Hey there! This is Morgan Noonan, junior at the University of Maryland pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Studio Art. Yes, I get asked "So what are you going to do with that?" quite a bit. I plan on becoming a medical illustrator. Booyah!

Competition in the job market can be fierce.

And in an arena of important first impressions, you need to put your best foot forward -- preferably pedicured.

Sadly, appearances have a significant impact in the world of having the right handshake and making just enough eye contact. It may not be out-rightly used against you, but a less than stellar smile or some bad bed head could subconsciously influence an interviewer's decision.

It is a known fact that many companies have policies concerning their employees' appearances. Men cannot have hair that touches the collar of their shirt. No visible tattoos or facial piercings allowed. Understandably, the youth of today is often frustrated by this seemingly unjust bias and consequently acts out in defiance. This, however, only reinforces the negative stereotypes about deviant behavior and body art.

Being aware that the way you present yourself sets up how you will be judged is essential to successfully wading through turbulent waters in the sea of interviews awaiting you. It may seem unfair to discriminate against someone because they have a purple mohawk and a lipring, but companies do it all the time and it is fully within their rights.

Businesses are accountable for everyone that they employ and if one of their workers does not represent a respectable set of values, then it reflects poorly on them. Of course, assuming that people who dress in all black aren't upstanding citizens is not fair. I'm sorry kids, but life is not fair. (Gasp!)

I'm not suggesting that everyone should turn into preppy cookie cutter clones. Where would the world be without its angsty tight jeans wearers? Or the sleeve tattooed sporters of weird facial hair? You don't want to lose your personality. In fact, standing out from other applicants could make you a more desirable candidate. You will come across as someone who is creative and not afraid to challenge the status quo. However, you need to dial it down and enter professional mode when you enter an office building. You have to market yourself correctly and find a good balance between expressing yourself and being able to fit in. Sounds like 'high school all over again', huh?

Well, it basically is. And if you are one of my regular blog readers (Hi Mom), then you know that I am against compromising what you believe in to make a buck.

It is up to you to decide what you feel comfortable with. If you ace an interview, get a job offer, but are then asked to dye your hair back to a "more natural color", is that going to be a deal breaker for you? If your supervisor doesn't want customers seeing the dove that you've got inked onto your forearm, then are you willing to buy concealing makeup to hide it? Maybe that isn't a big deal, but having to take out piercings can be tedious and even painful.

When you are interviewing for a position, pay careful attention to what the people are like and how well you could potentially fit in there. You want to know whether showing up one day with your pet hamster is more likely to get you fired or to cause a chorus of Awwws.

Working your personal style into your work persona can be simple and easy. You go-getter gals can maybe lighten up on the eye shadow and you go-getter guys could just shave more often and presto change-o -- people will take you seriously!

(Sure, some ladies luff the scruff, but be sure that you don't take the five o'clock shadow to the extreme. There is nothing sexy about looking homeless.)

Added bonus -- looking good makes you feel good. And when you have a positive attitude about yourself, you begin to exude confidence and -- shazam -- you land your dream job! Looking well put together makes you come across as competent and reliable. (On the other hand, looking like a slob sends the message that you are lazy and disorganized.)

So try your best to use the shallowness of today's culture to your advantage. Being self-righteous and refusing to comply might make you seem cool for a little while, but there is nothing cool about missing a great opportunity. If your career is important to you (and I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it is) then you owe it to yourself to give 110%. Leave nothing to chance and give those future bosses out there every reason to think that you would be perfect for the job!

(Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons)