Tips on Dressing for a Job Interview

For 30 years, Alpha Rae Personnel has helped client companies find qualified and well-suited candidates for a variety of positions. Alpha Rae Personnel supports candidates in presenting themselves professionally to potential employers.

As the employment marketplace has changed over the years, so have expectations of what a job seeking candidate should wear for an interview. It is no longer automatically true that all interviewers expect a business suit, although most experts recommend that candidates err on the side of conservative dress whenever in doubt. Hiring and employment professionals suggest that a candidate visit the company’s offices or ask an employee to determine the look that most people present in the office and wear a similar style to the interview.

However, employment experts do stress that the candidate look professional and put-together at all times. Even if some employees wear shorts and sandals to work, a more polished look should be worn to a job interview. The nature of an interview implies that candidates present themselves in the best possible light. This means clean and pressed clothing, well-kept shoes, and a neat and organized bag. Whatever the corporate culture, hiring managers want to know that employees will take their jobs seriously.

Resume Tips for Job Seekers

With more than 25 years of experience, Alpha Rae Personnel, Inc., has become a respected name in the professional staffing field. In addition to assisting businesses with their hiring and staffing needs, Alpha Rae Personnel works with job candidates to help them maximize their chances of professional success.

One of the biggest factors in a person’s success in obtaining a career position is how the person presents his or her experience and qualifications on a resume. Two candidates might have similar backgrounds and skills, but one with a substandard resume might get passed over in favor of the other candidate. There are a number of ways to ensure your resume has maximum impact.

First, make sure that your resume does not contain grammatical errors or typos, which present an air of unprofessionalism. Proofread your resume carefully, and make sure all information, including the contact information, is correct. Additionally, review how you present your experience. Weak resumes highlight job duties, rather than the overarching purpose of the work you performed. Employers want to know what you have achieved and how you could be an asset to them, not a laundry list of what you did in past positions. Finally, be specific in highlighting what you achieved for the companies previously served.

Dressing for Success

Helpful Advice about Business Attire from Alpha Rae Personnel

In the corporate world, the way a business professional dresses can communicate his or her level of professionalism. According to Image Dynamics, “55% of another person’s perception of you is based on how you look.” Thus, it is best to make conservative choices when putting together a business ensemble.

Safe, professional choices for women include solid-colored, well-tailored suits with coordinated blouses; moderate shoes; and tasteful, but limited, jewelry. A neat, professional hairstyle and well-groomed fingernails are important as well. Make-up and perfume should be worn in moderation.

Men ought to consider a solid-colored, well-tailored suit paired with a dress shirt and conservative tie. Dark socks and professional shoes are an important wardrobe component as well. Men should wear very limited jewelry and maintain a professional hairstyle and clean, trimmed fingernails.

About Alpha Rae Personnel:

Alpha Rae Personnel is an executive search firm dedicated to creating mutually beneficial employer-employee relationships. Alpha Rae Personnel understands the importance of appropriate business attire in today’s workplace.

Making a Good Impression at Your Next Job Interview by Alpha Rae Personnel

In a tight job market, making a good impression at your interview is more essential than ever. The staffing experts at Alpha Rae Personnel, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Indiana, offer the following tips for making sure you shine at your next interview.

1. Look like a professional. When you dress for a job interview, pay attention to little details. Wear business attire and make sure your clothing is neatly pressed and lint free. Polish scuff marks out of shoes. Your hair and makeup (if you are a woman) should be business appropriate, with hair neatly combed and makeup minimal and natural. Make sure your nails are neatly trimmed and shaped as well.

2. First impressions are important. Enter the room confidently if the interviewer is already there waiting for you, or stand when the interviewer enters the room. Make eye contact and offer a firm handshake. Wait until you are invited to do so before sitting.

Alpha Rae Personnel: Interviewing Etiquette, Part 2

Alpha Rae Personnel: Interviewing Etiquette, Part 2

Practice shaking hands, as interviews almost always involve a handshake. Wait for the interviewer to extend a hand, and then respond with a firm handshake. Avoid limp or bone-crushing handshakes, which are bound to present a negative impression. If your hands tend to sweat when you’re nervous, carry a tissue.

Be aware of your body language. Although nervousness is normal, it’s important not to look like you’re angry or being interrogated. Don’t fold your arms or cross your legs. Make eye contact and smile, but don’t present an artificial, forced smile. Don’t fidget or tap your toes or fingers. Sit up straight.

Answer the interviewer’s questions clearly and concisely. Don’t limit yourself to one-syllable answers, but don’t ramble. If you don’t understand something, ask politely for clarification. Prepare your own questions in advance. Think carefully about the questions you want to ask, and be careful about asking too many questions about pay, benefits, and vacation.

Thank the interviewer sincerely. Follow up with a handwritten thank you note, and politely reiterate your interest in the job. Don’t resort to email; a handwritten note is more professional.

A full-service staffing company, Alpha Rae Personnel places candidates in fields such as finance and accounting, office administration, information technology, sales and marketing, health care, and engineering. Alpha Rae helps job seekers put their best foot forward by providing professional assistance such as resume writing and career coaching.