Beauty blunders that could cost you a job

Picture: Conor Lawless, flickr.com

Picture: Conor Lawless, flickr.com

Published Oct 29, 2012

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London - With jobs ever more scarce, hopeful employees looking for work are pulling out all the stops to ensure their CVs are dazzling.

But no matter how impressive their educational achievements or how extensive their work experience, women looking for work could unwittingly be sabotaging their hopes – by making silly mistakes in their beauty regime.

Minor beauty blunders can spell disaster in the hunt for a job, a new survey has found.

The worst offender is a candidate who arrives for their interview with chipped nails – a certain sign they are nervous or unprepared.

According to the survey, split ends tell an employer the would-be recruit is lazy, while smudged mascara signifies a party animal, and a fake tan suggests the applicant will be taking too many holidays.

Sara Stern, beauty director of UK chain store Debenhams who carried out the survey, said: “Your beauty regime holds the key to securing that dream job.

“They say it takes 30 seconds for interviewers to make their minds up about a candidate, but it could be down to beauty blunders many people aren’t even aware of, that make or break an interview.

“Chipped nails, split ends and smudged mascara top the list of cosmetic catastrophes that put interviewers off a candidate.

“Untidy chipped nail polish is a no-no, with interviewers rating it their worst beauty blunder, and the first thing they notice as they shake hands upon arrival.”

The survey, which questioned customers who had conducted job interviews, also found fault with woman candidates who arrived with two much make-up. A slick of bright red lipstick, heavily pencilled brows and overpowering perfume revealed an overconfident personality, the study found.

But too little make-up also raised employers’ concerns.

A shortage of mascara suggested the woman could be an emotional wreck who wastes no time in putting on what will inevitably be cried off within hours.

A trace of lipstick on a woman’s teeth could imply carelessness, while a strong line of foundation hinted at a lack of attention to detail.

A drawn-on beauty spot could cause an interviewer to doubt the honesty of the candidate.

Even a woman appearing in immaculate make-up could ring alarm bells – telling the interviewer to watch out for their own job. This is a sign the woman means business – and will probably be keen to grab any chance of promotion.

Stern said: “It seems a more natural-looking middle ground is the way to go for sure-fire success.” – Daily Mail

 

THE MOST HATED BEAUTY BLUNDERS

* Chipped nails, 24 percent (nervous/ unprepared)

* Split ends, 19 percent (lazy)

* Smudged mascara, 17 percent (party animal)

* Fake tan, 13 percent (loves a holiday)

* Bright red lipstick, 7 percent (power crazy)

* Heavily pencilled brows, 5 percent (too confident)

* Overpowering perfume, 4 percent (attention seeker)

* Lipstick on teeth, 3 percent (careless)

* No mascara, 3 percent (emotional wreck)

* Line of foundation, 2 percent (lack of attention to detail)

* Drawn-on beauty spot, 2 percent (untruthful)

* 100 percent immaculate, 1 percent (gunning for boss’s job)

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