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Dress smart- a subtle art

First impressions last a lifetime. Research shows that interviewers make up their mind about a candidate quickly (less than 20 seconds or so). Here are few tips to make the best impression that you can when you enter the interview room

Do not confuse club attirewith business attire. If you would wear it to a club, you probably shouldn'twear it in a business environment.

Suit - pants / skirts: Tailored pants suits areappropriate for women. If you wear pants, they should be creased and tailored,not tight or flowing. If you are pursuing a conservative industry and are indoubt, observe well dressed women in your industry on the job, at career fairs,at information sessions, etc.

One should dress up in formal attire keeping the work setting inmind. It is also important dress keeping in mind the nature of the organizationyou are applying for. It totally depends on one’s comfort level. The skirtshould be of normal length and not too short. Remember, you are going for aninterview and not to grab unwanted attention.

Skirt lengths: Your skirt should cover your thighs when you are seated. A skirtthat ends at the knee when you're standing looks chic and professional. Longerskirts are professional too; just make sure they are narrow enough not to bebillowing, but not so narrow that you can't climb stairs comfortably. Highslits in skirts are not appropriate.

Shirt / sweaters: Underneath the suit jacket, weara tailored blouse in a color or small print that coordinates nicely with yoursuit. A fine gauge, good quality knit shell is also appropriate underneath yoursuit jacket. Don't show cleavage.

Jewellery / accessories: Wear a conservative watch.Jewelry and scarf styles come and go. Keep your choices simple and leaningtoward conservative.

Cosmetics: Keep makeup conservative. A little is usually better than nonefor a polished look. Nails should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremes ofnail length and polish color, especially in conservative industries. Make-up should be minimal and loud accessories should be avoided.


(Inputs from Sheetal Gada, HR Administrator, Kattapult Management Consultants and  Vanessa Dias, Consultant, Research Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.)

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The literati Div(iy)a

Literati is a haven for those of us who love the combination of books, coffee and meeting diversely interesting people. The Goan speaks to Divya Kapur, the woman behind the magic

Fernando Monte da Silva/The Goan
Published Aug 4, 2012, 9:06 AM IST
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The literati Div(iy)a

As a little girl growing up in the big city, Divya Kapuralways had a dream, a dream that would push her to one day step outside of hercomfort zone, venture into the unknown, and see her set up her own book storemiles from home, in a place that she would soon uproot herself and relocate to. Having grown up with a fondness for books, her eventualchoice of profession was not surprising. However, with a legal profession onthe cards, and the finances to set up a startup…

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