ignore them. These concepts (of appropriate attire in the workplace) often are lost on the younger applicants."