Dressing For The Job

Elin Kling in the office

Dressing for the job: three tips that might just land you that dream job
If diamonds are a girl best friend, job interviews are about the exact opposite. Nobody likes to be judged for thirty minutes in a small office space, and an interview gone wrong can sometimes result in sleepless nights and binge-eating ice cream marathons. However, there are ways of becoming more confident and ready for job interviews, and some of those ways involve fashion. That sounds a lot better already, doesn’t it?

Job interviews are all about first impressions. If you succeed to impress someone in the first 30 seconds of your meeting, the rest of your job interview might carry along much more smoothly. Needless to say, your appearance plays a large part in all this. So: What are the fashion do’s and don’ts when it comes to having a job interview?

Do your research
Appearances are crucial in a first meeting. The first impression that someone gets when you walk through the door, can sometimes even be the key-factor in landing a follow-up meeting. So what should you wear when visiting a company? This depends for the most part on the kind of company you’re applying for. For instance, when applying for a traineeship at Vogue, you want to be at your upmost elegant and fashionable. But what about the dresscodes at companies like Nike, Google or Cosmopolitan? Make sure you do your research before picking your job interview outfit. Check out the company’s corporate website, and see how they visualize their (future) employees.

The Fashion Guitar on the streets

The ‘Dutchy’ dresscode
Fortunately for us Dutch ladies, the dresscode in Holland is a bit less strict than in most other countries. In most cases, it’s not necessary to show up in a business suit. Most of the time, a nice, formal pair of pants, along with a nicely tailored blouse already does the trick. You can add detail to your outfit by matching it with a cute silk scarf and some elegant yet sexy pair of pumps. Are you not the type of girl to wear heels fulltime? In that case, always make sure to have a pair of flat shoes in your bag. This way, you can stay comfortable on your way to the interview, and switch to heels right before the meeting.When applying for a job, it’s assumable that you will be carrying papers, whether it’s your CV or an entire portfolio. Don’t carry these documents around in a plastic bag or a backpack! Instead, find a cute bag that matches your outfit.

Don’t overdo it
However, the most important thing is to feel comfortable and self-confident in the outfit you’re wearing. This way, you can actually focus on the conversation you’re having, instead of becoming more and more frustrated with that ill-fitted shirt. The most important thing is that the outfit represents the actual ‘you’, but do try to avoid extravagant accessories. That awesome skull ring you usually wear to festivals? Maybe save that one for after your trial period.Want to know more about dresscodes for job interviews and other occassions? Then check out my blog Dresscode.nl (Dutch) for all the lastest fashion and dresscode related articles!

Peace and love,