Do you want to get ahead in the workplace? A nationwide survey showed that 89 percent of business recruiters rate good grooming as very important to becoming a senior executive. The most common mistake for men, and the second most common for women, is unkempt shoes. On a personal level, two out of three young female professionals say unkempt shoes suggest negative characteristics about men in social situations. Half of the men feel the same about women with sloppy footwear. The most frequent negative character traits suggested were sloppiness, indifference to good grooming and to detail in general, and carelessness. Shoes are a reflection of their owner’s personality. That’s what both personnel professionals — who have been known to observe people closely — and white collar workers (the people they usually observe) said. Well kept shoes stand for professionalism, attention to detail, ambition, efficiency, conscientiousness, organization, confidence and even friendliness.

There are three keys to choosing quality footwear:

First, look for a shoe with solid construction that will give your feet the support they need. Two important elements to look for in the construction of a men’s shoe are a steel shank and a hard heel counter. The shank supports the arches so feet can stand up to their workload. The counter provides additional support for people who walk to the outside and break down a shoe. Women are more prone to problems than men because the styles they wear are often bad for their feet. Flat shoes with rounded toes are much better than high heels. A steel shank for arch support is preferable and a leather lining will keep the shoes from spreading out as soon as you wear them.

Next, look for quality natural materials that will make your feet comfortable and keep them healthy. Quality materials mean comfort and durability. Always look for uppers made of leather or some other natural material. Leather allows your feet to breathe and moisture to escape. Vinyl and other synthetics trap heat and moisture. Your feet will be hot and the trapped moisture makes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Linings, insoles and fillers should be made of natural materials for the same reasons.Soles should be leather or composition rubber. Leather allows the shoes to breathe. Rubber is longer wearing and increases slip resistance. Also, rubber heels are best for wear, comfort and slip resistance.

Finally, make sure you buy shoes that fit properly. Shoes that don’t fit can cause a variety of problems from blisters, corns and calluses, to foot, leg and back pain Her are some tips on finding shoes that fit. First, quality shoes come in sizes and widths. Some brands come in medium widths only. People with narrow feet buying shoes with a medium width have to fit the shoes short to keep them on their heels. When you take a step, your foot elongates by 1/3 of an inch. That is a full shoe size. If your shoes are fit short, your toes have nowhere to go when you walk and you end up with toe problems. People who have wide feet buy medium width shoes extra long in order to fit their feet. When this happens, the shank, designed to be under the arch of the foot, is actually under the ball. The shoes don’t bend easily and they slip at the heel. When you are trying on shoes, make sure the wide part of your foot sits in the wide part of the shoe. Allow 3/8 to 1/2 inch of free space in the toe area. Also, try on shoes at the end of the day when you feet are the largest and, if you are like most people who have one foot slightly larger than the other, fit your larger foot.