It's probably one of the most overused phrases in job-hunting, but also
one of the most underutilized by job-seekers: dress for success. In
job-hunting, first impressions are critical. Remember, you are marketing a
product -- yourself -- to a potential employer, and the first thing the
employer sees when greeting you is your attire; thus, you must make every
effort to have the proper dress for the type of jobs you are seeking. Will
dressing properly get you the jobs Of course not, but it will give you a
competitive edge and a positive first impression.
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Should you be judged by what you wear? Perhaps not, but the reality is,
of course, that you are judged. Throughout the entire job-seeking process
employers use short-cuts -- heuristics or rules of thumb -- to save time.
With cover letters, it's the opening paragraph and a quick scan of your
qualifications. With resumes, it is a quick scan of your accomplishments.
With the job interview, it's how you're dressed that sets the tone of the
interview. jobs
How should you dress? Dressing conservatively is always the safest
route, but you should also try and do a little investigating of your
prospective employer so that what you wear to the interview makes you look
as though you fit in with the organization. If you overdress (which is
rare but can happen) or under dress (the more likely scenario), the
potential employer may feel that you don't care enough about the jobs
How do you find out what is the proper dress for a given
job/company/industry? You can call the Human Resources office where you
are interviewing and simply ask. Or, you could visit the company's office
to retrieve an application or other company information and observe the
attire current employees are wearing -- though make sure you are not there
on a "casual day" and misinterpret the dress code.
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Finally, do you need to run out and spend a lot of money on clothes for
interviewing? No, but you should make sure you have at least two
professional sets of attire. You'll need more than that, but depending on
your current financial condition, two is enough to get started and you can
buy more once you have the job or have more financial resources.
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Hints for Dress for Success for Men and Women
Attention to details is crucial, so here are some tips for both men and
women. Make sure you have:
- clean and polished conservative dress shoes
- well-groomed hairstyle
- cleaned and trimmed fingernails
- minimal cologne or perfume
- no visible body piercing beyond conservative ear piercing for women
- well-brushed teeth and fresh breath
- no gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth
- minimal jewelry
- no body odor jobs
Finally, check your attire in the rest room just before your interview
for a final check of your appearance -- to make sure your tie is straight,
your hair is combed, etc.
