The Job Interview: Dress to Impress
They say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’; however, this theory is usually ignored in most job interviews. Dressing well can earn you early points in an interview since it displays a professional attitude to the employer or interviewer.
This issue of Youth Today offers pointers on how to dress when applying for office jobs, such as receptionists, administrators, accountants and other business-related employment which requires a professional standard of appearance.
Most employers need people they can trust. Therefore, most employers believe that they should give higher scores to those interviewees who look believable and professional in their field.
With almost 30 years’ experience in fashion design, General Manager and Designer of Chick & Casual Tailors, Pen Saroeun, told Youth Today that there are several ways to dress up for job interviews, depending on the type of job you are applying for.
Ms. Saroeun said “The way you dress can give employers confidence in you and also make your employer think that you are a patient and well-organized person.”
It is advisable to wear dresses that make you look conservative. You should wear a blouse with either a skirt or trousers. You should button up your shirt and not wear anything too revealing.
Either a short or long skirt is acceptable, for instance a pencil skirt or straight skirt that allows you to feel comfortable with every movement. Knee-length skirts are preferable.
Blouses should always be worn tucked into the skirt or trousers.
“During the interview you could also wear trousers paired with an office jacket in order to look like a professional member of staff,” Ms. Saroeun said.
Where possible, it is advisable to apply natural-looking makeup.
The choice of styles is usually more limited for males. They should wear long black or dark blue trousers, avoiding bright or multi-colored shirts.
As with females, male applicants should also ensure shirts are tucked in and stick to muted colors. Black and white is fairly standard office dress for business events and for the workplace. That’s why black and white colors are always the best choice for the job interview.
“If possible they should wear a tie in order to make them look smart,” Ms. Saroeun said.
She added that although males don’t wear makeup to interviews they should still pay particular attention to cleanliness and neatness.
“They should take a look at their hair style. Before they go to a job interview they should trim their hair short and make sure it looks tidy,” she said.
If you are attending your first job interview, acting professional can be quite daunting; however, your visual appearance can influence an interviewer so it is important to look the part in order to score well at the interview.
“Some people, especially males, feel embarrassed when they dress up. For instance, wearing a tie to an interview, but actually it can help you appear more professional,” she said.
Business people usually wear a suit when they go to meetings or other events, so it is logical that candidates for employment should dress accordingly, but be comfortable in what they wear.
Office staff rarely wear loud colors or revealing dresses in the workplace as they can appear unprofessional in a business setting. The aim is not to look like a celebrity, at least during business hours.
“Loud colors are fit for entertainment events; however, are not a suitable choice for a job interview,” said Ms. Saroeun.
Jeans should be banned from job interviews and if successful in obtaining the job, during working hours. Clients may consider this mode of dress too informal or even rude, as it falls outside usual office protocols.
“If you are wearing inappropriate dress for a business meeting, your clients will sometime reject you,” she said.
For other jobs, such as those related to the arts, some flexibility is permitted, so applicants should consider the job category first and then look at the workplace norms when selecting suitable apparel.
For instance if you apply for a fashion designer’s position, you should try to look fashionable in order to show an employer that you have a sense of style. Sometimes it is important to be yourself and show your creativity through your dress.
Always remember to dress confidently through inside and out.
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