We’ve all heard the saying “first impressions count”, and it’s even more important at job interviews. But is it enough to splurge on a new suit, or dress for an interview and hope the interviewer will bypass your flip flops?
The truth is that, even when the weather is roasting in summer, what you wear on your feet is just as important at the clothes. It’s the attention to detail that the employer will be looking at, as well as how you will represent the company, so if you show poor judgement on your footwear, it may count against you.
Here are some things to consider when planning your footwear for a job interview:
Skyscraper heels will tip toe over the edge
Unless you’re going for an interview for a job as a high heel tester, wearing your six-inch stilettos just won’t do…especially if you can’t walk in them properly.
Yes, they look great with your suit…for the Royal Ascot, a wedding, or another social occassion, but they won’t work for a job interview.
Fun and quirky
So you like your favourite green and pink shoes with the lemon-coloured bows on them, but will they make you stand out for all the wrong reasons?
If you catch the interviewer looking at your shoes blatantly, or on the sly, you really do have a problem, because they’re obviously so distracted by your garish shapes that they can’t stop looking at them.
Do you think they’ll really be listening to you, or thinking about how they can’t wait to tell their colleagues about this crazy woman they interviewed with the strangest shoes she’s seen in her life?
Old but sure
Going for a job interview doesn’t mean you have to spend a small fortune on new clothes and shoes. If you can, buy yourself a pair of practical business shoes, but if not you could just give your most appropriate shoes a good old-fashioned clean and a polish.
If you every watch the Channel 4 programme Superscrimpers, you’ll know that you can get a complete outfit from charity shops (and many of these items are brand new!), which is a great way to get something new for a fraction of the price. At the end of the day, they will be new to you, even if someone else has worn them a few times, and if it means getting a new and better job, then all the better!
