Appearance is as important as ever when going for a job interview, according to a survey from global recruiting specialist Hays.

Almost a third of men and women spend between one and two hours getting ready for a job interview, longer than they spend getting ready for a night out. More than a third of respondents said this was due to the added competition for jobs in the downturn.

And 60% of those surveyed felt that appearance could tip the balance between two closely matched candidates. A massive 96% felt that appearance showed their commitment and attitude towards the role and 84% gave consideration to the colours they wore at interview.