Dressing to Score the Job

By coupiedoll (view all posts by coupiedoll)
at 2:30PM Wednesday March 3, 2010
under Odds and Ends

If you're hunting for a job, you may have noticed that Savings.com is hiring. With a competitive job market there's really no detail or stone you can leave unturned, so as the Savings.com Fashion Diva, I'd thought I'd offer some helpful hints for dressing to success in the interview.

If you want to look at it scientifically, first impressions are formed in about the first seven to thirty seconds of a meeting, so nonverbal cues--such as appearance--do become a large factor in a first meeting. All the more reason to err on the side of caution and go with slightly overdressed as opposed to under dressed.

If at all possible, do some research. Do you know anyone who works at the company? Ask them what type of attire is typical in the workplace. Obviously clothing will vary at a tech company versus a fashion company. Scour the company's website. Is there a dress code policy posted there?

Peter Post, co-author of the The Etiquette Advantage in Business and grandson of etiquette guru Emily Post, offers this handy tip: "Your clothes should not draw attention to do you."

Post is right in erring on the side of caution. Avoid large pieces of jewelry or any loud accessories that could distract from the all important interview itself. And, just to be safe, you may want to cover that tattoo that professes your love for mom.

And as for the tricky terms, "professional dress" and "business casual," you should follow these simple rules:

Professional dress should always err on the side of conservative. For a woman, that means a pants suit, or a skirt suit (of appropriate length, meaning your skirt should reach your knees), or a conservative dress with a blazer and jacket. For a man, this means a full suit, or a dress pants, a blazer, and a tie.

Business casual is perhaps the trickiest term out there. If you watched the Super Bowl you watched a few office workers take business casual too far. Again, always err on the side of being dressier than you think you should be. Men, you should be wearing a shirt with a collar and dress pants (well-pressed, or ironed), or a polo shirt with dress pants, and depending on the season, a sweater. Ladies you can wear a dress. but again be cautious with the length and err on conservative style, i.e.; not what you would also wear in a club.

Finally, as cheesy as it sounds, wear that smile, and wear it with pride. Post says, "It takes guts to approach strangers, but if you do it with charm, those you meet will be impressed by your sociability."

Finally as my mom says: Get up, dress up, and show up. Good luck!