How to Dress for the Job You Want
When it comes to professional attire, you should generally dress appropriately to the job that you want. For example, if you are a runner for a law firm, then your look might be more casual because it is more labor-intensive than, say, an accountant who may wear a suit every day. However, if you are looking to move up the corporate ladder, then one of the quickest ways to get noticed is via your appearance. Sometimes, in order to move up, you have to dress the part before you land it.
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Instructions
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Determine what your ultimate career goal is before figuring out how to change your clothing. As you invest in new pieces for your wardrobe based on the job you want, you need to do some research first. Figure out what most people on your chosen path wear to work. After all, you don't want to invest in a slew of suits if you ultimately want to end up working in the art department of a newspaper or making cupcakes in a local bakery. Figure out where you are trying to go and what the most successful people dress like in that environment.
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Consider the general dress code of your existing office and compare to where you want to go. Perhaps you are in a different part of the office, where a more casual dress is acceptable. Start to incorporate elements more similar to where you want to be. For example, if you are working in the mail room, but looking to move to an executive position, start wearing khakis instead of jeans, button down shirts instead of T-shirts, and perhaps even a tie.
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Present a neat and clean appearance. Clean shoes, hair and nails are a must when you are trying to get noticed for a potential promotion. Keep hair simple and conservative. Coming in to work with blue hair and matching nails may garner some attention, but unless you are trying to working in a tattoo parlor or as an artist of some sort, this probably isn't the kind of attention you want.
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Pay attention to your accessories. Don't overdo it on the jewelry if you are going for a more professional job. For guys looking to climb the corporate ladder, avoid a ton of jewelry altogether and instead, go with a simple watch and perhaps one other piece. If the job you want is more creative and eclectic, then you can incorporate more colorful designs into your accessories.
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References
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