First Impressions

First impressions can make or break your experience in the schools.  And your appearance and body language makes that first impression.

Your clothing.  A good guideline for clothing is to dress as you would for an important day at school.  Wear clothes that look good, are clean, pressed and comfortable so you can forget appearance and concentrate on the tasks of the day.

Personal hygiene.  A hairstyle that is perfectly acceptable on campus may not work in a school setting.  Trim those ragged edges!  Tame those tresses!  As you go into schools for field experiences, look around at your colleagues to get a sense of what is appropriate.  Remove hats prior to entering the classroom.  Fingernails should be clean and trimmed.  Wear deodorant or anti-perspirant if you are prone to sweating when nervous.

Your shoes.  Clean and shined!

Your fragrance.  If you insist on being aromatic, don’t wallow in it!  Too many people are either allergic to or turned off by one scent or another.

Your accessories.  Nothing that jangles.  Nothing that dazzles, shimmers, or attracts more attention than you do!  Tattoos and Nose Rings may also be perfectly acceptable on campus but may not work in a school setting.  It is important to look like a teacher so that students will feel that they can approach you as a teacher.

Your glasses.  Eye contact is very important, so make sure your glasses are clean.

Your pen.  Buy a fresh pen.  A nice pen will make a better impression than your chewed up BIC.

The mirror tells it all.  Take a good look at yourself from head to toe.

Are you impressed?  Great!

*        adapted from material originally prepared by the Career Planning and Placement Office at Northern Illinois University   2001 AAEE Job Search Handbook