By: Kasia Naessens
How you dress for professional events like interviews and job fairs can make or break your opportunity to be selected for a desired position. The internship fair is approaching quickly, so let’s talk about appropriate attire.
Females:
1. Blouses
Blouses can come in a variety of colors and styles. Express yourself through your shirt choices, but make sure it is appropriate. Avoid low-cut and cropped shirts, and thin straps.
2. Blazers
Typically, professionals wear neutral colors: navy blue, black, white, brown and gray. Wear a blazer over your blouse to appear more professional. Employers will be impressed.
3. Suit pants or skirts
Both suit pants and skirts are acceptable in the professional setting. When shopping for skirts, make sure they are about knee length or longer.
4. Dresses
There are plenty of business professional dresses at many stores. When selecting a dress, stay away from those with elaborate patterns and colors. It is okay if they contain little dabbles here and there, but do not get too bright of a dress. It is also important to ensure the dress is not low-cut or too short.
5. Shoes
Stay away from open-toes shoes. Neutral colors are usually the best option: black, nude and brown. Your shoes can be flat or contain a heel. Avoid stiletto heels.
Males:
1. Suits
A suit contains a coat and a pair of pants. Avoid crazy colors and stick with neutral tones. Be sure to see a tailor so your suit fits perfectly. A suit that is too big or too small may appear less professional to employers.
2. Dress Shirts
Dress shirts are an opportunity to express yourself. It is okay to add a little pop of color in with the suit, but avoid anything too vibrant and stick with light colors. White shirts are always a good choice if you’re unsure.
3. Undershirt
Make sure you purchase a white, plain t-shirt to wear underneath your dress shirt. Many dress shirts are see-through, and potential employers do not want to see your six-pack.
4. Ties
Even if you need to buy a clip-on tie, get one. The tie is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. You can get fun and festive with the ties, but for interviews and job fairs, be sure to stick with a solid neutral color.
5. Shoes
Forest Gump says, “...you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes...” and this is very true. Make sure you have a nice pair of dress shoes, usually black or brown. Polish them and avoid scuff marks so you look your best.
There are plenty of places in Mt. Pleasant that offer professional clothing. First Impressions, located in the UC, is a great resource or if you do not want to break the bank, go thrift shopping. Often times, places like Goodwill and Salvation Army will have dress pants, skirts, blouses, dress shirts and shoes.
After you have the correct attire, head over to the internship fair on Nov. 6 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the UC Rotunda to network with various companies and show what you have to offer.