Friday, June 25, 2010

Dress For Success

When it comes to preparing for an interview, one of the most stressful decisions to make is in deciding what to wear. You may not know what is acceptable and what is not. You know you want the interview to go smoothly and you want it to be a major success, but you just don't know what to wear in order to make it a successful interview. Always dressing your very best is the key to dressing for success. You only get ONE first impression, make it a good one.

When you dress for your interview, you should dress in a manner in which you would want others to see the real you. How we dress is just an outward display of the people we are inside. If you dress sloppily for an interview, your potential employer will see you as a disorganized individual. Appearance is everything. Here are some helpful hints when deciding what to wear.

Solid Colored Conservative Suits

Solid colored suits are the safest way to go. Navy blues, charcoals and grays work well to relay a conservative attitude and stance. Avoid pinstripes and polka dotted suits. It doesn't really matter what type of job you are applying for because in the general business world, a professional and conservative appearance is widely accepted.

Color Coordinate

Color coordinate your attire to make a memorable impression. This is not to be taken as a suggestion to wear bright or "loud" colors with your conservative suit. This is only meant as a suggestion to pick wisely the color shirts and ties to wear with your nice conservative suit. Or which color blouses to wear with your conservative skirt suit. The possibilities are endless, but always keep style in mind. The style you are trying to achieve is conservative.

Easy on the Make-up and Cologne

For female interviewees, it is best to wear only the normal amount of makeup you would wear on a daily basis. Only wear small amounts or go for the natural look altogether. Whichever the case, less is best. This is also true regarding perfume and cologne. Who hasn't at one time in life stood next to someone who smelled like they had taken a bath in perfume or cologne? If you have, remember how unpleasant the experience was and go easy on the cologne or perfume. Or don't wear any at all. Again, less is best.

Accessories

Bring along your attaché, briefcase, portfolio, pen and/or pencil. There will be a time where you will need to take notes. Employers often "fake" losing their pen and ask for yours. You do not want to be in the situation where you are unprepared for this event. Take along everything you would use on a daily basis in the office. For example: A pen and pencil, calculator, notepad, paper clips and maybe a cube of sticky notes. Of course all these things should be kept inside of your attaché case. Make sure you bring it!

Your goal is to make a memorable first impression during your interview and increase your chances of getting the job. If you dress successfully and do your best, most likely you will increase your odds of beating out the other applicants for the job. The fundamental key to dressing for success is always dressing your best.


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