This Domain For Sale. Contact us for more information.

Job Interviews: What to Wear

It takes between seven and seventeen seconds for a person to make an impression of us and much of that impression is based on how we look. It stand to reason, then, that what we wear to job interviews will make a far greater impact on our success than anything we're likely to say once those first crucial seconds have passed.

Dress For the Job

If you're applying for a job as a sale assistant in a trendy boutique in a hip part of town, what you wear will need to be very different to what you'd wear when being interviewed for a job as a lawyer's personal assistant.

By wearing what you believe you'd wear to work if offered the job, you're silently saying that you understand the position you're applying for and that you have the knowledge to fulfil the company's expectations.

If you're applying for a job where you'd be wearing a uniform, think about the kind of uniform that you'd be likely to wear. Is it very casual, as in the unformed overalls given to a car mechanic? Is it smart casual, as often worn by delivery couriers? Is it smart, like the kind of uniform worn by bank employees or perhaps a hotel doorman? Choose your wardrobe to reflect the uniform.

Men:

  • Casual - Clean, pressed jeans with a T-shirt or sweat top
  • Smart Casual - Casual slacks with a cotton shirt and blazer
  • Smart - A suit

    Women:

  • Casual - Clean, pressed jeans with a casual top
  • Smart Casual - Pants or a skirt with a casual blouse
  • Smart - A pant or skirt suit with a smart blouse

    The above are simply guidelines - always use your own common sense when deciding what to wear. A job interview for a position in a trendy night club would demand something very different to what you'd wear to ace an interview for a job as a supervisor in a biscuit factory, even though both jobs would suggest you wear 'smart casual'.

    Accessories

    Men:

  • Never wear make-up unless you're applying for a job where male cosmetics are generally accepted (trendy night clubs/boutiques etc)
  • Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. If you wear an earring, make it a small stud. Leave heavy chains and large rings at home and replace them with something less obtrusive. You may like the message such items of jewelry give but the chances are your interviewer won't
  • Never wear track shoes, even if you're dressing casually

    Women:

  • Subtle make-up
  • A few, well-chosen pieces of jewelry. Studs in the ears, a delicate chain around the neck and 1-2 rings are enough.Unless you need a large bag to carry a portfolio or similar, stick with a small purse
  • Heels should be low

    Personal Hygiene

    Whilst job hunting it's important you:

  • Have your hair trimmed and styled regularly
  • Keep finger nails trimmed and clean
  • Wear deodorant
  • Wear only a very light perfume/after-shave, if any

    Men should be clean shaven or have a beard kept neatly trimmed.

    By following these tips you'll be giving yourself a far greater chance of successfully securing the job that you want. Remember: seven to seventeen seconds is all you have to make that all-important first impression.

    Sharon Jacobsen is a freelance writer based in South Cheshire, England. She has been writing in one form or another all of her life but as she hasn't always been self-employed, she's learned a few things about working life along the way.

    To contact Sharon or to learn more about her work, please visit: http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk


  • More Resources

    Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

    More Careers & Employment Information:


    Related Articles

    Cover Letters
    Cover Letters: Are you telling them what they want to know?Let's face it. Recruiters (or employers) are smarter than we think.
    7 Steps to Interviews that Win the Job
    These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it!1.
    10 Steps to Escape the Job World and Create the Life You Really Want
    1. GET THE POINT - OF LIFE, THAT IS.
    What You Need To Know Before Committing To Vocational Retraining
    You've thought a lot about the kind of work you want to do. The duties, the pay, the hours, the environment - everything sounds right.
    Find Those People
    "The Emperor's New Clothes" was a favorite childhood story of mine. It made me laugh.
    Turning the Table: Questions for Your Interviewer
    (DES MOINES, Iowa - January 26, 2005) The fateful final question of all interviewers may carry more weight than you would think. Upon hearing "Now, do you have any questions," you are given a chance to show the quality of your character and interest in the company.
    Put Some Mystery in Your Life
    Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private eyes and undercover detectives.
    Handing in Your Resignation and Serving Notice
    Have you made the right choice? Before deciding to resign from your current position and move to a new employer, you should weigh up as objectively as possible all the relevant factors: remuneration, working environment, location, travel demands, training and development opportunities, promotional prospects, and your future bosses.Consider also what impact a job with the new company would have on your resume.
    Seeking A New Job While Currently Employed : Tiptoeing Through the Minefield
    So, you currently have a job but you are looking for something a little better. You are getting tired, uptight, and maybe just a little stressed out.
    How To Pick The Best Career For You, Part 1
    In Part One we'll look at how Positioning or "Coming to a Theater Near You" simplifies and expedites your employment hunt by reinforcing employer buy-in through justification of the sale.Rapidly gain employer agreement that you're the right person for the job by proving how their organizational needs are met through your specific abilities to solve their identified problems.
    Intuition: The Secret To Your Career Success
    For far too long, we moderns have relied on our analytical/logical brain to make important life decisions. It is my belief that our imaginative/creative brain holds the key to better, smarter and more soulful decisions.
    How Much Can You Earn Working As A Proofreader?
    Thinking of a career as a proofreader? Then you will most likely want to know about salaries. Are you hoping to hear that you will make thousands and thousands of dollars a month in this field? It is very possible that you will barely make a few hundred when you are first starting out.
    Where Did All The Farmers Go?
    Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the development of farm land in our area. These complainers consider it a crime that so much of our farm land has been converted to housing, business, shopping, etc.
    Career Discovery - Pinpoint Your Ideal Career
    Determine your ideal career--one that's in alignment withyour values, passions, and talents--and discover the workyou were born to doCareer discovery is the process by which a person identifiestheir ideal career path, thus saving themselves a lot oftime (and money) by not pursuing career choices that theywill ultimately find unfulfilling. To find your truecalling, you need to dig around and find the things that areimportant to you--now, and in the future.
    Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume
    Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent college grad, your resume is the 'key' to opening the doors of employment. It is an employer's first impression of you and believe it or not, many hiring officials spend less than thirty seconds reviewing it.
    How to Overcome Being Overqualified
    Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident that you'd performed extremely well, and then heard these dreadful words: "I'm sorry, but we feel you're overqualified for this position." Arrggh!! When I was told that after an interview, several thoughts went through my frustration-fogged mind.
    Six Sure-Fire Ways to Get Yourself a Pay Rise
    Many employees do not care too much for their bosses or supervisors. It is an all too common trait.
    Career Success: Get Ahead of the Crowd
    Regardless of where you open your briefcase or palm pilot each day - at a large corporation, a small business or the end of your dining room table - the key to staying employable the rest of your life is your own creative action. The person who is going to be successful is not going to succeed just because of good work.
    A Workplace Romance Can Be Detrimental to Your Career
    Over 70% of single employees will become romantically involved with someone they work with at some point in their career. The workplace has become the new single's bar.
    Waiting For the Official Job Offer
    At the end of the third job interview, Helene was told by the hiring manager, "Congratulations, I am going to recommend you for the position. Expect a call from HR.



    /html>