Wear It To Work

Author: Francesca Schueler (Intern at wearittowork.co.uk)

Searching the web to find out how to dress for a job interview can be confusing. One Blogger talks about free spirited individualism, the other lifestyle site about the lengths of your skirt, and the intensity or your make up, and the other fashion site about “new conservatism”. In the end of your research you will find yourself gasping for air.

www.wearittowork.co.uk creative director Michele says: “It’s not about your clothes when you go for an interview, of course. It’s about how capable you are at doing the job, but clothing can help. You need to remember that it is an interview and you want to show that you are serious about the opportunity. A suit is a good choice even if the company dress code is casual. You want to dress a bit more professionally than you might on a day to day basis if you worked in the company.”
We trust your sense of style, because you navigated yourself to this site. You will find the answer here. Why? Simply because that is our specialty; timeless business attire!

Top 10 Job Interview Fashion Tips
In the jungle called the world Wide web, I went looking for the best tips on dressing for a successful job interview. Here are my top 10 finds:

1)   Understand the value of dressing well: According to a study of former UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian: “First impressions are formed in 7 seconds. 38% of a first impression is based on inflection and tone of voice (how you say things), 7% is based on what you actually say, and a whopping 55% of a first impression comes from NONVERBAL cues! In short, more than half of every first impression is based on how you look!”

2)   What you wear is equally important as your CV. Maybe wear a colourful shirt to spice up a black suit.

3)   To decide what to wear you have to be PREPARED. Know the company you are applying for thoroughly; for this specific angle of the situation you have to know their style. You can always call the HR manager in advance to ask what the company dress code is, and what they might expect at the interview.

4)   Your interview wardrobe reflects your sincerity and professionalism. By making an effort, and really thinking about what to wear, you will show that you are truly keen on getting the position. Be open to a refining and supporting look.

5)   We all know that we are more confident when we know we look good and carry our wardrobe well; therefore a good fit is essential. Make sure nothing rips when you sit down, or gets lost when you stand up.

6)   Choose something timeless, instead of a certain trend. You want to be that interviewee remembered for the smart answers, not the polka dot skirt.

7)   Your style during the interview should be one you can continue once you got the job! So think about things like accessibility and affordance.

8)   The bag you bring does not need to be a briefcase; those were made for men. Ladies can bring a good size bag to fit your resume and a notebook. Just make sure it is in a good condition and not any very bright noisy color.

9)   Keep your hair and make up simple and neat. The hair should be out of your face, and the make up preferably nude or toned down.

10)   Keep the entire outfit tidy. That means that all buttons should be closed and the skirt a comfortable length that does not distract anyone. This might sound conservative, but is simply smart. Again, you do not want to be remembered for anything else but your skills and smart answers.

Like this you will be well equipped to make the right choices. Click here to view our Job Interview Outfit suggestions.

The rest is Good Luck!

posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 10:16:32 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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