It's winter. That means snow, ice, salt, and cold. It also means wearing your favorite work heels to walk to work isn't really realistic. So, what's a girl to do? We brought in fashion expert Ashley Poulin of SharpHeels.com to answer your biggest questions on office fashion. Today's question is, "What do I wear to work in the winter?"
Fashion Challenge: Professionals who don't know how to simultaneously dress for inclement weather AND the office. For example, if you can't wear snow boots and oversized sweaters to the office - and you really can't, without getting lots of startled glances - how do you dress for both a snowstorm and a “business professional" dress code?
SharpHeels Style Guideline
Winter weather is tough… you want to be warm, but you also want to look stylish. You can do both.
Check out the quick tips below or watch the video!
Winter Wardrobe Essentials
“The" Winter Coat - The first and most important priority is to invest in a good Winter coat.
Additional Necessities :
Gloves – black leather winter gloves with cashmere lining for extra warmth. There are also some great microfiber options that look like leather, but are less expensive.
Black Skinny Pants or even consider black skinny jeans (depending on the office dress code) - skinny pants hug your body and keep you warm. You can also add tights or even long johns under them for an extra layer of warmth.
Boots that can last the elements or swap out your winter boots for office heels when you get to your desk.
Note - Invest in a couple pairs of sleek, not hefty, dress boots that can be worn out in the elements and at the office
Even better: Buy a large workbag that you can put your heels in, then switch them out at the office.
Cashmere Sweater – nothing can replace the warmth of a 100% cashmere sweater. It's worth the investment.
Long Johns – In the coldest of winter days add a pair of tight (form fitting) long johns that you can wear under your skinny pants. They will added a wonderful extra layer of warmth and no one will ever know you're wearing them
Cashmere Scarf – scarves keep your neck warm and they also add a little color to your otherwise toned down winter wardrobe. Use the scarf for both warm and color.
Wool Socks – buys a couple pairs of fun wool socks. They'll keep your toes warm and give you a smile at the end of the long day
We'll also show you some of our favorite coats – pea coats and synched waste coats that will make you look great on your way to the office in the fall and winter months.
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.