Dr Frank Bernieri, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Oregun State University in the United States once enthused that “Within the first ten seconds of meeting your interviewer, the person had decided whether you are fit for the job or not. Those who came across as being polished and appropriately dressed are deemed to be more likely to be fit for hire than those who put in less effort to do so.” What this means is that you need to make a conscious and deliberate effort to make your appearance not only appealing but seductive for your next job interview in order to create a lasting impression and enhance your employ-ability. Your dressing therefore plays a critical role in your success during the interview. If your appearance is appropriate and attractive enough it will set you apart from the crowd of other job seekers. What you wear will afford a prospective employer the clue to determine whether you can fit into their corporate culture or not.
What then repulses the hiring manager the most about a job seeker during any interview session? Why would a prospective employer suddenly develop a dislike for a prospective employee in the course of a job chat? Of course it is creating a sloppy first impression during the job chat. Your appearance is what communicates the first impression to the recruiter during the interview session. It can make or mar your interview. You see, immediate judgment is formed about you based on the way you dress, your warm smile, your hair style or hair cut and of course your conduct. Being sloppy about all these during a job chat is a potential danger to a successful interview. Your contact with the interviewer therefore contains some element of seduction. A neat and appropriate dressing therefore goes hand in hand with this.
Stretching this a bit further how do you then create a good and lasting first impression with your dressing during an interview? From my years of experience as a recruiter, the following tips although may or may not land you the job but will surely enhance your success during the interview.
1. Conducting proper and accurate research on the organization’s dress code: Do your homework on the dressing code of the organization putting the job on offer and consequently conducting the interview. Check the dress code of the organization on Google. You can even visit their office during office hours and check out the outfits of the better dressed employees. Endeavor to dress that way to convince the hiring manager that you can fit into their corporate culture.
2. Abiding by the interview attire golden rule: We interviewers expect a prospective job seeker to appear for a job chat in an outfit typical of the profession she is being interviewed. You will be credited for being appropriately dressed, however you will lose marks if not properly dressed for the interview. That is why you need to do your home work on the dressing code of a prospective employer well.
3. Choosing your outfit conservatively: When preparing for your next interview and in the course of taking decision on your dressing, endeavor to choose an outfit customary to your industry or sector and in particular your prospective organization. Younger job seekers often make the mistake of thinking that college dressing or night club dressing is appropriate for interview. This is far from the truth. Your image should portray professionalism. For conservation businesses (like banking or law) a man should wear suits (color black or navy blue with nice socks, white shirt or blue with matching tie, belt and pair of shoes while a woman on the other hand should wear a nice skirt or pant suit with pantyhose and closed shoes. Those in the internet and public relations industry or other less formal sector, could dress a little trendier by wearing button down shirts, a pair of slacks and nice pair of shoes. If however the interview is less formal, like in the software development sector where they are not particular about suits, the candidate should try and wear something nicer than what the others in the company are wearing.
4. Paying attention to the other accessories you wear: You should not pay attention to the dress you wear to an interview alone and forget the other accessories. They all go hand in hand. Endeavor to match the shoe you wear with the color of the belt. Make sure your shoes are polished well and fit.
5. Fragrance: Avoid using your favorite cologne, aftershave or perfume as part of your dressing when going for your next interview. Some interviewers are sensitive to smell and may not like the scent as much as you do. Such smell could therefore offend them and consequently count against you during the interview.
6. Avoid showing too much of your skin: The more of your skin you show during the interview, the more your credibility wanes. A common complaint by prospective employers is that most women wear clothes that are too revealing to work. You will therefore not want to prove them right. Do you?
7. Your jewelry, piercings and tattoos: The less the better. Overdoing it may count against you.
Dressing indicates commitment and seriousness on the part of you the job seeker and consequently endears you to the hiring manager. Further it indicates that you the prospective employee will fit into the culture of the organization. In the words of Samuel Johnson “Fine dressing are good only as they supply the want of other means of procuring respect.” Dressing appropriately for your next interview will therefore open all doors for you including that of the hiring manager. You see good dressing may not make the man, but it has certainly gotten many a good job.
Did you enjoy reading this article as much as I did in writing it? Your comments will be appreciated.
Thanks for sharing your time with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment