I just finished up with a fun and informative interview with Ronica, a pageant coach and former contestant. Ronica is an accomplished motivational speaker and pageant consultant. She has been featured on Fox News, Inside Edition, The Morning Show, MSNBC and a variety of other major networks. She has judged the Miss Utah America and Miss Mississippi America pageants, to name a few, and is responsible for the recent success of Miss New Jersey America 2009. Since Ronica is a “Certified Miss America Judge,” I decided to ask her some questions about what exactly pageant judges are looking for during interview.

Q. Regarding wardrobe…in interview, what do pageant judges look for? Are they looking for pageant dresses or pageant suits?

A. Today, pageant dresses or suits are not as common. Many girls will wear clothes they find in department stores. I don’t think that it matters if it is a dress or a suit as long as it is youthful. Make sure the material, cut and color are current and professional. Don’t be afraid to stick to your personal style but again, make sure that your style is age appropriate.

Also, know whether or not you are sitting or standing during your interview. This will determine the length to which you should tailor your skirt.

Q. As it relates to pageant hairstyles and makeup, what do judges prefer?

A. In an interview, your hair and makeup should look the way it would at a job interview. You should never wear a hairstyle that causes you to keep moving your hair out of your face. This is very distracting for the judges. Also, too much makeup does not look attractive at such a close distance.

Q. The stereotype is that pageant judges are looking for a bubbly personality during interview. Is there a certain personality type that comes across better to the judges during a pageant interview?

A. Pageant judges are looking for a genuine girl. If you are naturally more analytical, but you pretend to be bubbly, the judges will see through your façade. Authenticity is your most important attribute. Be who you are.

The key to making a great impression on the judges with your personality is to listen to the questions and respond accordingly. If the judges are asking you a fun question, have fun. If they ask a serious question, be serious.

Q. One of the big fears during a pageant interview is what if the judges ask something that the contestant just doesn’t know. If a contestant does not know what the judge is talking about how do the judges want her to respond?

A. First and foremost the judges want you to respond with honesty. There are two main ways to handle a question you cannot immediately answer.

The first is to simply say, “I don’t know.” Don’t fake it and don’t spend too much time trying to explain why you don’t know the answer.

Option two is to ask them to clarify the question. For example, if a judge is asking you a question about a particular non-profit that you are not familiar with, ask him to explain the non-profit so you might better answer the question.

Most importantly, just remember that pageant judges don’t expect you to know everything in any given situation. That is completely unrealistic!

Q. In closing…what do the judges want to see from the girls as it relates to their closing statements?

A. Everyone seems to have different opinions about the closing statement. With 5-7 judges on most panels, each judge may expect something a little different. The best advice I can give is to tell girls the most important thing not to do.  Don’t over think your closing statement! Make it personal, sincere and to the point.

Ultimately, judges will not always remember exactly what you say, but they will remember how you make them feel during the interview. Through your poise, positive energy, confidence and sincerity you can do well in the interview. So, have fun, know your fact sheet and best of luck!

To contact Ronica for a pageant consultation, please visit her at What’s Wrong with World Peace or email her at Ronica@RonicaCommunications.com.