Best Foot Forward by Anna Lynn C. Sibal

So you are going to have a job interview tomorrow. You really want that new job � the salary is great, the benefits package is awesome and it is truly a good career move for you. You think that, with your skills, you have a good shot at landing it.

You know that first impressions last. You have planned your outfit tomorrow, thought about what colors to wear for your make-up, and you have already done up your nails. You even bought a new pair of pantyhose just to make sure that the one you will wear will not have any snags. All you need to do is to get into that outfit and to drive yourself to your interview early enough to arrive at the venue of the job interview five minutes before your appointment.

But are you not forgetting something? What about your shoes? What?! It does not matter because no one will be looking at them? That is where you are wrong, girl. Of course, people will be looking at your shoes. If they do not fit the overall impression you are trying to aim for when you meet your interviewer, then you might end up a goner.

The shoes you wear should complete the look you want to have when you are doing that job interview. The perfect shoes for the corporate look should be dress shoes with closed toes and heels that are three inches or lower. If you can manage flats, then you should go for them. Most of all, your shoes should be clean and should complement your outfit. Wearing scruffy and dirty shoes to a job interview will not help you land the job. In fact, you are more likely to lose this career opportunity by wearing scruffy and dirty shoes; such shoes communicate to the interviewer that you are a sloppy and careless person.

But this does not mean that you cannot show your personal style through your shoes. You can still do so, but you have to bear in mind that the look you choose should be appropriate for the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a position in the banking or finance sector, you should try to be a little more conservative. If you are applying for a job that allows you to be more creative, like in advertising, then wear something that speaks �creative,� like large buckles or animal prints.

Aside from dirty and scruffy shoes, never ever wear these kinds of shoes to a job interview:

Sneakers. Sure, sneakers are very comfortable and laidback, but they are not formal enough. Job interviews are formal affairs.
Flip-flops, sandals and open-toed shoes. Again, job interviews are formal affairs, and should thus be treated formally. Flip-flops, sandals and open-toed shoes, even if they look classy enough, still look informal and therefore should not be worn on job interviews.

Extremely high heels. High heels look nice. They make you look taller and slimmer. But they are not that practical. You would not want to meet an accident and sprain your ankle while you are rushing to get to your job interview on time. Also, you would want your feet to be comfortable while you are talking to your interviewer. Pain caused by extremely high heels will show on your face.

Embellished shoes. Shoes with too many adornments like crystals or metallic chunks are good for evening wear, not for an office scene. And definitely not for job interviews.

Put your best foot forward at your job interview. And good luck!