Here are a good list of reminders for job seekers who wanted to pass the job interview with flying colors.
Over-all Appearance Tips:
Dress
Properly. Must be in formal attire. Attire does not just concern clothes but the over-all appearance. What
formal attire should be:
Women:
Knee-long
pencil-cut skirt or slacks and blouse/business suit/tube or spaghetti-strapped
blouse WITH a blazer.
Do not wear
plunging neckline blouses, nor too loose and a mini skirt. Dressing indecent
like those would just give you a bad impression – you might be a distraction to
your co-workers or might be a cause of trouble in the workplace. When you do
not have anything but a mini-skirt, I suggest you wear a pair of stockings or
pantyhose.
Never wear
overpowering make-up. Do not put on dark red or black lipstick and a very
noticeable blush-on. Just choose the good-to-nothing
shades – looking natural but not “bare”.
Do not wear
slippers or sandals or open-shoes. I
would suggest full shoes (leather or
synthetic sort) rather than sandals or wedges; better they would be your last
options.
(Slacks are
best in black, navy blue or light brown never wear shocking colors like red,
sky blue, yellow or orange slacks – it just looks funky or not serious).
Men:
Polo/Slacks/Coat
and Tie (rugged “maong” pants is a NO, NO even it does not have holes or ripped
designs) the cloth’s texture does not show formality.
Undershirts
inside your sheer colored “barong” or polo is still works too.
For Both Genders:
Perfumes
If you would
smell like a perfume store, better
not spray that scent on you. Just choose mild scent. If not all but most
people, get irritated smelling such heavy perfumes and may want to cut your job
interview short especially interviews are frequently done in a secluded place
(inside a particular room in an office that is not too big at all and air-conditioned
lucky if the interview is done in a “panel” that means wider venue) the smell
would not be that obvious at all.
If it is a sunny day just dab on a “cologne”,
I remember Avon cosmetics teaches that perfumes should be worn only at not so
humid and hot days and they recommend colognes as substitute for that kind of
weather.
The best
parts of the body to put on that fragrance are the elbows and back of the ears,
I think because we do not sweat that much or may be really not on that
areas-avoiding mixing the perfume with the sweat creating NEW undesirable smell
or even odor!
T-shirt is a
NO, NO.
Avoid blouse
or polo with “word” whatever quote or good words may those be, rude, obscene
prints – they all spoil the formality of your attire.
Rubber Shoes
and slippers are inappropriate, if you do not feel comfortable wearing leather
top-sider shoes just bring something to “change-on” afterwards.
Taking a
bath need no mentioning because everybody preferred it but I opt to remind you because it will give
you added comfort and layering perfume can not cover body odor or plain sweat.
Be sure that
your clothes are clean and well-pressed. Bring a “clean” handkerchief.
Clean Hands
and Fingernails/Hair Fixed
Check on
your fingernails if they are trimmed and clean. Manicure is not too important
but okay for girls (opt for natural-looking shades like platinum, nude or
beige).
If you are a
man and your hair is long enough to clip-on, better head to the barber’s shop
before going to your interview. For women, be sure that your hair is in place
if is not re-bonded (because this seldom needs a lot of fixing)-make sure it
does not cover your face especially your eyes and it does not look messy nor have
not been washed for a week! Better visit the ladies’room as soon as you arrived
in the office for the last look before you show-up (travelling especially while
commuting brings chaos to your well-done
hair).
Look at the mirror before you step-out of your residence. Smile (check on your teeth-make sure no food strips in between). Check your over-all appearance, if it passes on your own HONEST judgment it might as well qualify to your interviewer’s assessment.
In my
opinion, your over-all appearance constitute around 40% of your chances to get
hired, remember PLEASING PERSONALITY (not just the physical looks, your smell,
attitude –the way you interact makes your personality). If you are the boss,
would you give a chance to somebody who never smiles but frowns all the time
with matching creasing forehead? I doubt you will, unless you wanted to be in
the company of a stressful co-worker. And if one can not fix himself neatly,
what more he can do to handle the job proficiently.
Interview
Hints (sample questions). Here are few samples of questions in an interview.
a. Say
something about yourself.