How to Dress for the Interview

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

We have all heard this saying before but when it comes to the job interview, your first impression can be the difference between landing that job or failing in the job interview. It is always very important to dress professionally for a job interview, even if the job environment has a casual atmosphere. You want to make a great impression from the moment you step into that job interview, that is why you should always dress to impress.

Here are some tips for dressing professionally for that next job interview:

Men's Interview Attire

• Suit (solid color - navy or dark grey)
• Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
• Belt
• Tie
• Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
• Little or no jewelry
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Limit the aftershave
• Neatly trimmed nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

Women's Interview Attire

• Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
• The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
• Coordinated blouse
• Conservative shoes
• Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
• No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
• Professional hairstyle
• Neutral pantyhose
• Light make-up and perfume
• Neatly manicured clean nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

What Not to Bring to the Interview

• Gum
• Cell phone
• Ipod
• Coffee or soda
• If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home (earrings only, is a good rule)
• Cover tattoos

Interview Attire Tips

• Before you even think about going on an interview, make sure you have appropriate interview attire and everything fits correctly.
• Get your clothes ready the night before, so you don't have to spend time getting them ready on the day of the interview.
• If your clothes are dry clean only, take them to the cleaners after an interview, so they are ready for next time.
• Polish your shoes.
• Bring a breath mint and use it before you enter the building.

Follow these simple style tips for your next interview and you can be assured you will make a positive first impression, now all you need to do is focus on the interview itself.

Tips for Time Crunched Days

I have read many articles about saving time during the work week and how to prioritize my day, so I thought I would give you guys a summary of some of the better tips I have been using lately and getting great results.

Tips for Time Crunched Days:

1) Plan your day the night before. I know this might seem obvious and I also know many of us who stay awake the night before making list of chores and tasks for the next day, but a simple assessment of your most important priorities or task for the next day can start you off the next morning with focus and drive.

2) Keep a printed calendar on your office wall. Many of us have calendars on our email or in our PDAs but a large desktop calendar or wall calendar makes it easy to see what events are coming up and makes it east to adapt to any scheduling changes. Having a game plan is great, but the unexpected will always pop up. I find that a large calendar in my office really helps me plan and anticipate for the month.

3) Right of refusal. Don't be afraid to turn other down when asked to do task that do not help accomplish your daily goals. Write goals down and keep them visible everyday. If someone requests your time and energy ask them if it will help you accomplish your goals, if it doesn't don't be afraid to politely decline.

4) Make an agenda. Any meeting or phone call that is important and worth your valuable time is also worth making an agenda for. Agendas keep everyone accountable and on task during the meeting and also keep your thoughts organized. I have found agendas to be a quick tool to plan out a meeting and make meetings more efficient.

5) Work out your mind and body. Studies have shown that physical and mental activity is the key to maintaining health of body and mind. Exercise can relieve stress and give you more energy throughout the day, making you more productive and improve your quality of life in general. Studies have shown that mental activity in rich environments actually increases the brain's capacity. Keep your mind fresh and active and you will notice fewer "out of it" days.

More to come in the future check back for more tips and advice from StratStaff. We would love to hear your feedback too, feel free to post comments or visit us at www.stratstaff.net

Get The Offer Letter

You want to make sure you remember your ABC's. Always Be Closing for the next step in the process. You do not want to leave a 1st interview without a 2nd schedueled, you don't want to leave a 2nd without a 3rd, and you never want to leave a final interview without an offer letter. Here is a example of a stament that you can use "I can appreciate the fact that you want to see other candidates before you set another interivew with me but you better either call security or pull up your schedule because I am not leaving until I set up the next interivew." Try it out and I am sure you will be happy with the results!

Introducing the New StratStaff Blog

Hello everyone,

We just began our new blog here at StratStaff and we wanted to introduce the blog to everyone and let you all know what you can expect to find on the new StratStaff Blog.

We wanted to reach our candidates and clients in a more compelling and easy to use way, so in addition to redesigning our website we have begun a blog with the hopes of building a lasting and helpful resource for job seekers and employers.

At the StratStaff blog you can expect to find useful tips and advice from our experienced staffing agents, as well as fun information, useful web links, other great blogs, pop culture, jokes and entertainment related to looking for that next job. Feel free to ask questions and comment on any and all topics. And as always you can contact us at our offices located in Denver, CO at (303) 863-8343 and www.stratstaff.net.


Thanks for visiting the new StratStaff Blog. We are excited to begin blogging and look forward to sharing more with all our readers. Until next time....