DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT

DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT

Dress for the job you want means you are dressing for how much regard you have for your work and yourself, what views you relate to.‘You are addressed the way you are dressed’.

That’s the popular saying for describing how we are seen or perceived through our fashion choices. We can all agree our fashion choices are mostly based on how we feel, think or even view things, The truth of the fact is fashion is considered to be way of life, people express themselves through fashion, over the years, the fashion industry has dominated people perception of others, in such that people are either viewed in a good or bad way due to their fashion sense.

It is also argued that dressing a certain type of way can turn things in one’s favor.

Is that really true? Especially in the job market or corporate world today?

Do we really have to dress a certain way to get a job role or promotion? 

Is dressing differently limiting us from being our true selves?

One would not fully know the answer to these questions, but it is safe to agree that our style does have a degree of influence in getting a job. There are different fashion styles for different occasions, one must dress appropriately for the specific occasion, and you cannot just wear a strapless dinner dress to a United Nations summit neither can you wear a beach wear to an official board meeting. When it comes to a job setting work outfits, most dress codes depends on the type of organization, rules or culture sometimes. Casual outfits can be worn in companies that are either less structured or regulated such as call centers or shopping. Uniform outfits are worn in places such as restaurants or coffee shops. Formal and corporate outfits are worn in more regulated settings such as banks, private companies or government agencies.

Even though they are dress codes for different job settings, in order to get what you want, you need to dress for what you want. There is a saying that goes ‘dress for the job you want, not for the job you have’ this is true especially when you want to be taken seriously the job market/corporate world.

Most times most employers when conducting interviews 75% of the time either consider a particular candidate for the job role based on how they are dressed in the interviews. So what does it mean to ‘Dress for the job you want’? Dressing for the job means you are dressing for how much regard you have for your work and yourself, what views you relate to, and where you think you have a place. It also shows that you dress more like the friends you yearn for, and less like the one you are in, you are imparting an incredible sign that you have a place in that setting be it formal or not formal.

Dressing for job gets you through the doors of opportunities. Some employees do not agree with this notion due to the financial constraints of the person, in their defense one must not dress like the Chief operating officer or Vice president if he/she does not have the luxury or money to buy it, it far better to make use with the best that you have and dress according to what your money can buy you. Even though that is clearly logical, what happens to those that have been in a clerical positions for five years and want growth in their careers or interns that is seeking a full time position in the companies they intern with or associates working tooth and nail just for them to be noticed and get their well-deserved promotion. With all these scenarios, one can’t help but think what the most reasonable thing is to do, dressing for the job you want is not just fabric and accessories, it’s an embodiment of key elements, these elements not just makes one dress for the job, but helps you be fully immersed in the role.

KEY ELEMENTS OF DRESSING THE JOB YOU WANT.

  1. CONFIDENCE: whey we talk about confidence in this context what we mean is carrying one’s self in a manner that is graceful, the reason why most employee or job seekers suffer is because they are not sure of themselves, what worse is that they don’t believe in themselves as much as they need to. Being confident especially in the work setting that send a message that you are sure of what you offer, people can easily sense whether you are confident or not and choose to either take you seriously or not.
  1. STRATEGY: everyone needs a strategy! Having a clear strategy in this context helps a person plan, what it is that needs to be done in order to get what you want, apart from dressing up in pearls and heels, a plan needs to be put in place for you and your appeal to get noticed, everyone likes chocolates but if the chocolate is not presented in appealing way or positioned strategically it won’t be bought same goes to getting the job you want.

  2. BODY LANGUAGE: Having the right body language helps you dress/dress the job you want, some people ate not treated on who they are but based on their body language, if you have a great sense of style but if your body language comes off as unsure, clumsy, unorganized or not put together it can limiting your chances in getting what you want.

  3. ATTITUDE: Attitude could be good or bad, but a positive attitude can be another element in dressing the way for the job you want, a CEO walks into the room, he really does not need to tell anyone he is in charge in fact his attitude does that for him. You attitude show people how you would like to be seen and viewed, having the wrong attitude can bring the wrong message but the right attitude can bring admiration from others especially those above you.

  4. BUDGET: having financial constraints can limit your style, you must not break bank just because you want to dress like the head of HR! What one must do is find other affordable alternatives that would still help you looking your best for the job.

  5. NETWORKING: it is true about your network is your net worth. Networking and strategy goes hand in hand in dressing for the job you want, strategy is the plan while networking is the implementation of the plan you have to communicate, build relationships and get in the good books of those above you((executives, supervisors) they are the people watching you, also external networking helps in getting the job you want.

  6. STYLE: What is the key elements of all elements, even though you have a great attitude, network well with your seniors and peers, great strategy plan, confident about yourself but no fashion sense is all going to waste, it is one thing to have style, it is another to know what to dress for. Have a good dress sense and knowledge of what you should be wearing especially in a formal job setting is very significant in getting the job you want. Mixing and matching colours that suit your skin tone and body figure helps give you that confidence an attitude you have embodied. Having a great sense of style gives people a different perspective about you.

All the explained key elements are not just elements that would help you dress for the job you want, in fact that is exactly what one should be dressing  with, dress yourself with a great  degree of confidence, attitude, have a an appealing body language with a sense of style and you would definitely get the job you really want.

Also read Why Should We Hire You?[12 Best Sample Answers]

DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT

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