Think of Sarah Palin as just another job seeker looking to advance her career.

She knows that you need to look money if you want to impress hiring managers, aka, the American voters.

Sorry folks, that’s just the reality.

If you go into a job interview looking like Oliver — you know that poor kid from the 1960s musical — you’ll be shown the door pretty quick. I don’t care what position you’re applying for.

I was in Target the other day and whenever I’m in there I make a point to look at those tiny desks near the cash registers where job seekers come in and fill out job applications.

These desks have been pretty full lately, and not just with teens looking for part time work.

Anyway, I noticed a guy, maybe in his twenties, at one of these desks, and he looked like he had just rolled out of bed. (It was around noon.)

I couldn’t believe what he was wearing — old, dirty jeans, and a rumpled bomber jacket that was made out of a shiny, cheap polyester, a real China special.

This guy may have gotten the gig a few years back, but today, with the economy sinking, there’s a good chance he won’t get past the first interview.

This is the reality out there — you have to command respect from people who are considering giving you a job. If you look like a schlub you’re in trouble.

That’s why I’ve been perplexed at pundits lately who have been harping on Palin’s wardrobe. I’m not talking about the debate over whether voter donation money should have been used for her clothing. I’m talking about the debate over whether she should be spending lots of money on her look at all.

I argue, yes she should.

She’s going for one of the biggest positions in the country, vice president. I don’t care if she’s trying to sell herself as a hockey mom or not, she should not be shopping at Wal-Mart for her wardrobe.

Today, whether we like it or not, there’s a lot of crap clothing out there sold at these big box stores. You can spot this cheap stuff a mile away, and I’m sure we’d be making fun of Palin even more if she looked like a bargain basement babe.

The media has already cut her into little pieces over her glasses and her 1950s hairdo. Can you imagine if she had a personal shopper at Sears outfit her look?

This does not just apply to politicians.

Layoff announcements are pouring in the last few days, and I can feel a sense of panic among many people out there who have lost their jobs or are afraid of being next on the chopping block.

Everyone wants a leg up about now, and besides getting more education, credentials and networking contacts, sprucing up your appearance is also a good idea.

But don’t go to the extreme.

I’ve written a lot lately on how getting plastic surgery in order to land a job is a stupid idea. But that doesn’t mean looks don’t play a role in our careers.

There are many of you out there who scratch your heads every time you see a dumb, attractive person moving up in the ranks or getting that great job. I get a bunch of emails about this from readers of my MSNBC.com column. One thing I hear a lot about is the “sexy-woman syndrome.”

Here’s a recent sample:

The operations manager was a woman and often came to work scantily dressed with her breasts exposed to nipple line and in her jeans had tears in them that revealed her underwear. On top of this, she was very difficult to work with, neglected our project in favor of other projects and we were falling behind.

This reader, Jeanette, went to her boss and complained about the sexy woman’s behavior and how the project was going to be delayed as a result and the response she got from her supervisor:

Essentially, he placated me and said that the project would be completed in time and that I was making a big deal out of it. When I pressed him and asked why we enable her behavior, he said that maybe we like the way she looks.

This whole scenario made Jeanette so mad that even though she’s left this employer she emailed me to ask my opinion on what transpired.

“What would you recommend in case this happens again in the future?,” she asks.

What do I recommend? Nothing. You can’t win this battle folks. Even Palin’s sex appeal is garnering her some favor.

The one thing Jeanette said in her email is that she is attractive but she doesn’t play that up at work. Hello, nothing wrong with playing that up. I wouldn’t choose a low cut shirt to do it but a great, tailored, fitted suit can show off your attributes without inviting gawks from the perverts at the office.

And you want to look appealing to any one who’s considering hiring you. Nothing wrong with that. There have been endless studies done on how attractive people typically make more money than their plain counterparts. A story today in the New York Times Style section that touts how “Ugly Is In”, spends much of the piece talking about how the unattractive are screwed. Sorry Ugly Betty.

My advice is to spend some cash on a suit, or outfit. I’m not saying you should go out and buy a whole new wardrobe but that one interview suit is critical. Look at it as an investment.

My best buddy who’s a high-powered attorney in Boston is all about looking good because it inspires more than just confidence from her bosses but it inspires confidence in herself. “You look good you feel good” is her motto.

Now, let me make this clear, just because you spend $150,000 on your wardrobe doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to land the gig of your dreams. But the people that typically get the job are the ones that look like they don’t need it.