There are certainly a lot of rules about what to wear when you’re interviewing for a job. The aspect that often gets overlooked is the fact that it’s crucial to create a memorable aspect of your appearance. Especially if a firm is interviewing tons of candidates, such as law firms and accounting firms, creating something memorable about your image can help you stand out in the crowd. Of course, your resume is crucial and so are your answers and conduct, but wearing something the interviewers can remember you by is an additional way to stand out in the sea of applicants.
So how do you do this? It’s really quite easy. First, your appearance must be impeccable, and then an accessory or blouse can do the trick. Debbie was a client who was going for a final interview for a big step up in the healthcare industry. The suits she’d been wearing had been colorful and a little too feminine. She knew her stuff and was highly qualified, but the male interviewer was tough and she needed a suit that would give her strength and command authority. We chose a black pant suit, and because Debbie was blonde with blue eyes, we chose a cornflower blue, satin blouse. When you wear a color that matches your eyes, your audience won’t be able to take their eyes off of you. Hence, they’re paying attention to what you’re saying. It was obvious that Debbie delivered her message and created a memorable image. She got the job!
A second tactic for creating a memorable image is with accessories. Even if the expected necklace is pearls, as it is in the accounting industry, you can change up your pearls. Instead of basic pearls, choose fresh water pearls or a string of pearls with a colorful pendant.
In a more creative industry, go bolder with your necklace…but not too bold or distracting. It can only be helpful to be thought of as qualified and “the one with the cool necklace”!
If you’d like expert help from an image consultant who can ensure you’re dressed perfectly for your interview, please contact me!
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That’s fine for an interview pantsuit, and many professional women keep their image looking polished by wearing blazers. Any particular advice for women with power surges (hot flashes)?
Wearing a tailored blouse underneath your suit will allow you to take your jacket off without losing the all of the great non-verbal messages. I even completely believe that it’s better to be sleeveless than to have sweat running down your face.
So if one has black hair, brown eyes and brown skin coloring, with a black suit, should I wear a brown blouse?
Joanne,
I think you would be better off with more contrast. It depends on what kind of interview you have, but you could wear a white blouse and inject a little color into your jewelry . Another option would be to choose a blouse in a blue or perhaps a coral to compliment your hair and eyes.
You rock! One more question…nylons or no nylons at interviews if wearing a dress?
It really depends, but you’re definitely safer with nylons. They need to be really nice ones that match your skin tone really well and don’t look like old fashioned pantyhose.