Brace yourself for tips for Dressing for Success this week
It’s week 3 of the #jobmailtipoftheday campaign and this week we’re focusing on Dressing for Success. We trust that you’ll find the tips that we are going to post on our social profiles this week useful.
Dressing for success has a lot of variables involved in terms of personal preference, culture, company rule and culture, type of job, etc. – but always remember one thing: dress according to company expectations. I personally enjoy going to work in jeans, but with a neat top and shoes, but I do not see clients, and my company allows this .There are a few basic rules which I believe will stick regardless of where you work.
When going for an interview it is best to dress neat and professional. You can dress down or up later once you have the job. As always, this does depend on the company and their culture as well as the position you are interviewing for. Here are some “dressing for success” tips for interviews to get you started.
Tips for ladies:
-It is not necessary to wear your matric farewell dress or a ball gown (and yes that has happened before).
-It is not a must to wear high heels, but it does round off an outfit nicely. Beware of too high, you do not want to make an entrance on the floor and it could look tacky.
-Wearing pants or a skirt / dress is your choice. If you choose pants, do not make it too tight that it looks like the pants were painted on and not too loose either (because this makes you look unprofessional). If you choose a skirt or dress, keep the length acceptable (3 fingers above the knees is the shortest you should go) and if it tends to be see through, cover it up, that is not the impression you want to leave with a potential employer. Your top should cover up your body parts, I know the old saying of “if you have it, flaunt it, but I do not think you should flaunt it on the day of the interview.
-If you are wearing pantyhose, ladders are not fashionable. A bit of makeup is always a good touch but please note, if you need a spatula to take it off, you might have worn too much. It is not a date, it’s an interview, in daylight.
Tips for gentlemen:
– Please do not wear ripped jeans or figure hugging shirts, an interview is not the place to show it off.
– Depending on the company, position etc., these days it is not necessary to go to an interview in a 3 piece suite. In certain circumstances you can ditch the tie and jacket by just wearing a neat pair of pants and a button shirt with neat shoes.
– No baseball caps or shades on the head (because you don’t need an alice-band).
General tips:
– If you are a smoker, try not to smoke just before the interview, if your interviewee is a non-smoker and you walk in smelling of smoke, it could put him / her off.
– I know you are nervous, but please do not take some “dutch courage” beforehand, people can smell it and I can guarantee you will NOT be invited for a second interview. So please don’t drink alcohol before you go for your interview.
Well, there you have it. Some basic tips for dressing for success. Brace yourselves for daily useful tips this week on our social profiles. Keep a close eye open for updates on the Job Mail Facebook page, the @jobmail Twitter account, the Job Mail’s Google+ page, Job Mail’s Instagram profile, the Job Mail Linkedin page and the Job Mail Blog for updates. The official hashtag for this campaign is #jobmailtipoftheday.
While you’re waiting for updates, take note of these 3 common scams targeting job seekers in South Africa, find out which questions you can ask during an interview or get tips to avoid being late for a job interview.
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