"We talk about how you should walk and hold yourself when you walk in, the eye contact, and the hand shake. Body language and overall appearance are very important."
Regarding appearance, Pesta suggests that job applicants "wear something that's comfortable, that fits you well, that wears well - stay away from the linens and the cottons - and wear something that gives you confidence. Something that you can put on and forget about."
In this digital age, appearances are no longer restricted to that which you bring to the office.
Pesta explains, "A lot of students are using FaceBook or MySpace, or they may be putting things on the web. They may have their own web site."
"We talk about making sure that what they're putting out there is something that wouldn't scare an employer."
"We tell them, 'Why don't you google yourself and see what shows up?' Then put yourself in an employer's shoes. Does that contradict what you're saying on a resume?"
Pesta cautions that there are employers who hire interns to use their college e-mail addresses and look up students on the internet. Those on-line profiles are then compared with the resumes.
To hear the entire interview with Donna Pesta, click below.
- BACK -
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Thirteen years experience in workforce development have given Tom Pritchard 
a very good idea of what employers expect from a job applicant.
"Employers are looking for punctuality, appropriate dress, respectfulness, alertness, and inquisitiveness. They're not looking for 'bumps on logs' who think they're doing the employer a favor by showing up for the interview."
"I'm not a social scientist, but I believe the figures for communication theory say that body language probably constitutes between sixty and seventy percent of our communication capabilities. Our verbal, therefore, only counts for thirty percent."
"If, in the first five minutes, you don't make a positive first impression, the interviewer that might have offered you the job is going to look for somebody better."
"So it's absolutely critical that you go in there with your shoes shined, your teeth brushed, and your hair combed. And, this may sound like a social commentary, but the fewer body piercings you present, the better off you're going to be with the traditional employers in this local economy."