How to Dress for Success

I saw a recent job fair in our area where some people were dressed in suit and tie and others where in sweats and ripped t-shirts with an advertisement on the front. It got me thinking, do these people really think they're going to find someone to hire them dressed like that? If I was turned off then I'm sure employers were too.

Granted, you shouldn't be hired based on your looks but first impressions do say a lot. When you go to apply for a job the first thing the interviewer finds out about you is what you are wearing. What you are wearing says a lot.

If you go to an interview in sweats and ripped t-shirts the company is going to think you are not serious. Businesses thrive by their reputation and the way they look, and thus they want their employees to represent them in a positive way. Cleanliness can make or break a company. Do you want to do business with a company that looks dirty and grungy?

Sometimes you can over dress for an interview also. If you are applying to be a mechanic you don't have to wear a tux. It is; however, always better to over dress than under dress.

A good way to determine what to wear to the interview is to visit the company and observe what people working there wear.

If they wear uniforms or if you can not determine what to wear, always choose conservative and clean.

You will want to wash your clothes (even if they are clean) and iron them the day before the interview. Do not just pull wrinkled clothes out of the closet the morning of the interview and try to iron them.

Make sure your hair is washed, combed and neat.

Make sure you take a shower, shave and put on deodorant before the interview.

For girls, make sure and accessorize your outfit. As my aunt always says, the jewelry polishes the look and pulls everything together better. You don't have to wear expensive diamonds and pearls, just wear something that matches your outfit. You also don't want to wear too much jewelry that it distracts people.

Make sure and trim and clean under your nails. Men, leave your nails unpainted. Women, paint your nails but do so conservatively, no bright colors or fancy designs.

Brush your teeth before going in for the interview. Do not drink or eat anything except water after brushing your teeth. Coffee, soda pop and colored drinks can stain teeth right away. If you know in advance that you're going to have an interview you might consider buying Crest White Strips and using them as recommended a week or so before the interview.

Do not use strong cologne or perfume and do not use a lot of it. One spritz should be enough. I usually spritz the air and then walk into it so that it's not over powering and it has even coverage.

I'm not saying you definitely will get the job if you follow these tips but they will certainly give you the upper edge.

For more information you can check out http://bizcovering.com/employment/dress-for-success-tips-on-dressing-for-an-interview/ and http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-appearance/dressing-for-interview-by-industry/article.aspx .