Dress 2 Impress!
The “Do’s and Don'ts” of
Professional Attire
People are often judged by the clothes they
wear. The image you project should always be
professional and appropriate to your job.
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Will dressing properly get you the job?
Should you be judged by what you wear?
How should you dress?
What is considered the proper dress for an
interview?
Will dressing properly get you the job?
• Make a great first impression
You never get a second chance to make a first
impression.
• Dressing conservatively is always the safest
route.
• Dress for the position you want, not the
position you have.
Will dressing properly get you the job?
Your perceived value as viewed by your
audience
• Personality
• Competencies
• Appearance
• The Differentiator – the unique value or
benefit to your audience
Should you be judged by what you
wear?
• Non-verbal communication is a major part of
the interview
7% of your message is communicated verbally.
93% of your message is communicated nonverbally.
Should you be judged by what you
wear?
Interviewing Points to Compliment Your Appearance
•Arrive 10 minutes early
•Answer questions confidently
•Turn your cell phone/pager/PDA off
• Look interviewer in the eye when
speaking and listening
•Do not chew gum
•Smile and use a firm handshake
•Sit tall in the chair
•Have relevant questions to ask
What image do you want to project on
the job?
How should you dress?
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Wear shoes that are well-maintained.
Wear clothing clean and neatly pressed.
Keep accessories to a minimum.
Avoid excessive amounts of fragrance.
Fingernails should be well trimmed.
Cover any visible tattoos.
Wear a suit.
Be careful of trends.
What is considered the proper
dress for an interview?
Women
• Conservative two-piece
business suit
• Professional blouse
• Hosiery
• Professional dress shoes
• Well groomed
conservative hairstyle
• Conservative make up
Men
• Conservative two-piece
business suit
• Shirt with a simple style: Longsleeved
• Dark dress socks
• Polished dark dress shoes
• Coordinating tie
• Well groomed conservative
hairstyle
Professional Attire
Women: think Jessica
Pearson from USA’s
SUITS
Men: think James Bond or
Barney Stinson
“Top Shelf” Business Casual Attire
Women:
Men:
“Top Shelf” Business Casual Attire
Women:
Men:
Business Casual Attire
Women:
Men:
What NOT to Wear
• Clothing that doesn’t fit – either too small
or too big
• Clothing that is wrinkled, dirty, or worn out
• Beach clothes – shorts, capris, casual skirts,
sundresses and flip flops
What NOT to Wear
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Tattoos and body piercing’s should not be visible
Keep accessories and make up to a minimum
Men: keep facial hair neat & trimmed
Women: Pantyhose – yes or no? In a professional
setting – yes!
• Women: wear nude colored nail polish or a French
manicure. If you place your hand next to your face
and the eye is drawn to your nails, they are too
distracting.
What NOT to Wear
When in doubt, don’t wear it!
Unless otherwise instructed you
can never be too dressed up for an
interview!