On the course of the conversion from military to civilian life, it can be challenging to find appropriate clothes for a job interview after spending so many years in a military uniform.
After so many years of being dependent on crisp, provided clothes are gone, dressing up to make a good impression for the interview will take some effort.
Of course, other elements of an interview are also important, but undoubtedly the attire makes the first impression in front of the panel.
Veterans can mess up a fairly smooth interview by going extreme with formal or informal, or by adding accessories that are not necessary. The following tips will make sure the candidate/applicant is dressed to impress at the next interview:
Wearing the Right Clothes
The key is not to wear a very formal suit, but to wear just an appropriate outfit. However, the suiting should be immaculate enough to immediately reflect a military background. Even if not wearing a proper suit, the interviewee’s dressing should show military-like discipline and composure.
For men, a tailored suit can always do wonders, but they usually need it for very formal interviews. Most of the time, pairing blue gingham shirts or polo shirts with dress pants can work perfectly well. For ladies, a suit looks sleek, but a crisp dress shirt with a skirt makes up for great formal attire as well.
The colors should be very conventional; any experiments with unusual colors on an interview are not preferred. Black, white, and shades of blue and grey look great for interviews. The clothes should be clean and pressed to perfection.
Carrying the Outfit Well
The interviewee should not look too stressed or tired on the interview day. Successful interviewees always step in looking confident and sharp. Getting a good night’s sleep before the big day is advised. To carry the outfit properly, special attention should be given to grooming. The hair should be worn in a decent hairdo; men can simply comb their hair in a conventional veteran style and women should opt for a neat blow dry, a bun, or a ponytail. Also, the ladies should go easy on the makeup.
Accessorizing is Key
No matter how sleek the outfit is, it is incomplete without good accessories. Men can wear a nice watch and perhaps some cufflinks; adding any other accessories is unnecessary and atypical of a military official’s fashion.
Plain ties (or ties with an understated pattern) can complement the attire; the same goes for socks. The belts should also be very sleek and basic. The ladies should go for subtle ear studs, a watch, and an elegant necklace or bracelet.
Shoes should be the classic formal ones and should be perfectly polished. Women veterans should avoid noisy high heels; they cause an unpleasant disturbance in the interview room and can often cause women to trip in anxiety.
Easy on the Perfume
Perfume can make the candidate feel confident and refreshed, but wearing heavy perfume can be both distracting and unpleasant to the ones who are interviewing in the office.
There could be a chance that a person on the interviewing panel is allergic to strong smells. The interviewees should therefore apply a very minimal amount of perfume. Also, the scent worn should be very mild.
Carrying the dress code with composure and grace matters a lot; the interviewee is always judged on his or her capability to handle tough situations. The above mentioned tips will ease out the challenging task of dressing appropriately for the next interview.