INTERVIEWING INSIGHTS: Dress for Success

By Maureen Koenen, Co-Chair, Marketing Committee
Dress for Success. One thing that we as applicants can actually control during  the interviewing process is our appearance. Dress for Success is a cliché yet it is  very important to show your future employer you take every detail of your  wardrobe very seriously.
Here are some tips to keep you stylish:

  1. Outfit. Like your resume, your wardrobe should be in style, so, drop  items over 15 years old, at least for your interview. Everyone would  probably agree it’s wonderful you can still fit into your leisure suit but if  the first impression you give the hiring manager is you haven’t purchased  any clothing since President Jimmy Carter was in office, securing a new  position might be an uphill climb as you could be perceived as out of  touch.
  2. Hair Color. If you’ve decided it’s time to color your hair then have someone you trust and who’s taller than you make sure the line of  demarcation isn’t visible especially where your hair is parted.
  3. Jewelry. Keep jewelry to a minimum. Here are two rules to guide you.  If the interviewer can hear you coming or the hiring manager asks how  many earrings, bracelets or rings do you have in your ears or on your  fingers and toes, you can safely assume you have worn too much jewelry.  Don’t let a fashion faux pas be the reason you miss an opportunity to impress the  hiring manager during your interview because s/he is more focused on your style  of dress.

Follow the checklist below and your skills and core competencies are what will  really get noticed.

  • Polish shoes
  • Brush teeth
  • Clean and cut nails short
  • Wash and style hair
  • Iron shirt and crease pant
  • Don’t wear anything too tight or loose
  • Minimize jewelry
  • Wear minimal perfume
  • No eating gum or candy and drinking coffee

And as your Aunt Sadie used to say, “Always wear a SMILE.” It NEVER goes out  of style!! 

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