• June 03, 2009  |  8:42 AM MDT

Dress for Success

It sounds so 1980ish, but perhaps there’s a reason for that. The last time the U.S. economy struggled through such a nasty economic downturn was in 1982. For a period of time early that decade, the unemployment rate exceeded 10%. And anyone who was in search of employment made use of every advantage, including those outlined in John Malloy’s book, Dress for Success.

It’s been a good 20 years since job candidates have faced such stiff competition for open positions. If you are one, as you prepare for an interview, you can help better position yourself by keeping the following in mind:

Wear a suit. For most professional positions, gentlemen can’t go wrong with a navy blue suit made of quality fabric, white shirt, and red tie bearing a small repeating pattern. Ladies should also plan on wearing a suit—a jacket with slacks or a skirt—and a blouse made of quality fabric.

Neatly style your hair. The first thing any interviewer will notice is your hair—not whether you have any, but how neatly you have styled that which you do have. Make sure your hair has been trimmed and is styled so that it does not fall into your face during the course of your interview.

Polish your shoes. It turns out the second thing interviewers notice is your shoes. Gentlemen should opt for dark lace-ups and ladies should select low heels. Before heading into your interview, check the heels and ensure they are not worn down and/or nicked.

Cover up any tattoos. Most employers couldn’t care less whether or not job candidates have tattoos. They just wish to ensure that their clients won’t be exposed to them. As to body studs, limit yourself to one earring per ear.

Leave your electronic gadgets behind. Before you go into the interview, turn off your cell phone and BlackBerry and stow them away. Give any interviewer 100% of your attention, carefully focusing on their questions and your answers.