Dress to impress and other interview tips
One day, I was in a staffing office waiting to speak to one of the interviewers, and I noticed a young lady who was sitting in the lobby as well. It was obvious that she was waiting for an interview.
Another thing I noticed is that she had several tattoos. Now, before you get upset because you think I’m against tattoos, just wait for a bit. Let me assure you that I have nothing at all against body art.
However, here’s the sticky part. Her tattoos were on her chest and down through her cleavage. They were also on the side of her leg — all the way up her leg to at least her thigh. I don’t think she was interviewing for a job that had anything to do with tattoo parlors.
Now, if this young interviewee had been dressed truly well for a job interview, I would not have been able to see all of her tattoos — especially the ones on her chest and on her thigh. Which brings me to:
Rule No. 1: What you wear to a job interview speaks volumes before you even open your mouth so, if in doubt as to what would be appropriate, always go for the “conservative” look. Suits for men are always a great choice, and a simple dress or skirt of an appropriate hemline or a pantssuit will work for women.
Go into the interview and let the interviewer get to know you first. If he or she likes you and wants to proceed with the process, you eventually will be told if you can dress in a more casual manner, either for the next interview or for the job itself.
For both men and women, your attire should be clean, pressed and fitting somewhat well. I say “somewhat” because, keep in mind, if you have to go to a thrift store to buy your interviewing outfit, there is nothing wrong with that. And, if that outfit isn’t fitting “just right,” the fact that you’ve made an attempt to be “suitably” dressed means more than you know.
Be dressed to the best of your ability. Please, ladies, no miniskirts, low-cut or see-through tops.
Rule No. 2: For a phone interview, know the company from where the interviewer is calling. In my conversations with hiring managers, this next point is a true pet peeve with them.
Nothing is more disappointing to a recruiter or hiring manager than for them to announce themselves and their company, then somewhere down the line in the conversation, the interviewee says, “Now, who are you and what company again?”
Clarify everything in the beginning of the conversation. That way, when you respond, you can speak with excellent verbiage, ask relevant questions and maintain a sure-fire nailing of the interview.
Rule No. 3: No matter what position you are applying for during the interview, you still need to sell yourself. Don’t be afraid to talk. So many candidates get to the interview stage and don’t talk enough during the question and answer phase.
Many times interviewers pose questions that are open-ended, meaning the answer cannot be a simple “yes” or “no,” but instead require a more detailed response. Surprisingly, many interviewers say that people respond with as quick and short an answer as possible. Therefore, they leave so much not said, giving the interviewer less information wanted or needed in order to learn if the candidate is a fit for the position at hand.
These are three quick nuggets that either interviewers have shared with me, or I’ve observed over time. In a subsequent article, I will expand on interviewing “do’s” and provide some more helpful hints. I seldom concentrate on “don’ts” since they’re negative.
We want to concentrate on and go forward into possibilities. Until next time, remember: You’ve got this!
