Personality development

Name :- Sujata Kaundal

UNIT – 3
Corporate Grooming & Interview Skills

Corporate Dressing and Personal Grooming

Corporate dressing refers to sensible dressing at work place which helps an individual
to make a mark of his/her own in the first meeting itself. Corporate dressing teaches an
individual to dress according to the organization culture. Do not wear something which
will make you feel odd one out at the workplace. Dressing sensibly makes you feel
confident throughout the day. Believe me; you do not feel like working if you wear a
wrinkled shirt or ill-fitting pants to work. No one knows you better than you yourself. It is
not necessary that something which looks good on your colleague would also look good
on you. Don’t purchase anything just because it is in fashion. Please use your common
sense. If a dress is not looking good on you at the showroom, it will look the same even
at home. Dress according to your body type, weight and complexion. Remember,
appearances are extremely important.

Corporate dressing plays a crucial role in enhancing one’s personality. An

individual with a pleasing personality is respected and appreciated by all. He can easily
charm anyone and win people over.

You need to feel good about the way you look. Make sure your clothes fit you well.
You need to feel comfortable in your dress. Too tight and revealing clothes make you
popular at the workplace for all wrong reasons. Nobody bothers to notice you, if you are
not sensibly dressed. Formal dressing, if done correctly helps you create the first
impression. Remember, you seldom get a second chance.

Personal grooming and corporate dressing actually go hand in hand. Donning an

expensive business suit will not help, if you are not neat and clean. Here comes
the importance of personal grooming. Personal grooming is defined as the art of
cleaning and maintaining one’s body parts. Personal grooming is essential for everyone
irrespective of the gender and nature of profession. Personal hygiene, if neglected can
ruin your personality. Would you feel like speaking to someone who has bad breath or
someone who has sweat stains all over his shirt? I am sure the answer would be a big
NO. The same goes with others as well. Flaunt your clean, simple yet elegant look.

Male professionals need to:

▪ Shave Daily/Trim moustache or beard

▪ Comb hair properly
 ▪ Wear crisp, wrinkle free shirts preferably in subtle colours and well fit trousers in
blacks, blues or greys.
▪ Wear a mild perfume
▪ Trim his nails

Female professionals need to:

▪ Tie hair in a neat ponytail or bun.

▪ Wear flats to work.
▪ Wear minimal make up
▪ Get rid of facial hair or hair in any other body part(hands, legs, area around the
lip)
▪ Smell good
▪ Clean their hands, feet and take care of finger as well as toe nails. Preferably use
a transparent nail paint.

Avoid wearing loud colours to work. Casuals, chunky jewellery, stacks of bangles,
multiple chains /bracelets are strict no no at workplaces. Corporate dressing along
with personal grooming help you create a presence that exudes professionalism,
leadership, confidence and elegance.

Importance of Corporate Dressing

Corporate dressing refers to the art of dressing formally and correctly. Corporate
dressing helps an individual to dress according to his work profile and organization
culture. Formal dressing, if done correctly goes a long way in shaping one’s personality.
People take you seriously if you are dressed sensibly. Remember no one likes to speak
to an individual who does not know how to carry himself/herself. Going to work in
formals helps you create an image of yours. Dressing correctly helps you stand apart
from the rest and be a role model for others.

Let us go through the importance of corporate dressing:

Dressing formally not only reflects your image but also the organization you
represent. You need to follow a proper dress code at the workplace. An individual
just can’t afford to be casually dressed for important business meetings or
presentations. Remember, you are not only presenting yourself but your organization.
An individual who looks presentable is liked and appreciated by all. Someone who is
formally and sensibly dressed does not have to try too hard to impress a client.

Paul was a marketing professional who had to deliver a presentation on his

organization’s new offerings at one of his client’s office. He never really bothered about
his dressing. He wore a worn out jeans teamed with a T Shirt along with chunky
bracelets and earrings. He even forgot to polish his shoes.
Paul was denied entry to the office. The lady sitting at the reception refused to let him
go inside the board room and meet the senior officials.

Do you think the receptionist was at fault? Absolutely NO

This is really not how one should be dressed for business meetings. No one will tell you
what you have to wear to work daily. Do not step out of home unless you see yourself in
the mirror.

Corporate dressing helps you develop a magnetic personality which attracts

other individuals. You need to have that charisma and dressing formally helps you in
the same.

Corporate dressing helps you inculcate a good and healthy culture at the
workplace. Individuals tend to lose interest in their work if they are not formally
dressed. Believe me, you really don’t feel like working if you are dressed in T shirt and
jeans on a Monday. Avoid wearing T shirts, ripped jeans, sneakers, hats, chunky
jewellery to work. (Weekends are an exception!).T shirts, torn jeans, multiple chains are
a strict no no in corporate settings as they spoil the decorum of the organization.
Female employees should avoid wearing chandelier earrings, stacks of bangles and so
on. There is absolutely no need of flaunting your gold jewellery at workplace.
Remember, price has nothing to do with corporate dressing. You really don’t need to
burn a hole in your pocket to buy designer business suits. Dress sensibly. Corporate
dressing helps you flaunt your simple, clean yet elegant look.

Corporate dressing helps you create that first impression. Remember, first
impressions are important and they help you throughout your life. If you fail to impress
someone in the first meeting, you will never get a second chance.

Formal dressing makes you feel confident at work. You get that energy and confidence,
the moment you wear your crisp white shirt along with a black well fit trouser. Dress
code makes an individual disciplined and inculcates a sense of team spirit among
employees.

Business Dressing Etiquette

It is rightly said that “a man is known by his dress and address”. Donning the right
business attire will not only help you make a mark of your own but also climb the
success ladder in the shortest possible time span. Do not just pull out anything from
your wardrobe and wear it to work. Remember you can’t wear your party outfit to work
just because it is expensive and looks good on you. It is not necessary that a shirt which
looked good on you five years ago will still look good on you. Know what you are
wearing. Do not step out of your home unless you see yourself in a full length mirror.
Do not wear loud colours to work. Blue, Charcoal grey, White, Black, Khaki are
essentially some colours which every business wardrobe should have. Colours based
on a neutral colour palette look good at the workplace.

Never wear gaudy accessories to work. Avoid wearing big earrings and too many
bangles at workplace. The clattering sound of your bangles every time you hit the
keyboard will not only disturb you but also others sitting around you. Do not blindly
follow others. You need to create a style of your own. Keep your dressing simple yet
elegant.

Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed properly. Remember, an individual to a
large extent is judged by his clothes. Make sure your shoes are polished. You can keep
a shoe shiner handy just in case you travel by bus or any other modes of public
transport. Carry a black leather briefcase/bag to keep your laptop and other important
files and documents.

One needs to smell good at the workplace. Apply a mild perfume.

Be very careful about the fit of your dress. Do not wear something which is too tight
or too loose on you. Females ought to avoid body hugging and revealing tops to work.
Dresses with a deep neckline are not meant to be worn at offices. Skirts should not be
above the knee. Females should prefer wearing flats to work. Avoid being a make-up
box. Females with long hair can tie their hair in a neat bun or a high pony tail.

Men should always tuck their shirts into pants to look professional. Make sure the shirt
you are wearing is crisp and clean. Avoid wearing short sleeve shirts to work. Do not
roll up your shirt sleeves and never keep the button which holds your collar open. Do
not wear embroidered belts or belts with a broad buckle to work. Belts are not meant to
hold your cell phone holders.

Do not wear a tie just for the sake of it. Remember your tie needs to complement
your overall look. The tip of your tie ideally should touch the upper edge of your belt’s
buckle. Wear socks to work.

Price has nothing to do with “smart dressing”. No one will ask you to show the label.
Make sure whatever you are wearing goes with your personality and looks good on you.
You need to be comfortable in your office attire.

Last but not the least do not forget to flash your trillion dollar smile. No dress would look
good on you if you look sad and gloomy.

Personal Grooming Tips for Women

Personal grooming refers to an art which helps individuals to clean and maintain their
body parts. Human beings need to wash, clean their body parts to look good and for
personal hygiene as well. Personal grooming helps in enhancing an individual’s self
esteem and also goes a long way in developing an attractive personality.

Personal grooming does not mean applying loads of makeup and wearing expensive
clothes. It refers to cleaning and maintaining each and every body part for a pleasing
appearance. No one likes to talk to someone who is dirty and does not take care of
personal hygiene and grooming.

Personal Grooming Tips for women

Do not keep long hair if you can’t maintain it. Remember your hairstyle must suit the
shape of your face. It is essential to wash your hair at least thrice a week (especially if
you are working) with a good shampoo and a mild conditioner. Excessive shampooing
can also sometimes damage your hair. Do not forget to apply hair oil to provide the
required nourishment to your hair. Comb your hair with a good hair brush which does
not break your hair. Never scratch your head in public. If you have medium to long hair,
tie it properly in a neat bun or a high pony tail.

Nothing looks better than a glowing and healthy skin. Merely applying layers of
makeup will not make you look beautiful unless you are healthy from within. Drink lots of
water and do take care of your diet for a flawless skin. Intake of fruits and green
vegetables will restore the glow on your face. Sleep well. Wash your face at regular
intervals and make sure you do not sleep with your makeup on. Do not apply just any
cream on your face. Go for a trusted brand and something which you have used before.
Never step out in the sun without applying a good sunscreen with SPF of minimum 25.
(Ideal for Indian skin).Choose the right moisturizer to avoid chapped skin in winters. Do
not forget that all cosmetics come with an expiry date. Replace your cosmetics within
seven to eight months of purchase. It is always advisable to go for a patch test before
trying a new product.

Females should regularly remove hair around their lips. Eyebrows should be
shaped whenever required. You can also use a good bleach to lighten your facial hair.
Excessive bleaching leaves your hair hard and dry. Be very careful!! Unwanted hair on
your hands, legs, underarms or any other body part should be regularly removed as
they make a women look unpresentable.

Hands should be clean and nails properly trimmed and manicured. Many women tend to
ignore their feet and toe nails. Give yourself a pedicure once in fifteen days to keep your
feet healthy and clean. Apply a good foot cream to get rid of cracks. Do not apply gaudy
nail paints. Coat your nails with a transparent nail shiner. Dirty fingernails not only look
disgusting but are harmful for your health as well.

Who says you have to apply layers of make-up to look good? You can make heads turn
even with minimal make up. Never apply cakey makeup. Applying excessive foundation
will not give you a white complexion but make you look like a clown. Do not overdo
colours on lips or eyes. Red patches on face look undesirable. Go for a simple look.
Dress sensibly. Make sure your clothes are clean and properly ironed. There should
be no visible sweat stains on your dress. Remember, a female must always smell good.
Apply a mild deodorant or talc. Look fresh.

Flash your smile quite often. Visit your dentist once in six months. Make it a habit to
brush your teeth twice a day for that beautiful smile.

Personal Grooming Tips for Men

Personal grooming plays an essential role in enhancing one’s personality. Remember, a

lot depends on your first impression. Grooming and hygiene help you make a mark of
your own in the first meeting itself. Many men wrongly think that personal grooming is
for females only. Every individual irrespective of gender should look clean, fresh and
hygienic.

Personal grooming tips for men

Follow a strict skin care regime. Men generally tend to ignore their skin. Believe me,
there are men who think that taking care of skin is a girl thing, but they are sadly
mistaken. One needs to take care of his skin to keep it glowing and healthy. Wash your
face with a good soap or face wash depending on your skin type. Pat dry your face
rather than rubbing it with a hard towel. Do not use hard soaps on your face. Pick up
a good body wash. Apply a soothing moisturizer to keep it soft, supple and nourished.
Avoid excessive smoking as it takes away the glow from your face and makes it look
dull. There is no harm in applying a good sunscreen lotion especially those who have to
spend maximum part of the day in sun. Use a lip balm to avoid chapped lips.

Use a good quality razor when it comes to shaving. Cheap and local blades can
give rise to unwanted cuts on your face. Pick a good aftershave lotion to retain the
moisture in your skin after every shave. Nose hair looks disgusting and must be
trimmed regularly. Clean hair on your earlobes for a neat look. Trim your moustaches
daily. Do not go to work with a beard. Shave regularly for a clean look.

Get an appropriate hair-cut done according to the shape of your face. Keep your
hair detangled by combing it regularly. Purchase a good shampoo and conditioner
according to your hair type. If you are in doubt, consult your salon professionals.

Keep your hands clean. Cut your nails short and keep it dirt free. Make sure to wash
your hands after every meal. Do not wear unnecessary rings, bracelets, multiple chains
or earrings. They look completely unprofessional.

Wear a mild perfume. Do not apply a strong deodorant.

Brush your teeth regularly. Food stuck in between teeth looks unappealing. Visit your
dentist on regular intervals.

Take care of the fit of your shirt and trouser. Make sure your shirt is clean and
wrinkle free. Slim fit trousers look best at workplaces. Do not simply pull out clothes
from your wardrobe and wear them. Clothes ought to be ironed properly.

Drink at least two litres of water daily to maintain the glow on your face.

Exercising regularly keeps you fit and also enhances your self confidence. Develop a
habit of getting up early in the morning and going for a walk. Believe me; it will keep you
fresh throughout the day. Maintain an active lifestyle.

Do not blindly copy others. Create a style of your own for others to follow you. Be a role
model for others.

Shoes must be polished. Wear leather belts which go with the colour of your trouser.

Meaning of Interview:
Interview is an important selection technique where there is two-way exchange of information
either on one-to-one basis or by an interview panel. The interview gets important information
from the candidates and can also judge whether or not they can fit into the organisation culture.

Interview is a two-way conversation. It is a personal form of communication between two

people. It is a beneficial process for both the interviewer and the interviewee. The interviewer
tells the applicant about the job preview and helps the interviewee make his mind about whether
or not he wants to take that job. Though conducting interviews is not based on fixed rules,
certain guidelines for the interviewer and interviewee can make interview an effective process.

Features of Interview:
1. It is face-to-face interaction between interviewer and the interviewee.

2. It has a definite purpose known to both the parties.

3. It is generally based on pre-structured questions to be asked in a defined manner.

Importance of Interview:
Interview serves the following purposes:

1. Interview helps in selecting the candidate most suitable for the job.

2. It provides the candidate information about the organisation and the job for which he applied.

3. Interview helps in knowing details about candidate’s personality.

4. It is a method of direct contact between the employer and the candidate. Employer can observe
physical characteristics of the candidates. It helps managers to check authenticity of details in the
application form.

5. It helps interviewer and the interviewee know each other in detail. Complete information about
the company can be given to the candidate and negotiations on salary and other terms can be
made.

Types of Interviews:
Interviews can be conducted one-on-one, in a panel, or as a group. Interviews can be informal or
formal, relaxed or stressful, directed or undirected.

Before preparing for an interview, the interviewee should find out how the interview will be
conducted.

Interviews can be of the following types:

1. Exit Interview,

2. Stress Interview,

3. Appraisal Interview, and

4. Promotion Interview.

1. Exit Interview:
Exit interview is one of the most widely used methods of getting employee feedback. An exit
interview is a meeting between at least one representative from the company’s human resources
(HR) department and the departing employee. (The departing employee may have voluntarily
resigned or is laid off or fired). The HR representative asks the employee questions or asks him
to complete a questionnaire, or both.

Exit interview is a survey conducted with an employee when he leaves the company. The
information from each survey is used to provide feedback on why employees are leaving, what
they liked about their employment and what areas of the company need improvement. Exit
interviews are effective when the data is compiled and tracked over time.

2. Stress Interview:
The stress interview creates and promotes discomfort intentionally. The interviewer may adopt
harsh attitude. He may stare, be silent, and spend time taking notes. He puts the interviewee in a
position where he can observe how he acts and speaks under pressure. He looks specially at his
reaction to stressful situations.

Employers use stress interview to:

a) Create a stressful job environment and evaluate the candidate in terms of his ability to handle
stressful situations.

b) Evaluate the true nature of candidates to see if the candidate is likely to lose his cool and react
intuitively and emotionally, under stressful conditions.

3. Appraisal Interview:
Once a year, all employees of the company have to undergo appraisal interview with their line
manager. This interview evaluates the interviewee’s performance over the past year, reviews the
tasks and objectives for the next year. The appraisal interview is used as a tool by the managers
of personnel department for planning training programmes.

On day-to-day basis, managers do not have time to discuss long-term and basic conditions with
regard to employee’s employment and commitments. Therefore, the companies want that all
employees should have an opportunity to participate in annual appraisal interview to secure that
competence of the individual employees is used in the best possible way in connection with
company’s goals.

This interview improves:

a. Performance of employees on the job,
b. Employer-employee relations, and

c. Communication between managers and employees.

4. Promotion Interview:
This interview is faced by a person when he is due for promotion. This interview is conducted to
test his aptitude for assuming job of higher importance, even if a person is the only candidate to
appear for the interview. If there are more than one candidate for the promotion interview,
management can select the best candidate on the basis of selected criteria. A promotion interview
is linked to growth of the person and the organisation he is working for.

It is not possible for management to keep record of the successes and failures of all the
employees on their jobs and have access to them in order to decide the candidate most suitable
for the job. Managers have to find the kind of people suitable for higher positions and conduct
the interview to that mind set.

Though interviewer and interviewee already know each other, this interview may start in an
informal way, yet the interviewee cannot treat the interviewer as his friend. He should act
professionally and consider the interview as a formal one.

Forms of Interview:
There are generally three forms of interview:
1. Structured interview:
The interviewer prepares a set of purely job related questions asked in the same sequence.

Some of these questions are:

(1) Where were you working last?

(2) Why do you want to change your job?

(3) What are your expectations from this job?

Structured interview does not give flexibility to the interviewer to ask questions about the
candidate’s personality.

2. Semi-structured interview:
In a semi-structured interview, the interviewer asks the structured, pre-determined questions
along with questions about the candidate’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, his experience
at other jobs, etc. This interview is more conversational and interesting and gets better response
about the candidate’s personality than a structured interview.

3. Un-structured interview:
An unstructured interview is not planned or based on systematic, predetermined list of questions.
It is a spontaneous interaction between the interviewer and interviewee. The information that
interviewer collects about the candidate may not be relevant or truly job related which can assess
the candidate’s suitability for the particular job. It may contain an element of bias or subjectivity
on the part of the interviewer to select a candidate.

Weaknesses of an Interview:

Though interview is the most commonly adopted method of selection, it may not always
prove to be effective because of the following weaknesses

1. Imbalanced positions:
While interviewing, the interviewer is confident of his position. He can, therefore, ask any
question to the interviewee but interviewees are normally tensed during the interview. Even
knowledgeable and competent candidates may not perform well in the interview. Rejection of
candidates purely on the basis of interview is, thus, not desirable.

Interviewer may also be biased against interviewee. Selection on the basis of biased interview is
not correct. Interviews based on biases towards candidates does not give good results. It is the
assumption of the interviewer that a person good in one activity is good in all and a person bad in
one activity is bad in all other activities also.

It, thus, evaluates a person on the basis of a single or few qualities and not all the qualities on the
basis of which he should be ranked. It takes partial view of the person and evaluates him totally
on that ground. It is like evaluating the whole on the basis of a sample. Though it may work in
case of objects, it is not always true in evaluating people.

2. Wrong presentation:
Sometimes, the candidate answers to please the interviewer. This does not reflect true picture of
his candidature. A wrong candidate can, thus, be selected.

3. Unstructured interviews:
When the interviewer does not plan an interview, he may ask questions not relevant to the job.
This does not fully explore the potential of the candidate.

4. Theoretical details:
Interview only extracts theoretical details about the candidate’s personality. Job related practical
skills cannot be determined through interviews.

Ways to Improve the Interview:

Some of the ways in which weaknesses of the interview can be overcome are as follows:
1. Training of interviewer:
Before conducting an interview, the interviewer should be trained to ask questions related to the
job, rather than asking unstructured or haphazard questions. He should decide the basis on which
candidate is to be evaluated and weightage to be given to interview in the total selection process.

2. Maintain balance:
The interviewer should make the interview a comfortable interaction with the candidate where
the candidate does not feel tensed and stressed to answer the questions. He should be mentally
relaxed to answer the questions.

Sometimes, the interviewer deliberately asks questions to harass the candidate. Such an attitude
should be avoided. The interviewer should make interview comfortable and stress-free by asking
clear and simple questions in the beginning. Questions should be asked when the candidate
overcomes the mental stress of interview.

3. Multiple interviews:
To avoid personal bias in the selection process, different interviewers should interview the same
candidate and, jointly, they should decide the suitability of the candidate.

4. Supplementary facts:
Even if a candidate does not perform well in the interview, he should not be rejected
straightaway. The details in his application form, his performance in the preliminary interview
and responses of cross references should be considered before concluding the final result.

Suggestions to Ensure Success in an Interview:

Many people think they will get a good job after doing well in an interview. They think, they will
find a company they want to work for, on the basis of their knowledge. However, this is not
always true. Even the smartest student in the class, having more marks than any of his friends,
from a good private school, or a famous college may not get the job if he walks to an interview
unprepared. He should do research about the company, dress professionally and have reason to
tell the interviewer why they should hire him.

Many people struggle on finding the right steps to have a successful interview. The job interview
is usually the most stressful part of the job search. It does not have to be a stressful situation. The
most important thing for the candidate is to be prepared. If he prepares for the interview, the
stress level will be reduced dramatically.

The following suggestions ensure success in an interview:

1. The interviewee should research as much as he can about the company’s products, services,
markets, competitors, trends, current activities and priorities.

2. He should prepare answers for the type of questions he will be asked. He should be able to say
why he wants the job, what are his strengths, how would he do the job, what are his best
achievements etc.

3. He should ask for a copy of the company’s employment terms and conditions or employee
handbook before the interview, in order to save time covering routine matters during the
interview.

4. He should collect evidence of his achievements in the past.

5. He should update his resume.

6. He should gather important material related to the company to be prepared for the interview,
like the sales brochures and literature, a trade magazine covering the company’s market sector,
and a newspaper for the few days before the interview to remain informed about the world and
national news.

7. He should review his personal goals and speak openly and honestly about them and how he
plans to achieve them.

8. He should have two or three good reputable and relevant references who would be happy to be
contacted.

9. He should adopt an enthusiastic, alert and positive mind-set in the interview.

10. He should positively deal with negative aspects of his profile and tell the truth rather than
evading or distorting facts.