Salon Urges The Unemployed To Soak Up The (Fake) Sun Before The Big Interview

When you’re going for an interview there is a lot to think about. What will you say, what will you bring and most importantly, what will you wear?

However, a salon in Wales believes that making a good impression all comes down to the right colour and are offering jobseekers free spray tans before the big interview.

The special treatment has been named after How to Look Good Naked star Gok Wan and promises to boost the confidence of candidates before they face an intimidating first time meeting with an employer.

Sarah Sweden, director of The Well-being and Training Academy, who is providing the unique service said: “We want to give people that extra confidence – or that Gok Wan makeover – to give people the incentive to find work.

“It will recognise those who are doing their utmost to find unemployment by giving them a beauty treatment.”

The makeover has been named after fashion guru Gok Wan

The Academy only offers make-overs and tans to people who they feel are serious about finding work.

However, the scheme has been met with anger from politicians in the area.

According to The Telegraph, Councillor Pauline Jarman, leader of the opposition on Rhondda Cynon Taff council said: “I don’t know any employer that would be impressed if you turned up tanned.

“They’d be more inclined to be impressed if you had the skills and experience to undertake the job that’s been advertised.”

Robert Oxley, Campaign Manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “It is verging on the ridiculous that this is the authorities' answer to getting people working.

“The focus of job centres should be getting people into employment, not topping up their tans because they have made the effort to find a job.

“Competition for work is tough, but it is work experience and skills that will secure a job, not how bronzed you are.”

At Her.ie, we think skills and personality should definitely be the focus of an interview, but we really think a respectable appearance is also key to making a good first impression.

While we think a spray tan and a Gok Wan-esque make-over may be taking it a bit too far, we don’t see what harm the Academy is doing by boosting jobseeker’s confidence.