First Impressions Count - Dressing for the occassion

In this current age of technology where more and more of our daily interactions are becoming electronic (think email, Slack, Skype, etc) and less about interacting with people face-to-face, the fine art of dressing to impress for an interview should not be overlooked when trying to secure the job of your dreams.

In today’s fast paced world, you have only a few seconds, all during your initial interaction with someone, to impress them. This is where the idea of the ‘elevator pitch’ comes from: you only have the time it takes to go from one floor to the next – in some cases 10 seconds, in others, 30 (if you’re lucky) – to sell yourself or your idea to a total stranger you meet in an elevator. If your sense of dress does not marry the message you are trying to send out, you may find it quite difficult to leave the lasting impression you are seeking.

Easy? Not at all. But because the nature of this kind of interpersonal assessment is instantaneous (the first image that comes to someone’s mind when they first see or meet you will be the most lasting image of you in their mind), you can play things to your advantage by always putting your best foot forward (and being ready to do so when the time comes!)

For interviews, this means always being dressed professionally and showing up with confidence and poise on your big day. Here are some tried and tested ways to ensure you leave a lasting impression and convey the right signals to the right people in those first few seconds of meeting. 

Suit up!

Suits are timelessly fashionable. Sure, different fashions, versions and varieties come and go, but whether you are sporting a two-piece or a three-piece suit, or whether you go for a two-button or three-button look, you can’t go wrong with a dapper, tasteful, well-tailored suit. If you really want to look your best and not take any risks while doing so, having a great suit ready for interview day should be job #1.

For women:

Professional business suits for women mean trousers or a skirt. As with everything, if need be, err on the side of caution. Don’t try to go for anything too unconventional. This means your skirt length should not be too high above the knees, and heels shouldn’t be more than, say, 6-8cm. You don’t want to look like you are teetering and tottering while walking into and out of the interview room!

Darker colors such as black and brown go well in winter. Lighter colors, while acceptable in warmer weather, should be worn only if plain and never in patterns.

For men:

For men, leather trumps suede, and cotton trumps linen. Black or brown shoes go universally well with most suits, but be careful when matching, for example, dark blue suits or a belt of an uncommon shade. Always ensure your suit is dry cleaned or at the very least it has been pressed. Also be sure that your shoes have a nice polish, and make sure your socks match the rest of your outfit as well.

Plain shirts are the way to go, and the same goes for ties: a solid, sober tie color is better than one with a distracting pattern. Light color shirts (nothing beats white) are the best bet for a clean, professional look.

For casual meetings:

Not everything is always as dark and somber as the above may make it sound! A lot of business is conducted outside the office or in relatively relaxed spaces (think of business meetings on the golf greens) so you may be summoned to an interview or an event where a suit and tie (or a skirt and blouse) are just not right.

For such meetings, you can do away with wearing a suit. But although such meetings are less formal, don’t get carried away thinking your favorite home jeans with tears in the knees are acceptable! ‘Business casual’ means casual, but ready for business. You may replace dress shoes for comfortable loafers, and a button-down shirt for a crisp Polo, but that’s about it. The same rules pertaining to hair and make-up still apply.

Between business professional and business casual, the main difference is that you can add a bit more of your personality to how you look when you are in business casual. That might be a nice watch for the men (especially if you’re wearing short sleeves) or a trendy purse for the women. But keep these items down to only one and keep everything else as you’d have at an in-office interview.

Just remember, you only get one chance at a first impression so make sure it counts.

Zvi Azimov

Director of ZACK Group, a leading recruitment agency specializing in helping technology companies expand in the Asia Pacific region.

www.zackgroup.com.au