How to dress for success

Are you young and intelligent? Did you graduate at the top of your class but since graduation, you have been job hunting with no success? You have probably sat at numerous job interviews only to get negative results each single time. You wonder where you went wrong. Well, have you checked your wardrobe? Many graduates have no clue of what a professional wardrobe looks like. Their closets are mostly filled with party clothes. Some think because they look attractive when going out, the same clothes will apply for a job interview. What you don’t know is that the first judgment an interviewer passes will be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That is why it’s important to dress professionally for a job interview, even if the work environment appears casual.You need to make your first impression count because overcoming a bad first impression is as impossible as un-ringing a bell. “Some people think that to be smart, one needs to invest a lot of cash in their wardrobe, but this is not the case,” says Francis Iraguha, proprietor of ‘Francis Zahabu’ label.All you need for your job interview is a suit in solid colour, preferably black, blue or gray, a plain coloured long sleeved shirt, a belt, tie, dark socks, conservative leather shoes and a neat, professional hairstyle.“If you have to borrow a suit for an interview, make sure it fits. If its three sizes too large, you’ll look like a miniature person; if it’s too small and tight fitting, you’ll look ridiculous,” says Iraguha.For women, the attire should include a suit (navy, black or dark grey). The skirt should be long enough (maybe knee length) so you can sit down comfortably. You’ll need a coordinated blouse, traditional shoes and limited jewelry. Avoid dangling earrings or full arm bracelets. Try not to wear obviously cheap jewelry too. A simple but elegant hairstyle with very light make-up will give you that professional look .Make sure your finger nails are clean and well manicured too. With all said and done, nothing beats a classic professional look at a job interview, or meeting.

Insight

How to dress for success