Creating Your Own Professional Wardrobe - How to Put Your Best Look Forward
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 |
Contact: Ilene Greenfield Director of Media Relations 973-278-5400, ext. 1-5122 IGL@BerkeleyCollege.edu |
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CREATING YOUR PROFESSIONAL WARDROBE - HOW TO PUT YOUR BEST LOOK FORWARD |
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by Amy Soricelli, Vice President, Career Services, Berkeley College |
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We have all heard the expressions “put your best foot forward” as well as “you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” But what do these expressions really mean in the world of employment and the job search? They mean everything.
The interview process can be daunting, so what can you do to put your best look forward? Let’s begin at the top. For instance, what does your hair say about you? Is it neat? Can you maintain strong eye contact with a recruiter without having to move your eyes away? Do you need a trim or a haircut? Do you feel comfortable with your style
Is your make-up appropriate for the industry you are interviewing with? Does your make-up complement your features or is it a distraction? Does the industry you are hoping to enter appreciate a more subdued look – are you going to be a fit in terms of how you like to dress and how the organization “expects you to appear”?
How much jewelry are you wearing and do you make noise as you walk down the corridor? What do your accessories say about you and do they add something to your image or are they distracting?
Let’s talk clothes. Of course, you have done industry research and have modeled your outfit after industry standards. You know that a start-up music company might be okay with an interviewee in casual (but clean) jeans and a band T-shirt; a prominent financial firm on Wall Street expects the blue suit and string of pearls.
Blouses must close with no gaps, shoes must be shined, nails must be clean and neat, skirts cannot be too short or too tight, ties must be tied neatly, handshakes must be firm.
The process of getting to know someone so he/she can consider you for a position in their firm should not be side-tracked by inappropriate attire. The goal of each and every interview is to talk to your skills, your talents, the unique qualities that you bring to the organization in the hope of adding value. You want to get the job and not make a fashion statement – unless, of course, the job requires you to do so.
You do not need to spend a great deal of money on interview attire: simplicity is best.
The most important thing to consider when dressing for an interview is that you want the interviewer to focus on your skills, your experience, your talent. The best impression you can make is an understated version of the best you can be.
A leader in providing career-focused education since 1931, Berkeley College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and enrolls more than 7,000 students – including more than 350 international students – in its Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs. Students can study in more than 20 career fields. Berkeley College is comprised of the Larry L. Luing School of Business®, the School of Professional Studies, the School of Health Studies and the School of Liberal Arts. The School of Graduate Studies offers an MBA in Management online and in Woodland Park, NJ.
Berkeley College has three New York campuses – Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn and White Plains. In New Jersey there are four campuses – Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park. Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. For six consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
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