Career Plus Newsletter

Dress for Success

Remember when teachers used to nag about tucking in your shirt or tying your shoelaces? No matter how much it bothered you as a kid, Mom's advice will certainly pay off during the job search. Your appearance sends a powerful message to prospective employers, so dress accordingly. Remember, first impressions are crucial when it comes to job hunting.

At interviews, the best way to go is conservative. Even if the company's daily dress code is jeans and T-shirts, professional dress at an interview will show your respect for and genuine interest in the position. The following is a breakdown of traditional business attire for men and women:

Men's traditional business attire:

Suit: dark (suit means matching pants and coat)

Shirt: white, long-sleeved, and pressed

Tie: silk, color that coordinates with the suit, simple pattern, no flashy colors or cartoon characters

Shoes: dark, clean, and polished

Jewelry: none

Hair: short, neatly combed

Grooming:

Nails: should be short and clean.

Facial hair: clean shaven or well kept beard, mustache, or goatee

Women's traditional business attire:

Suit or dress: simple patterns, cool or dark colors, skirts not shorter than just above the knee-no thigh-high skirts or minis

Accessories: no more than 1-3 at one time, nothing distracting

· Your earrings should be small.

· Wear no more than two rings on each hand.

· Make sure bracelets don't jingle when you move your arms.

· Your purse and belt should be the same color as your shoes.

· Wear skin-toned nylons.

Shoes: dark, clean, and polished

Hair: neatly styled up or down, natural-looking color

Nails: clean, neat, painted with mild colors, and not too long

Casual Dress:

Some employers will suggest that you show up for the interview in casual clothing.

WARNING: This does not mean jeans and a T-shirt. Nor is this your time to show off your individuality. Casual dress for an interview means

Men: Khakis or slacks, dress shirt and tie, (maybe a polo shirt)

Women: Khakis, slacks, or knee-length skirt, professional-looking, knit shirt or twin set.

Just remember: It's better to be over dressed than under dressed.

Employers want to hire competent, friendly people, but they also seek those who will best represent their company's style; that is, people who dress appropriately and are well groomed. Once you have a job, differing levels of dress will be required depending upon the work environment. Sales offices of large firms usually go more conservative, while a design firm might be a little trendier, or a high-tech company more casual. The best advice for clothing at the work place is to dress how the person whose job you wants dresses: If the project lead wears slacks and a tie, while the other engineers wear jeans, go for the slacks.

No matter what stage of the job search you're in, keeping a professional look will pay off.

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