The First Impression: lawyer in waiting or gay tramp?

The jury's out on beards..............

My Supervisor made an interesting observation of a fellow trainee recently; he 'looked like a gay tramp'. It was a fairly valid comment, given his trousers were a size too tight and his shirt had holes in it (seriously!!). My Supervisor went on to say that he was close to the hiring and firing line; if there is another trainee, of equal talent but with the right image, it is not a difficult guess to work out which one will get the job.

This comes in the same week that Allen & Overy tell female trainees to lengthen their skirts and shorten their heels. Who knows what they were wearing to prompt such an internal memo but you can just imagine the skirt yanking going on after it went round!

It is an attractive thought that trainees are valued for their input and talent, how good their work is and the effort they put in. I think almost all trainees at one point (an early point!) hope they will be hired on that basis. In today's NQ market this is a dream. The competition is fierce and not only are the hiring firms looking for the whole package but they will find it very easy to rule out those who give them a reason to.

Trainees should not forget that they are the face of the firm. It may not feel like it, being stuck at the photocopier or coffee station all day, but if you are almost flashing your bum you're not going to graduate into client meetings any time soon. If you can't bear to wear a tie, the firm is not going to let you anywhere near their big corporate client where ties are the uniform. If you aren't presentable enough to be let loose into the wider world of lawyering, why would they hire you?

This stretches beyond being able to dress yourself in appropriate sized (and unholey) clothes. The impression you make is undoubtedly tied to your presentation and the impressions of those around you count for a lot in a trainee's career . A fellow trainee has already made a name for herself by wearing push up bras (obviously so) when she has an appraisal. Not only is this tacky, it has alienated her female colleagues to the point where her successes are discredited. A trainee in a rival firm dresses 2 decades older then her 24 years and has been passed over for the more interesting seat placements despite being very good at her job. She simply doesn't come across as proactive or competent as others in her cohort.

It may seem rather shallow to focus so much on physical appearance but a lawyer's clothes are their packaging. Lawyers sell themselves and the suit, shoes and shirt are a part of the fee earner package. The scruffier a trainee, the smaller the pound signs their future employers see. Would you turn up to an interview with holes in your shirt? No, I thought not.

Luckily for me, my 'trademark' red heels are neither too high, nor too holey. Perfect power dressing material!