How to dress for success!
First impression by definition means the lasting image or effect that stays in someone’s mind upon first encountering them. The first impression that you make on a potential employer is an important one. The first impression a potential employer will have on someone is typically based on what they are wearing and how they present themselves. This is why it is important to dress professionally for a job interview even if the dress in the office is casual.
What exactly is the appropriate dress for an interview? You want your first impression of your future employer not to just be good, but to be great. A candidate who is dressed in a suit and tie is by far going to make a much more lasting impression that a candidate who is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Here are some tips to follow for when dressing for an interview.
Men’s Interview Attire
-Suit: Solid color (navy, dark gray, or black)
-Long sleeve dress shirt (either white or coordinated with the suit)
-Belt
-Tie
-Dark socks with conservative leather dress shoes
- Little to no Jewelry
-Neat and professional hair style
- Little to no aftershave and cologne
-Neatly trimmed nails
-Portfolio or briefcase
Women’s Interview Attire
-Suit (Navy, black, or dark gray)
- Suit skirt (if worn) should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
-Coordinated blouse
-Conservative shoes
-Limited Jewelry (no dangly earrings, big necklaces, or arms full of bracelets, no jewelry is better than cheap jewelry)
-Professional hair style (up or pinned back)
- Neutral pantyhose
-Light to no make-up, and minimal perfume
-Neatly manicured clean nails
-Portfolio or briefcase
What not to do/wear/bring to an interview
-Gum
-Cell phone
-Ipod
-Coffee or soda
-Lost of piercings (ladies may wear one set of earrings, all others should be left at home)
-Cover all tattoos
Interview attire tips
-Before you go on an interview, you want to make sure that your suit fits properly and is clean.
-Get your suit ready the day before so that you don’t have to waste time getting it together day of.
-Take your suit to the dry cleaners after an interview, that way it is ready for the next time.
-Polish your shoes
-Bring a breath mint, or breath spray, and use before entering the building.
