Dress for Success
Take an Easy Win with a Great First Impression!
If you have ever been on a blind date, you know how much that first impression matters. If the person who walks into the restaurant with the rose in her hair, or blue pocket square in his suit jacket, or donning a fedora to signify the other of their arrival, does not present him or herself the right way, it is usually over before it even gets started.
Every aspect of the job-seeking and hiring process is important and requires attention to detail, and a sense of purpose from the obvious to the minute. Take no piece of it for granted, believing ‘who cares about…’, and enter every step in the journey I assure you, people will notice it and for some it will put you ahead or behind the rest. Leave nothing to chance – plan, plan, plan!
Demonstrate right out of the gate that you are a professional and dress that way. Yes, the job may not be for the CFO of a Fortune 50 Company, but when it comes to first impression, you can convey to the hiring manager that you are treating their company and this role as though it is, and that is the attitude and mindset you will bring. Take these important steps as you create the right wardrobe for each interview:
- Where are you going, and who will you be meeting with? Do your research and find out about the company culture, the people they hire, and what make up the workforce. You may find that the company pictures always show people in suits and ties, or that most are in jeans and more casual dress. Your approach should be to mirror-plus-one. If the environment looks to be quite casual, you will want to dress ‘smart casual’. Instead of Jeans and a Hoodie or casual shirt, go dress pants and a dress shirt with a jacket but without a tie. If you see folks at the ‘smart casual’ level, go ‘professional dress’, wear the power suit, and show them that you see them and yourself as highly professional. Your dress reflects the attitude people believe you will bring to the job.
- You may be known for having incredible style, being ahead of the trends, and being unique, possibly flashy. Be careful about veering too far from the dress curve and take a more conservative approach for the interview. Color is certainly appropriate, and does not always need to be all dark and grey, but a somewhat muted color, or a burnt orange instead of bright orange, or dark/brick red or a burgundy over fire-engine red is likely a better choice, and have people take you seriously, mindful and careful about your approach which will be perceived as a sign that you will take this job and team seriously.
- Style and color are key to think about, and so is the fit of your outfit. A suit or dress, the length of your tie or skirt should be ‘proper’, and again somewhat conservative. Think about the shoes, which should match the level of dress you have put together through the rest of your outfit. People have transitioned to black sneakers that sort of look like shoes and that people can get away with in most offices these days, but plan on wearing a nice pair of shoes that accentuate the style of your outfit and show that you pay attention to detail. Be sure your tie does not rest above your midsection, far too short, over a shirt whose buttons look like they are about to burst open. A short skirt or dress is incredibly stylish depending if you are heading to a club, a party, or even a dinner with family or friends. For an interview, be sure you are conscious of the length, of course aiming for ‘stylish but appropriate’.
- Don’t distract from the content of your background and the delivery of what you intend to say by displaying jewelry that is so big, so shiny, or overdone that the person you’re meeting with can’t take his or her eyes off of it to accurately capture what you are trying to convey. Do your best to tone it down a bit, showing a stylish watch, not the huge, gold watch with hands and numbers that light up, nor the earrings that are six inches wide and fall below the shoulders. Yes, they may be ‘cool’, and expensive, but they likely won’t do you any favors in being taken seriously as a candidate for the job you want.
- It may seem obvious, but some completely miss the mark on something that will, not might, but will sink a good candidate – Good Hygiene and Proper Grooming matters. Having hair, nails, that are clean and tidy looking is critically important, as is the clothing being clear of stains or wrinkles. An overpowering cologne or perfume can be as distracting as wearing a baby blue sombrero to an interview. Tone it down! You can usually skip the artificial scents by simply coming in clean and showered and giving off only the scent of someone who cares about hygiene, and does not need to mask their scent with anything but a quality shampoo and shower gel.
When we talk ‘Dressing for Success’, it is never just about looking the part, showing off an expensive suit or dress or piece of jewelry that separate you from the competition. Everything about your personal presentation conveys a message. It gives the person you meet with another layer of understanding about who you are, how seriously you take career and life, and becomes part of the story that is being read and sized up throughout your meeting as a key determining factor of whether you will get the job, move along to the next phase of the hiring process, or simply given a ‘thanks anyway’ email, or never hear from the employer again. There is no aspect of the job seeking process that makes a person a slam dunk. Everything aspect should connect to the others and demonstrate a brand that is professional, intentional, and serious, much like the person you will be when hired. Be Consistent in all you do to Get the Job!
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