Look the Part -- Clothing and Appearance (Women)
Because people often judge you only by your appearance,
your clothing should always "fit in" with what is expected,
and you should always maintain a neat appearance.
The main thing that people "see" when they first meet someone is how that person is dressed and his or her overall appearance. The person’s "inner qualities” are simply not visible in most social situations, including job interviews and other significant contacts.
That's why it’s extremely important to stick to the unofficial—but still very real—clothing and appearance "code" in order to make a positive impression on employers, landlords, and others.
Without trying in any way to minimize your personal individuality, here are some clothing and appearance guidelines we suggest you follow closely in order to go forward successfully in job interview settings and other important situations.
Face and Hair
Light make-up (if any). Hair should be clean, recently styled, and neatly combed or brushed.
Teeth
Freshly brushed, mouthwash if any chance of not-so-good breath.
Hands and Handshake
Fingernails clean and closely trimmed. Avoid fake nails for most jobs (as well as for job interviews). This is especially important for jobs that require typing or other types of keyboarding, or for jobs where your hands are regularly "on display" to customers--for example, as a counter salesperson. Handshake is firm but not bone-crushing.
Clothes
For interviews, the general rule is to be somewhat more well-dressed than is required on the job, but not extremely over-dressed. For general office jobs, neatly tailored pants with a black or navy blue top would work very well. With regard to dresses, skirts and blouses: conservative colors are best (for example, black, navy, grey, or tan). Avoid floral prints unless they are very conservative and muted. Lace, frills, or see-through fabrics of any kind are a definite no-no.
Shoes
Neutral colors are always best. Both flats and heels (no higher than medium) are OK. No open toes or sandals.
Accessories
The general rule is "less is more." Don't wear more than about four pieces of jewelry altogether. Choose from among small earrings or bracelets that don't jingle, small rings, small pin, or unobtrusive necklace. A simple fold-over briefcase can hold your money and ID cards as well as important documents (copies of your résumé, recommendations, etc.) that you may need during the interview.
Scents
Be very careful about perfume or cologne. It is best not to wear any at all to interviews. In all cases the scent should be very light and unobtrusive. When in doubt, leave it off!
Size Guide
To accurately determine your own size measurements and find the corresponding clothing sizes, you can go to a separate website, Sizeguide.net, by clicking here.
Exercise: You will obviously want to be well-dressed for job interviews and for meeting with potential landlords. Can you think of other kinds of contacts where it would be to your advantage to make a good clothing and neatness impression?
