Five Tips to Help You Dress for Success
Your personal presentation can exclude or include you for a job. Your skillset is important, but employers also want people who will represent their company well.
Here are some personal presentation do’s and don’ts that will help you make a good first impression.
- Too Dressy? The good news is, you don’t have to come in a flashy suit. However, do put some consideration into your outfit that will reflect how committed you are to securing a new job or career.
- Neatness Counts – More important than what you are wearing is how you are presenting yourself. We’d prefer a polo and khaki’s that are pressed and clean in lieu of a wrinkly, ill-fitting suit covered in lint or dog hair. Be sure to check for hair, lint, odors, and tears, and wear something that fits and is clean.
- Club Clothing is not Work Clothing – We know that when you go out on a Friday night you are dressing to impress. The same may not impress at an interview. Instead, keep things simple, cover yourself appropriately, and don’t wear any shirts that have offensive, blingy or controversial items on them.
- OOO-LA-LA – Leave the perfumes and colognes off. Don’t try to cover smoking, body odor or other smells. The tonic doesn’t mask smells, it just mingles and can even worsen an issue. If you smoke, don’t smoke immediately before going into the interview- the smoke follows you in. Take care to have good hygiene in the interview and at work. You will feel better, your future coworkers will appreciate it, and you will have more confidence in yourself.
- Respect – Think about how you want to be perceived when you walk in the door. You don’t have to invest a lot of money in clothes – you just have to make sure what you are wearing demonstrates you care, want a job and are committed.
Groomed hair, appropriate, clean and well-fitting clothes, and good hygiene will go a long way in helping you succeed in an interview. Your personal appearance makes a statement and may be weighed more heavily than your skillset or how you answer the interview questions. If your personal presentation is distracting, it is all the interviewer will remember about you.
Now that you’re ready to dress for the interview, easy-apply for that new job!