Dressed for Success NonVerbal Interview Messages

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Dressed for Success!Non-Verbal Interview Messages

• Career Services
• Montana State University Billings
• www.msubillings.edu/careers

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Interview Game Rules

• Plan a strategy
• Dress for the game
• Practice the plays
• Visualize yourself succeeding!

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Game Face 60 second snap-shot

• Based on first impressions, some interviewers
  decide in the first 60 seconds if theyre
  interested in you! They spend the rest of the
  interview confirming their snap decision.

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Interview Suit Strategy

• Dress up not down
• Project an image that matches the position and
  the company
• Dress better than you would if you were actually
  working at this job
• Be conservative, not trendy
• Buy quality!

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Interview Suit Strategy

• Wear formal colors for respectability
• Navy, charcoal suits jackets for women
• Dockers sport coats
• Complementary ties, no bow-ties
• No pastels no plaids
• No bold, dramatic prints

TIP The darker the suit tie, the lighter
the shirt.
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Interview Suit Strategy

• Pay attention to accessory details
• Little/quality jewelry
• Leather/quality briefcase/portfolio
• Polished shoes, matching belt
• Dark socks/calf-length or neutral stockings
• Spotless glasses frames
• No visible tattoos or pierced body parts

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Personal Grooming is Key!

• Pay attention to personal details
• Clean conservative hair
• Clean/whitened teeth fresh breath
• Clean manicured nails
• Natural-looking make-up
• Deodorant
• Minimal cologne/perfume

TIP Scrub everywhere. Be Immaculate!
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Interview Suit Practice

• Walk around in your interview attire
• Remove price tags
• Learn how clothes fit/feel/stretch
• Iron everything!
• Look at all angles in the mirror
• Feel confident and positive

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Remember Make a positive non-verbal first
impression

• Be on time for your appointment
• Use a firm handshake
• Establish eye contact
• Display poised, confident body language
• Be relaxed SMILE!

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Youre Dressed for Success!

• Be prepared
• Be confident
• Be professional
• Be successful

TIP Make a favorable, lastingnon-verbal
impression.
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Practice Interviewing Skills with Career
Services Professionals!

• Sr Campus LIB 100 406-657-2168
• COT Campus A-17 406-247-3006
• www.msubillings.edu/careers