Dress
to impress
By Oscar Montealegre
On-line Forty-Niner
Preparing
for an interview may be exhausting, however
in order to nail an interview a prerequisite
required is the need to dress to impress.
What a person wears for an interview is
vital for both men and women, if the attire
is not appropriate it could immediately
demolish the interview or hinder the chances
of attaining the desired job.
“The interview begins before you say the
first word, once the employer has looked
at you then the interview has officially
started,” said Ruby Leavell-Hartley, career
counselor of the Career Development Center.
“The interviewer is already judging you
head-to-toe by the way you dress.”
To be able to dress for success, it is recommended
to create a wardrobe that projects your
personality, and making a first impression
with the employer that beams success.
“Dressing professionally in an interview
is absolutely important. It is the one thing
that they can judge your personality without
asking any questions,” said Leonard Gut-omen,
system manager of Men’s Warehouse. “Also,
it shows that you are serious, professional
and motivated to get the job.”
Not a lot has changed in terms of how one
should dress in his or her interview. For
women, navy blue and black are the most
accepted, and for men, charcoal gray and
navy blue are received favorably by employers.
A seminar held last week by the Career Development
Center explained these fashion details to
students.
Speakers advised that women should always
wear a jacket and accompany the jacket with
a skirt. However, it is warned that very
short skirts are not recommended, it may
project a negative image. Also, wearing
pants is a risk because some work environments
tolerate pants but many do not.
The speakers that represented women attire
recommended wearing skirts because it is
safer and portrays a more professional look.
In addition, women were warned not to wear
open-toe shoes or non-conservative necklaces
and earrings, but most importantly it was
stressed that if women do not wear hosiery
then they are instantly doomed in the interview.
For men it is not recommended to wear black.
Black projects power and aggressiveness,
and it would be detrimental if the employer
feels intimidated immediately due to the
use of a black suit.
“Be careful in what you wear,” Gut-omen
said. “The main thing is to look professional
and that you actually put an effort into
what to wear. Also, in every situation it
is better to over dress than to under dress.”
Gut-omen also said that if a person walks
into an interview that does not demand the
use of a suit, it is in the person’s best
interest to wear a suit because it shows
the person made an extra effort and it increases
the chances in getting the job.
“It cannot be stressed enough on how important
it is to dress for interviews. Even in occasions
such as the job fair on our campus. Dressing
appropriately is one of the main factors
in succeeding the interview,” Hartley said.
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