If you had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, would you present them to your client?

The appearance of your candidate can be just as important as their skill set. If the candidate would be in a client-facing role, a sales position, or the face of the company, they must be presentable and professional. Imagine sending your client a restaurant management candidate who had poor hygiene or a legal assistant who wore sweat pants. You see, no matter how talented they are, they would be overlooked by any discerning client. It's uncomfortable to tell a candidate that they need to clean up their appearance; however, you will come across situations like this now and then as a Permanent Recruiter. Discuss how you would handle the dilemma.

"Honesty is important when dealing with job seekers. Being straightforward is great, but you also have to be kind. If I had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, I would let them know that their presentation was not the best. I would ask their permission to give feedback and then be prepared with resources and examples they could turn to for help. For instance, a fashion blog, a great hairstylist, or some of my favorite self-care products."