APPEARANCE is a requirement for jobs, especially in the hospitality sector. Good looks also mean being well-groomed and neat, and how one carries oneself.
A crisp and clean look, subtle dressing and proper body language convey that one is a keen and meticulous individual. And, that’s what “looking good” is all about.
However, it is important to recognise that competence and experience are the lead essentials to acquire a position and advance in one’s career. Looking good or a great personality comes a close third.
Appearance is, however, the most noticeable first impression. From my experience in a selection panel at an international organisation, I know it is a universal trend that employers look to recruit, or select for advancement, employees with impressive attributes, both in terms of competency and experience or potential that include:
GOOD academic and professional qualifications;
RELEVANT technical skills — the higher the job-level, the more specialised the skills-set requirement;
GOOD communication skills — oral and written;
PROBLEM-solving capability;
ABILITY to work both independently and in harmony with co-workers; and
ADAPTABILITY, and eager and willing to learn new skills.
Some of these attributes are abstract and difficult to ascertain while assessing a candidate or can only be found out progressively on the job. That’s true to an extent, but employers, human resource professionals and other specialists have, over time, devised ways to make reasonably good assessments of most, if not all, of these attributes and, more often than not, it works out in the best interest of employer and employee.
Instead of interviews and resumes, more employers find that using competency-based interviews, ability tests and personality questionnaires provide a much better assessment of a candidate’s ability.
Personality, or how one presents and carries oneself is important, more so in jobs that deal face-to-face with clients, and complements competence and experience as an essential ingredient for securing a job and career advancement.
Rueben Dudley, Petaling Jaya, Selangor