What to Wear When...

I recently wrote that I attended a career fair at my university. I spent hours agonizing over what I was going to wear. It got me thinking about how important your outfit can be in an interview. Within the first few seconds of meeting someone people make assumptions of who that person is based upon what he or she is wearing. Imagine meeting someone in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. What do you think about him or her? Now imagine that you see that same person in a suit. Do you think about him or her differently? Most people do. Therefore, it’s important to dress appropriately. Below, I will outline the best attire for different job-seeking scenarios.

Phone Interview

Wear whatever you want! No one can see you and therefore cannot make assumptions about you based upon your attire. However, some studies suggest that people are often more professional sounding while wearing professional clothing. My suggestion, wear something that makes you feel confident. If you feel confident, you will sound confident!

Career Fair 101

Recently, I attended a career fair at my university. As much as I wanted to feel confident going into it, I could not help but feel a little nervous. What if I forgot something or said something wrong? To help myself feel a bit less nervous and to hopefully help you, I came up with a list of things that I feel are important to remember before going to a career fair or networking event.

1. Bring Resumes! 

It goes without saying that resumes are a crucial part in landing a job. A lot has changed in the job market over the past few decades, but one thing has remained the same – resumes are always required. Don’t bring just one resume or even a couple, bring several. Depending on the size of the event that you’re attending usually 15 to 20 is a good starting point.