Dress To Impress To Get The X Factor At Job Interviews

Like it or not, when it comes to taking on new staff, employers are all too often looking for someone who fits the part just as much as they are looking for someone with the relevant skills and qualifications.

Normal professionals and job-seekers are under pressure to look good, particularly now that the growing popularity of makeover shows and glossy magazines means that prospective employers are becoming increasingly fashion-savvy.

Recent research carried out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) found that 81 per cent of Britons proactively work on their personal appearance when up for a job interview, with men twice as likely as women to spend £100 or more on getting ready for one.

A fashion and beauty expert explained that job-seekers first need to do a little research into the dress code of a prospective employer and always "err on the side of smartness if in doubt".

"Also don't forget to be memorable - they are going to be seeing thousands, or hundreds or however many people and somehow you're going to have a very similar skill set," she added.

"The CVs are going to be all over the desk at the end of the day and that poor interviewer has got to try and remember who was who so if you can make yourself memorable whether it is wearing a bright colour, or whether it is putting a bit of effort into your grooming or having a fabulous pair of shoes, or great pair of glasses, something that is going to just stand out in the mind of an interviewer I think is key."

Since the current economic climate has led the levels of competition within the jobs market to be fiercer than ever, this advice is highly pertinent, though the fact that around one in five job-seekers don't feel the need to make an effort with their appearance should provide at least some encouragement to their more clued-up rivals.

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