The post Job Interview Tips. How To Dress For Interview Success appeared first on Career Point Kenya.Click on the TITLE link for the original.
By Mark Namaswa
“First impressions are critical in establishing a connection with the interview panel,” observes Career Coach Njoki Ndegwa. “And this has to be planned. The choice of colour, for example, will depend on the job you are going for and for formal settings, darker shades are ideal,” she says.
“Navy blues tend to blend well with other colours but make sure you do not appear too dull.” Colours, Ms. Njoki says, communicate a lot about an individual’s personality. “For example, reds are known to portray a confident person while orange is for people who appreciate themselves.”
According to Caroline Mwangi, HR Crown Beverages, business suits in dark grey, blue or brown non-striking shades are good choices for most people. “If you dress in bright colours, you will divert the attention of the recruiter away from you to your clothes. They will try to figure out what you are up to in your dress code rather than what you came for in the first place,” she says.
“A red suit will work when you are headed for an interview in a clothing design firm, acting or in the fashion industry where drawing attention to yourself matters. However in conservative industries such as law, accounting or medicine, fairly dull colours work,” says Ms. Mwangi.
On the other hand Martin Githaiga, Recruitment Consultant with Corporate Staffing Services suggests men should stick to ‘safe colours’. “Grey, black and navy blue suits blend well with men. The darker colours tend to work well for men but not the very shiny clothing material,” he says. “If you are going for a managerial interview, darker colours will send a message of being authoritative—you can’t supervise people in a green suit,” he says.
Concerning trouser suits or skirt suits for women, Ms Mwangi says though neither contributes significantly to their rating in interviews, female candidates, in her opinion come out better in skirt suits. “It is about perception of control, or masculinity. Females might appear more controlling in trousers as opposed to what they would look in skirts or dresses.”
According to Ms. Beth Wanjira, Client Service and Recruitment Officer Corporate Staffing Services, being presentable and professional in appearance is the key focus in selecting interview outfits. “Though dressing in the 21st Century has become a bit less formal, the important element remains the impression you cast through your mode of dressing.”
“It does not matter the position you are being interviewed for but being able to combine the colours well is definitely a plus,” says Ms. Wanjira. Still she agrees with Ms. Mwangi concerning skirts suits. “They are better for ladies when well combined with closed shoes. Flat shoes are not strongly recommended though wearing shoes that are comfortable is a wise decision.”
And men in her opinion tend to have limited options of dressing compared to women. Women, she says, can put on official or floral attire and tone it down with plain black bags and shoes, do skirts, trousers or dresses and still come out presentable. “Men,” she says, “remain restricted to suits or trousers and shirts provided they are fitting and blend well with shoes in mint condition.” She however rules out men coming for interviews in loafers or oversize suits.
“Jewellery on the other hand and make up should be kept at the minimum,” says Ms. Wanjira. “I also often advise against eye shadow and plenty of make-up—you are there for a corporate interview and should therefore look the part. Make sure that your earrings are standard in both colour and size so they don’t come out as conspicuous.”
“Prepare days in advance,” Ms. Njoki Ndegwa advices, “and the less of jewellery, the better. These are the basics; the subject of how to dress is really broad and entire coaching sessions are usually dedicated to the topic.”
In Ms. Wanjira’s words: “The interview starts with the way you dress, the way you talk and even walk; it’s image and people will take you for what you look. Dressing appropriately shows you take yourself seriously and take your job seriously. Dress to look the part.”
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The post Job Interview Tips. How To Dress For Interview Success appeared first on Career Point Kenya.Click on the TITLE link for the original.
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