Q: Dear J.T. & Dale: I have been actively searching for a job for five months now, and can’t figure out why I get interviews but no offers. I have even contemplated the idea that I can’t get hired because I happen to be a very attractive, younger-looking 32-year-old. Am I crazy for even thinking that? – Jade

Dale: One problem with the job market is that you rarely know why you didn’t get a job. So your mind starts guessing and second-guessing. I just experienced it myself – I was a finalist for a consulting project, and when I didn’t get it, I started rethinking everything about … Hold on. J.T. is over here giggling.

J.T.: No, go ahead.

Dale: Oh, I get it – no, I did not worry that I was too attractive. In fact, I learned that they didn’t hire anyone.

J.T.: Which is all too common. But, backing up, all the studies show that attractive people are more employable and make more money. So I’d have to guess that something about your body language or communication style is making people shy away from hiring you. To get that missing feedback, reach out to any hiring managers or HR folks you know and see whether you could do mock interviews.

Dale: If nothing else, videotape yourself and watch it with a friend, keeping this in mind: The interview isn’t about qualifications (those are pre-screened via your resume), but about deciding whether you’re someone the hiring manager wants to work alongside. That goal changes what it means to “look your best.”

My mother startled me the other day by referring to a family friend as a “sexpot.” Apparently, Mom felt this woman wore too much makeup and heels that were too high. Who knew? With four generations in the workplace, “appropriate” dress can be tricky.

So, try this: A day or two before you go into a company for a job interview, park outside the office at lunchtime or after work and see how people dress and act. You aren’t dressing to look your best, you’re dressing to make potential co-workers comfortable around you.

J.T.: And that’s the right mindset – you’re not trying to impress them but to engage them, to let them know you’re there to help. That’s the most attractive trait of all.