Dressing You and Your Resume for Success!

So pardon me Harry if I take what you wrote and put a new spin on it. After all imitation is the best form of flattery.

To begin his blog Harry wrote, “From time to time I get asked about what’s appropriate to wear to a job interview, networking meeting, or other event. The answer varies based on the circumstances and type of position. The key to keep in mind at any time, however, is that first impressions do matter and dressing appropriately and professionally is a prime component of that first impression.”

Well I too am asked a very similar question all the time concerning how to make a favorable first impression with a resume, and what information, style and format is appropriate. Just like Harry, I answer this query with “One size does not fit all”. A resume must be made appropriate depending on the position and company you’re applying to. Moreover, just like job seekers need different outfits to present distinct images on interviews, many of you will need more than one resume to appeal to different companies and decision makers who will judge the resumes you submit.

Harry then continues with the following advice to his readers, to which I’ll substitute some words of my own to make a point on how interchangeable our advice about dress codes and resume writing are.
HARRY: The way you dress (the way your resume looks) can tell someone a lot about you:
Do you pay attention to detail (Did you research your audience and what they want to know about you before you began to write)
Do you think this meeting (resume) is important
Do you care about the impression you (your resume) make/s
Do you care about being current (is your resume format dated or inappropriate)

Harry then goes on to say, “Some rules apply across the board. Regardless of the role you’re pursuing, certain rules apply to every situation:”

Clothes should be clean and unwrinkled (your resume should contain only useful information)
Pants (your resume) should be neither too long nor too short
Shoes (the wording and visual appeal of your resume) should be clean (crisp) and polished
T-shirts and jeans (writing too casually on your resume) are almost never appropriate
Neatness counts! (did you proof your resume to make sure it contains no errors)

Harry closed his piece by saying, “Appearance does matter, and dressing appropriately and professionally regardless of the position you are pursuing can have a tremendous impact on your success. Don’t make the mistake of not taking your appearance seriously enough!’

When it comes to your resume I offer the exact same advice. “The visual appearance and professionalism of your resume is paramount to its success… and I hope you take our advice on how to dress yourself and your resume for success very seriously.”

And you can ask Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts if I’m right or wrong; the goal is not to get to the Super Bowl, or just keep going on interview after interview. The only goal you have is wearing the winner’s ring on your finger – YOU WANT A GREAT NEW JOB ASAP!!!

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Author:

Perry Newman, CPC is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach and personal branding strategist renowned for his ability to produce marketing documents that generate excellent interview to apply results. He is also an accomplished writer, public speaker, and the driving force behind First Impressions Resumes in NYC. To view some of his resume samples visit perrynewman.com.