People judge by appearances. It would be nice if they didn’t, but the reality is that they do. That’s why the appearance of your resume on the page is an important factor when writing a resume. It’s something we look for when asked to critique a resume. You could have all the facts written down accurately and still be rejected because the reader is looking for something you don’t see.
Not long ago, a blog post on the logic of poor stupids appeared in different areas of the Internet. Author Tressie M. Cottom makes some valid points about why someone would spend a lot of money on an item of clothing or accessory, and it’s not to feel good, but to make themselves acceptable and “gain access to a limited set of rewards.” awarded by group membership”. In many cases, this goal is a job that will improve your life and that of your family. She says it’s not that the poor are stupid. Rather, it’s that they’re blind to the nuances in dressing room selection that indicate you’re a fit for the club. To get in, you need to be acceptable to the gatekeeper, and in the case of a job, that gatekeeper is the interviewer.
Ms. Cottom cites cases where jobs were awarded based on wardrobe choices. She has also participated in interviews in which a candidate was rejected for being considered “unsuitable” for the position. It seems arbitrary to turn someone down for a T-shirt, but the well-qualified job applicant didn’t know what the VP of interviews’ idea of ”right” was. Just like a resume can have all the right stuff without the best presentation, you can be a good candidate for a job and miss out on trying it out because you didn’t research the unwritten dress code at that particular workplace.
How do you discover this unwritten dress code and what status symbol might be a good investment? Find out as much as you can about the company and management. Look at their website and photos of their staff. Talk to the people who work there. What does management use? What labels? What styles? Unless you are a very casual business, do business formal, conservative, and expensive. You don’t really have to spend the money for full price (look for deals and thrift stores), but your interview outfit should be the best in your wardrobe.
You are trying to discover the things that will impress. It may be superficial, but if a silk tie with your suit or a designer bag tells you that she can fit into your club and land that job, it’s an investment.