Do you (or someone you know) have a hard time judging what's appropriate office fashion? You're not alone. Ashley Poulin of SharpHeels.com clears up the confusion as to what's dressy and what's inappropriate for the office.
Fashion Challenge: Professionals who confuse “dressy” and “inappropriate.” Not thinking through the business-appropriate nature of what you are wearing (for example, thinking a dress you wore out to a club is acceptable to wear to an interview, or wearing a top that shows too much cleavage).
Office Prohibited
Knowing what’s appropriate for the office can be difficult and will take some time and investment to learn, but knowing what should never cross the threshold of your office lobby is imperative.
SharpHeels Style Guideline
Learn what is never appropriate at the office. Check out the quick tips below or watch the video!
Cleavage tops – It is never appropriate to show too much cleavage at the office. Fortunately, adding a camisole and a blazer or black cardigan can make an “evening” blouse workplace appropriate, but don’t force an evening look for the day. If the top has too much cleavage or is see through, then keep it out of the office.
Mini Skirts – The name says it all – “mini” is just too short for the office. Instead buy a pencil or an A-line skirt that hits just above the knee. Add a great pair of heels to add some sass, but keep those pumps under 4 inches in heel height.
Platform Heels – also known as (a.k.a) - Hooker Shoes – Let’s be honest: 4-inches is as high as you should ever go at the office. Typically, most heels should be 3-4 inches, max. You can add some flair with color pumps – burgundy or cobalt blue pumps look great with an A-line black flare dress
Too Clingy – Your office apparel should be flattering – form-fitting is fine, but too tight and you look like a stuffed sausage or a “woman of the night” – i.e. it’s definitely no longer appropriate or flattering. Instead wear a figure flattering A-line dress that you will look great in and still be appropriate for the office. Add some accessories to add some color and flare.
Remember: Never, ever wear something too tight, too short, or show any cleavage tops.
Click here to see all of the style guides in this office fashion series.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
