Appearance

First impressions are important; they are typically made within the first 7 seconds of meeting. Appearance is highly correlated with first impressions, so it is important to keep a neat appearance. (Nikam, The 7-second rule: How quickly do we judge others? 2025).

In a study done by Princeton psychologists, it was found that judgments made within 100 milliseconds were relatively the same as the judgments made in 1000 milliseconds. These judgments were purely based off of apperance.(Wargo, How many seconds to a first impression? 2006)

In most professional settings, you are expected to look clean, put together, and somewhat modest. This will depend on where you work as well, areas like film, music, and art tend to be much more lenient so that is something to keep in mind as well.

Tips for looking presentable

While you don't have to wear makeup or have fantastic hair like the photos above, you will want to look presentable.

Hygiene is a huge factor in looking presentable. This includes brushing your teeth, showering, washing your hair regularly, tidying up your hair, and smelling nice. These factors of appearance can all boost your first impressions. Keeping a simple morning and nightly routine can help minimize efforts and time while keeping up your appearance.

References

Lucas, R. W. (2023). Customer service: Skills for success. McGraw Hill Education.

Nikam, U. (2025, April 29). The 7-second rule: How quickly do we judge others?. Veritas. https://www.veritasnewspaper.org/post/the-7-second-rule-how-quickly-do-we-judge-others

Wargo, E. (2006, July 1). How many seconds to a first impression? https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-many-seconds-to-a-first-impression