Job interviews - are you looking good enough?

Everybody knows that in a job interview, the first few seconds count very much - it is the first impression and if you mess this one up, it it tough to go any further. This happens despite various rounds of interviews, job seekers have to go through, or tests that will be conducted - once you take the first hurdle.

A job consulting firm called Scout has now made it scientific. If you don't look good, it messes up your job opportunities. Well, okay - what they found is a bit obvious. Guys shouldn't have bushy beards, and women shouldn't wear heavy make-up. Those are just some of the criteria, companies look at. Alcohol is a no no (but it never was, we thought?), but we haven't found a definition of a "peculiar hairstyle". Any help from our readers here?

Here are some more of the criteria that puts you of the job map:

"For male candidates, these included a bushy beard (31.3 percent), the smell of alcohol and cigarettes (25.9 percent), a peculiar hairstyle (23.5 percent), strong cologne (9.9 percent) and ostentatious clothing (4.9 percent). For female candidates, these included the smell of alcohol and cigarettes (38.3 percent), thick makeup (30.0 percent), extravagant clothing (16.9 percent), strong perfume (7.0 percent) and a peculiar hairstyle (3.3 percent)."

It relates to Korea, obviously, as the firm conducted the study in Korea. But we wouldn't be astonished if the firm is not also engaged in the grooming business of job seekers.