Dress For the Job You Want: Why Your Wardrobe is Vital to Your Success

The proverbial don’t judge a book by its cover does not apply in most work settings, especially when attending an interview or hoping to get a job promotion. While dress code may not necessarily affect a person’s productivity, it can affect how others perceive them and thus their ability to get the job or promotion they want. 

Different work environments take varying approaches to dress code. If you work in a less traditional work setting, dressing casual may be allowable. But if you work or are seeking to land a job in a conventional work setting, for example, the finance and banking sector, you will be safer wearing a suit irrespective of gender.

You May Need More Than Dress to Land a Job

While dressing for the job is excellent for creating good first impressions, it can’t get you the job in itself. You need to match your dress code with your resume whether you are looking to land your dream job or hoping to climb the ladder in your organization. 

Almost everyone sending their resume for a job posting is qualified for the job. But not all land the job. Often it is not about qualifications but the presentation of their resume. 

When designing a resume for a job posting, you must consider two major factors. These include getting past application tracking system bots and leaving an impression on the hiring personnel who ultimately decide who to hire. 

If you hope to succeed with the two, you should consider using an online resume template. However, you must always ensure you go for a free and ready-to-use template designed with ATS bots and the human hiring manager in mind. This is a glance at the technical side; now, let’s get our point across.

Why Your Wardrobe Is Important For Your Success

1. To Make a Good First Impression

Making a good first impression is an important factor when attending an interview. Your dress code is what the hiring team will notice when you walk into the interview room. 

For example, wearing a suit, especially during an interview, communicates to the interviewing team that you take the job seriously besides exuding professionalism. 

Making first impressions is not only limited to in-person interviews; you will need to dress the part even when taking your interview over the internet, such as via zoom or Skype. 

Even if your industry is not keen on dress code, it is always important to avoid looking too casual during an interview.

2. Dressing Right Increases Your Chances of a Promotion

If you already got the job and are looking to get a promotion, maintaining a professional dress code is an excellent way of getting you there. 

In a survey conducted by Office Team, a staffing firm, 86% of professionals and 80% of managers said that the dress code of an employee has an impact on their chances of getting a promotion. 

Dressing right doesn’t mean you can only don suits. There are environments where a casual dress code is allowable, and wearing suits all the time may not work for you. But even in such environments, it is best to go for a business casual look by opting for neutral colors such as gray, black, and blue. 

If your company is specific on dress code, it is best to follow that if you need your peers and managers to take you seriously or consider you for promotion.

3. Dressing Can Affect Performance

Your dress code dictates how you feel about yourself, thus affecting your productivity. A study conducted at North Western University’s Kellogg School of Management showed that dress code could affect a person’s perception of themselves and, consequently, their performance. 

In the study, the researchers had two groups perform experiments in a lab. One group was issued white lab coats similar to those worn by doctors, while the other wasn’t. When the results came out, the lab coats group made fewer errors than the other group. 

In another experiment, both groups were issued lab coats, but one group was told their coats were painters’ coats. Surprisingly the group that wore “painter’s” coats made more mistakes than the others. 

Going by these studies, dressing right influences a person’s output and, consequently, their chances of getting the job they want.

4. Help You Feel Part of a Team

Blending in a workplace is an important factor in influencing your productivity. 

If you work in an environment where everyone wears suits and ties, you will be better off doing the same even with no dress code. Dressing casually in such an environment will make you stand out but not in a good way, making you feel alone. 

While it is okay to want to have some uniqueness in an organization, ensure that you do not overdo it to remain and feel like part of the team you are working with.

5. To Represent Your Companies Brand

Some companies have a dress code for a reason; they want their employees to represent their brand in the way they feel most appropriate. Whether you are working at the reception or serving clients at a counter, what the public sees in you is the perception they will have of the organization you work for.

Dressing for the brand differs from one industry to another. At times a company may need its employees to wear branded clothes or uniforms. But whatever approach your company takes, they will appreciate it if you maintain a level of neatness without which you may miss out on a promotion or even lose your job. 

6. Grooming Matters Too

Dressing professionally goes hand in hand with your grooming. If you are looking to get your job or climb the corporate ladder, you have to maintain a clean, neat, and well-groomed look. 

Some areas of grooming you may need to take care of include:

• Maintain a work-friendly hairstyle
• Keeping your nails trimmed and clean
• Cologne and perfume choice – avoid too much or strong colognes
• Fresh breath
• General hygiene

Once you have your dress code and grooming right, the other thing you may need to consider is the comfort of your clothes. What is comfortable can vary based on the work environment. 

If your work involves spending long hours on your feet, you may want to go for comfortable shoes instead of those that seem trendy.