When Linda Ellerbee reported the news on TV, her producer periodically attempte to get her to wear high heels and a skirt. Ellerbee, who always appeared to be glamorously and impeccably dressed, actually put her dress for success efforts into only the clothing and accessories she wore on the top half of her body.

Because she always sat at at desk that obscured the lower part of her body—an because she crossed New York’s Central Park on foot to get to and from work everyday—Ms. Ellerbee wore jeans and running shoes, not a skirt and high heels.

Well, if you get a job like hers you can get away with that. But when you’re applying for a job, you need to take your entire appearance into account, and that includes your shoes.

Unfortunately, even when you have a full length mirror to use for checking your  pre-job interview appearance, it’s easy to forget to look at your feet, especially if you’re wearing pants.  But shoes that are suitable for the work you will be doing an for the culture of the company to which you are applying are an absolute wardrobe necessity.

Making sure your footwear is appropriate, clean and polished sends a signal to your potential employer that you take the interview and the company seriously and shows that you care about your appearance.

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