Tips for looking more professional

Nurses General Nursing

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Looking for tips and advice for students getting ready for the real world (and really all nurses) looking to change their look to something more appropriate to the workforce.

I am thinking I need a shorter, sleeker haircut as I have really curly hair that I have to wear in a ponytail or a bun at clinical which to me does not scream professionalism at all. My face is not flattered by hair tight up.

Also thinking it may be time to scrap the jeans and sweatshirts in class and in the community and maybe time to start to wear a touch of makeup every day. I always seem to run into healthcare professionals at the darndest times and I look like my teenagers.

Any ideas to students and nurses alike lookling to update their appearances?

Thanks everyone!!

I think it goes without saying that it is a good idea to go business professional for job interviews.

For work, scrubs, lol.

Otherwise...please, leave me alone.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

At work/in the hospital:

No chewing/popping gum PLEASE!!!! If you have to,get rid of the gum if you can't have it inconspicuously.

Make up, if used, conservative please!

Try make sure uniforms you do wear fit well and are in fairly good condition. IF you wear hospital-scrubs, please look to be sure pockets are not torn or there are not penned-on vital signs up and down the legs, if at all possible.

Please, do us all a favor and Leave the perfume and long or artificial/painted nails for dates or home only!

Name badge prominently displayed (with name/picture actually VISIBLE) please---backward and on your beltline just looks unprofessional and can't be read by anyone!

Address yourself professionally to all you meet in your day, patients, family members etc. Name and credential, good idea, when introducing yourself to patients/family at your workplace.

Don't be one of the ones sitting/standing around the nurses' station gossiping loudly----looks very bad!

Stand straight/proud and be clear, genuine, and direct in your communication/physical posture and gestures.

I agree with llg also, if you go for a hospital-sponsored or mandated education/class, please dress the part a bit more. Flipflops and sweats/jeans just don't look good at these things.

All these may seem obvious, but it just seems to me, people tend to focus on uniform, hair, etc, when wondering how to look more professional, which is VERY valid. But the perfect hair do and iron/pressed uniform don't help if your whole-person is not professional in behavior, too!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I went to a Macy's store one day to look at purses. I'm certainly not wealthy but if I'm looking at it I can afford it. I had on sweats and flip flops that day too. So...I politely ask the clerk if I can look at a purse and she asks if I have a way to pay for it! I was pretty upset but held my temper and walked out.

However, I do not, ever, ever, ever leave my house without a bra and real clothes!!!!

I would be telling them why they would not get my business nor would I have a nice thing to say about them to my friends. THAT is HORRIBLE. I have never encountered this at our Macy's but if I did, that would be my last time there, too!

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Specializes in Neuro.

Where's a good place to go for makeup advice? For whatever reason I never got any passed down through my family and am utterly clueless, so I seldom wear any (and luckily most people say I don't "need' any). But I think a little bit might boost my confidence when all dressed up. Is it acceptable practice to walk up to a makeup counter at the mall and ask for advice on what looks good?

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Where's a good place to go for makeup advice? For whatever reason I never got any passed down through my family and am utterly clueless, so I seldom wear any (and luckily most people say I don't "need' any). But I think a little bit might boost my confidence when all dressed up. Is it acceptable practice to walk up to a makeup counter at the mall and ask for advice on what looks good?

depends on how much you trust the sales person!

(could contact an Avon representative, they usually have colour charts, lots of samples, and you can always return any item if you don't like it for a complete refund)

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I actually dress up for class....EVERY day...unless I'm sick. I'm talking business casual-type clothing. I starting doing it out of necessity, I had worked in the business world for so long that was the only clothes I had...I didn't have any casual clothing.

What I learned, is my professors, classmates, treated me much differently because of it. The other day, one of the younger students said, "You always look so polished, you really seem to have it together."

If she only knew that my house is always a disaster, meals barely make it to the table...taking care of 2 kids while my husband is away and trying to go to school full-time with a part-time job....but the PERCEPTION...is because my DRESS was together....so was I.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Where's a good place to go for makeup advice? For whatever reason I never got any passed down through my family and am utterly clueless, so I seldom wear any (and luckily most people say I don't "need' any). But I think a little bit might boost my confidence when all dressed up. Is it acceptable practice to walk up to a makeup counter at the mall and ask for advice on what looks good?

Yes. The salespeople should help you pick out things that work well with your skin tone etc. That's what they are there for.

However, keep in mind that most of those women wear too much make-up for the health care environment. Their standard of what is a "normal amount" would be considered "way too much" for most people on the average day. Also remember that it is their job to sell you as many products as they can.

So ... take whatever they say and divide it by 2 (or 3). Tone it down and just try a minimal amount of what they recommend. You can always add a little more if you need to: it's a lot harder to take it off or "un-do" what you've done. Also, you don't need to buy a million products to look properly put-together. Just try 1 or 2 little things lightly ... get used to that ... then try a little more if needed.

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I was going to say cut your hair but just saw the post that you did !!! yay! Nothing looks more tackier ( to me anyway) than when you see an older woman with long hair unless she looks really young & styles it nice and can carry it off. I mean come on...chop that stuff off!!! You get to a point in your age when it's inappropriate looking. My dad's girlfriend is 60 & has long long hair ( like almost to her waist) & keeps it in a ponytail ..plus it's all gray...it looks absolutley horrible...I mean come on!!!! lol! I sound like a prude lol!!! But seriously.......I agree with the better you dress & groom, the better others treat you...it's absolutely true I think as well. You are lucky that you look really young by the sounds of it......I get mistaken tons of times for being very young also...... when people hear I have a 17 year old that don't know me,they look at me in disbelief......it's a hoot seeing their expression:lol2:

I have to laugh - I'm one of those "older" people with long hair (but people usually mistake me for many years younger than I am, to the point where some say they doubt my years of working - I have to laugh about them)

Much of my hair is turning white. It has taken me years to get it to this length. And I was recently thinking how I hate short hair, and I will never agree to have my hair cut short again. This way I can make it into a long braid, or wear it up, etc and I prefer these. What is this with "chopping off" - I guess it depends on the person's hair and how they care for it.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I am not cutting my hair, either. Long, (about 2 inches from my waist), curly and red, I put it up at work. (think Melina Kanakaredes, except for red, not dark brown). I don't look unprofessional cause I have long hair and it will stay long until I can no longer care for it or I get tired of it.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You could go to a high-end salon for make up tips. Tell the specialist how you want to look (professional) and you want it to compliment your natural features, not cover them up. And no, that would not be those counters at Macys or Dillards. They wear WAY too much and as pointed out, they are there to sell you as much product as they can.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

I have gone on interviews wearing outfits I got from Goodwill. My favorite was a 2 piece skirt and overblouse off the 99 cent rack. Got the job!

You can find lots at rummage sales that are appropriate for classes. Dockers and long-sleeved blouses or shells with a blazer or sweater are usually a couple of dollars each. Some stuff still has the store tags still on!

Good luck and have fun.

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Name badge prominently displayed (with name/picture actually VISIBLE) please---backward and on your beltline just looks unprofessional and can't be read by anyone!

Look, I am sure many of you recognize me as a curmudgeon-at-large around here. But for once, I have a real question....

How do you keep your freaking badge facing the right way?

No matter what, it never fails, the back of my badge is facing forward. Why is this the natural position?

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