Focus Magazine of SWFL Cheers To Your Style | Page 135

It is common in today's professional environment for people to
wear their "business" outfit during office hours and their casual
clothes during leisure time. Whether you have realized it or not,
you are probably a member of this fast-pace attire couture, as
you open your closet in the morning to wear one of your business
suits leaving your jeans hanging for the more "relaxed" atmosphere of the weekend or a barbeque party. But even if your office
dress code does not explicitly direct you to wear formal business
garments, when you are about to be interviewed for a new job
it is important you will select to wear your professional-looking
clothes.

anyone. For instance, women that wear heavy makeup or men
that select to wear an extremely expensive suit might give to
the interviewer the wrong impression regarding their professional
status and overall character. In fact, one might lose a perfectly
good opportunity to get the position he or she is about to be
interviewed due to a poor or over-the-top appearance. Dressing
casually or over-dressing will never lead you to the desired result.
Thus, before meeting with your potential employer, it is imperative to consult with friends, who have working experience in the
business field you wish to enter, so as to learn as much as possible
in relation to the working outfit recruiters and business executives
consider as acceptable. Consequently, it is important for you to
plan ahead and invest in purchasing the "right" type of clothes.
Being proactive today will give you tomorrow the opportunity to
buy that piece of clothing that your future boss would characterize as "extreme," but your partner or friends would adore.

"

Dress shabbily and they
remember the dress;
dress impeccably and
they remember the
woman.

"

Coco Chanel

As a matter of fact, my personal experience has led me to conclude that the outfit I will select to wear before having to give a
small speech about my abilities and skills can direct the attention
of my future employer to what I am saying instead to how I look.
Contemporary business culture demands from the person that
wishes to enter a business environment, of any kind, to look sharp
and professional. Thus, it is crucial for candidates to choose carefully their apparel so as to reflect the generally accepted working dress-code, apart from their personal taste. Regardless if the
position is that of a senior or a junior executive, HR agencies
inform the individuals they manage to pay attention to their appearance as much as they should practice what they are going to
elaborate on when explaining their professional experience and
skills. There is not one recruiter out there that would overlook the
way interested professionals look when they are invited for the
first round of interviews. As the old saying goes, "An image says
1,000 words."
But, while one should be conscious of the impact a carefully
chosen wardrobe has to the overall image he or she is about to
give, going over the business dress-code line is not advisable by
FOCUS of SWFL 2014 135