Professional look key for interview success
■ Dressing up, being
well-groomed and having a
positive attitude are vital to
a successful interview.
Editor’s note: Because ofa produc
tion error, this story did not run in its
entirety Oct. 8 in the Career Guide.
By Derek Ldppincoit
Staffwriter
When it comes to interviewing for a
job, the same rales apply anywhere you
go.
No jeans. No tennis shoes. No 5
o’clock shadow. Clip your fingernails.
Wipe the crust out of your eyes.
Overall, do anything to yourself that
would bring across a better first impres
sion.
Christine Cox, ladies department
manager and agenda consultant of Stein
Mart, 200 N. 66th St., said that a good
first impression is the most important
part of interviewing for a job.
“Most interviewers make up their
minds in the first 10 seconds whether
you’re a viable candidate or not,” Cox
said. “First impressions are by far the
most important.”
Kevin Wibbels, supervisor of sec
ondary education for Lincoln Public
Schools, agreed.
“When I interview someone, I’ve
always believed that this is probably the
best I’ll ever see them look,” Wibbels
said. “If they don’t look very impressive
during the interview, I have to wonder
how they will look on the job.”
Cox said there is one golden rule to
dressing for interviews.
“You should always dress one level
above the job’s dress code,” Cox said.
“You can’t really look too professional.”
Aside from clothing, grooming is
also important. Cox said she discour
ages anything contradicting the tradi
tional styles.
“You should be well-groomed and
more on the traditional side,” Cox said.
“You want the employer to notice you
and not your hair or your makeup.”
Wibbels said long hair is OK as long
as it is groomed and maintained.
“Extremes can attract attention,”
Wibbels said. “But I’ve seen some
women with really short hair that look
very professional, and I’ve seen some
men with long hair in a ponytail that
look very professional.”
Aside from dressing up and groom
ing, perhaps another step to take when
preparing for an interview is taking out
any body piercings and covering up any
tattoos.
Although both are becoming more
common, employers may not recognize
them as being professional, Wibbels
said.
“Depending on the situation, most
piercings you can take out,” he said.
“And when people dress up in business
attire, in most cases tattoos are no longer '
visible.” /
Ambree Tucker recently completed
an interview with Stein Mart and was
hired as department manager of gifts.
She said having professional clothes
and a clean appearance aren’t the only
things to pay attention to when inter
viewing for a job.
“Look cheerful,” Tucker said.
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□ Allied
Insurance
r of Nationwide Insurance
Allied Insurance, a Member of Nationwide Insurance, is
seeking college graduates interested in beginning their
career in the insurance industry. No prior insurance
experience is required. Allied offers a full range of training
and education activities, including one of the best initial
training programs in the industry; our Basic Career School.
We’re a company that believes in rewarding the outstanding
efforts of our employees. In addition to a competitive salary
and exceptional growth potential, we offer an extensive and
flexible benefits package. Come visit our booth at the Career
Fair on October 12th. We look forward to meeting you!
Allied Insurance*700 N. Cotner* Lincoln, NE 68505
An equal opportunity employer
...committed to a diverse wraMa ce I l|
Have you spent more time
planning your vacation
than your Retirement?
—Peter Lynch
Do you know if your retirement plan is on track?
Your Fidelity Investments* representative will be available by
appointment to discuss any questions you may have related to your
University of Nebraska Retirement Plan.
Tuesday and Wednesday,
October 19 & 20,1999
Call Today: 1-800-642-7131
to schedule your one-on-one consultation
Fidelity* is committed to helping you achieve your
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Fair offers students
career opportunities
From staff reports
The University of Nebraska
Lincoln Career Services Center is
holding its annual Careei
Connections career fair today.
More than 150 companies and 75
graduate programs will be represent
ed at the fair, which will start at 9:3C
a.m. and end at 3 p.m.
It will be held in the Bob Devaney
M
:
Sports Center.
Students and alumni can attend to
circulate their resumes, pick up busi
ness cards and talk to employers face
to face. Participating companies and
graduate programs will be giving
away prizes, as well.
The fair is sponsored by the
College Placement Association of
Nebraska and UNL’s Office of
Graduate Studies.
Falwell to
gays: Give up
homosexuality
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Gay
activists hissed, booed and screamed
Monday as the Rev. Jerry Falwell lec
tured via satellite to a group of gays
and lesbians about giving up homo
sexuality.
One member of ACT UP San
Francisco threw a blueberry pie at a
member of the group that organized
Falwell’s speech from Lynchburg,
Va., to about 60 people in a building
in Golden Gate Park.
Christian bigots out of our city,
cried Josh Trenter, who was hauled
away by police after allegedly tossing
the pie. He ancf another member of
his gay rights group were cited for
battery and released.
“God loves you and so do I,”
Falwell told the audience. “Just as
people can come out of the closet, so
can people choose to come out
against a sinful lifestyle.”
Michael Johnston, the pie’s
intended target, said he walked away
from relationships with men after
testing positive for HIV in 1986.
“If we really believe what we say
we believe, it would be hateful not to
reach out and share the Christian
gospel with these people.” Johnston
said.
