Dress for Success!

At yesterday's PRSSA meeting, Nicole Cashman of Cashman & Associates came to our meeting to give us some pointers on how to dress for success. Here's a few of the tips she had:

-Interview: Always go with a basic black suit. This is your first impression for your interviewer and you want to make it the best impression as possible.

-Your First Day: You go the job, but that doesn't mean you can dress like a slob now. Many companies have a 90-day trial period with their new hires. Not only do you have to do well at your job, you must dress well too. As your time goes by at the company, you will become more familiar with the style of the office.

-Casual Friday: The term "casual Friday" is different at every office. Some places allow you to be completely dressed down, even to denim. However, on the other end, some offices might just allow open-toed shoes for women and no tie for men (but still wearing dress shirts). It all depends on the company. Be sure to ask before your first "casual Friday" experience.

-Shoes: This one goes for both men and women: splurge on the shoes. They're more comfortable and they will last for a long time. As you get them re-soled and re-heeled and keep them polished, they'll be cheaper in the long run.

-Bags/Briefcases: Same rules apply for men and women here also. Splurge on the bag too. Simple and black are the best choices that fit most every outfit. Also look for a leather envelope that you can take to meetings / interviews. This prevents you from having to dig through a messy bag and you can fit everything from resumes and writing samples to a few pens, all the while looking neat and polished.

-Suits: Until you've landed that corporate job and spend your money freely without having to worry about feeding yourself for the next three weeks, you can find an inexpensive suit. H&M is a great quality store without the high prices. Macy*s also has a lot of sales and coupons running through the papers every week.

-Wardrobe Building: Look for separates that you can mix-and-match with each other. This way you aren't spending a fortune on pants and shirts that only go with one thing. You will also have enough options so that it doesn't look like you're wearing the same thing every day.

-Tailoring: Make sure your pants are hemmed and your sleeves aren't too long. Be sure that your clothing fits well. This makes you look polished and not like a slob.