Control What You Can

For those of us whose careers involve working our way up someone else's organization, personal appearance will, therefore, always be an important factor in how far we go. There are several ways that you can improve the perception others have of your personal appearance. First, "Dress up just one step," says Hinshaw of Graybar. Casual days and casual attire in many office environments give those people who are "less good-looking" a real opportunity. Study your company's dress code and come to work dressed a notch above that which is required. If the company allows collared T-shirts, wear button-downs. If the company allows khaki pants, wear a set of nicely tailored dress slacks. For women, just a little extra attention to makeup or accessories or a little more neatly groomed hair styling over the norm can make you stand out from the crowd.

But do not overdo it. One female executive told me the story of a male subordinate who came to work, in a casual-dress office environment, wearing a suit with suspenders, a bow tie, and a handkerchief folded neatly in the pocket of his white button-down shirt. "He looked like a circus clown," said the executive. His presumptuous, eccentric appearance did not help his career, she noted. Or, as Doug Bain of Boeing put it, "There are still some people—especially men—that you could describe as looking like some kind of a 'dandy'—they are just dressed too perfectly. It is a distraction. It's like, what are you trying to prove?" The objective is to look sharp, not strange or presumptuous. Strike that balance and you are a step ahead of everyone else.

Next, learn the basic rule of manners and etiquette. Business decision makers notice people who are rough around the edges, and these people simply do not get promoted. You need to know how to greet and introduce people properly, which fork gets used for what, and how to write a thank-you note. These seemingly little issues can make or break a career, according to several of the top professionals I interviewed. For example, publisher Earl Graves told me that he makes a point of taking his grandchildren to black-tie events by the time they are eight years old so they can learn how to conduct themselves properly in formal situations. It really gives them a leg up on the competition, according to Graves, who stated unabashedly that he considers etiquette very important when he evaluates whether to hire or promote someone.