1. Dress for Success Module 4 Session Objective:
Recognize what is suitable to wear for a job interview and professional situations.

2. Lesson Taught Dad Wears Short Shorts to Prove a Point
Facilitator:
What is the Dad’s message to his daughter?
What would your reaction be if you were in this situation?
Photo Credit:

3. Impressions
Would these be appropriate for a job interview? Serving in a key leadership role? Dress-up days at school?
Think about the clothes you wear. What messages are they sending?
What impression do they give to others?
What you wear is important and does make a difference!
Photo by Jonnelle Yankovich on Unsplash
Credit:Theresa McCracken via CartoonStock -

4. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”
Dress for Success
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression”
– Will Rogers –
Facilitator: Why should you dress up? Your dress is part of your personal brand,” the image you want to project. We will focus on what is appropriate for interviews and other aspects of a professional career.
You should dress one level higher than what you would were you in that job. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. That said, what you wear does not guarantee you get the job.

5. Activity: Lets Evaluate1. 2.
Facilitator: Ask the class to say out loud what messages each pictures is sending about who the model is as a person and professional. Ask the class how the messages from picture 1 differ from picture 2.
Possible Answers:
Confident, relaxed - Professional No. 1 is wearing a sweat suit, which gives the image of a relaxed person on vacation who is not prepared to conduct business in the office.
Happy, excited, prepared, etc. - Professional No. 2 is wearing a corporate casual outfit that fits her well, her appearance is well-kept and she looks like a professional.

6. Activity: Lets Evaluate1. 2.
Facilitator: Ask the class to say out loud what the image this woman is portraying in each picture and why.
Possible Answers:
She is too revealing for a professional situation.
She is wearing a nicely tailored suit and displays a well-put-together image that says she is competent and confident in the work she does.

7. Professional vs. Casual
Facilitator:
Professional dress for a women would be a skirt (knee length) or pants with a jacket.
Shirts should be a solid color or small print.
No cleavage.
Avoid extremes in colors and patterns.
Skirts should cover thighs when seated and should be narrow but comfortable to do stairs. High slits in skirts are inappropriate.
Clothes should fit properly. Good quality is sufficient and does not have to be expensive.
Everything should be clean and well-pressed. Inspect for tags, dangling threads, loose buttons.
Business casual attire is a polo shirt and khakis or collared long/short-sleeved shirt with dress pants. It is not shorts, flip flops, gym clothes, sweatshirts, miniskirts, sleeveless shirts, rumpled or torn clothing, or “too much skin.”
Even if you wear jeans on the job, wearing less casual clothing to an interview shows you take the job seriously. Dressing well compliments person you are meeting.

8. Activity: Lets Evaluate1. 2.
Facilitator: Ask the class to say out loud what messages each pictures is sending about who the model is as a person and professional. Ask the class how the messages from picture 1 differ from picture 2.
Possible Answers:
Relaxed, etc. - Professional No. 1 is wearing casual pants, a t-shirt and sweatshirt, which gives the impression he is not prepared to conduct business in the office.
Confident, prepared, etc. - Professional No. 2 is wearing a corporate casual outfit that fits him well, his appearance is well-kept and he looks like a professional. His body language is giving the image of being ready to work, learn and be productive.

9. Activity: Lets Evaluate1. 2.
Facilitator: Ask the class to say out loud what image this man is portraying in each picture and why.
Possible Answers:
Relaxed, casual - Professional No. 1 is wearing jeans, a dark t-shirt and tennis shoes. He looks like he is ready to go camping, not attend a business meeting.
Prepared, confident - Professional No. 2 is wearing a business professional suite. His appearance is well-kept and he looks like a professional who takes his work seriously.

10. Professional vs. Casual
Facilitator:
Professional attire for men would be pants and jacket, long-sleeved shirt and tie. Shirts should be a solid color or small print. Avoid extremes in colors and patterns.
Men should wear dress shoes with dark socks. Clothes should fit properly. Good quality is sufficient and does not have to be expensive. Everything should be clean and well-pressed. Inspect for tags, dangling threads, loose buttons.
Business casual attire is a polo shirt and khakis or collared long/short-sleeved shirt with dress pants. It is not shorts, flip flops, gym clothes, sweatshirts, sleeveless shirts, rumpled or torn clothing.
Even if you wear jeans on the job, wearing something less casual to an interview shows you take the job seriously. Dressing well compliments the person you are meeting.

11. Finishing Touches Ties Shoes Facial hair Makeup/nails Jewelry
Purse/bag
Facilitator: Here are more tips to consider as you dress for an interview.
If you wear a tie, avoid extremes or sports ties.
Make sure your shoes are polished and the heels are not worn. Invest in a good pair of shoes. You will need them for special occasions at some point.
Facial hair should be well-groomed. Make sure your hair is clean, brush your teeth and use mouthwash.
Pay attention to your hands. Make sure they are clean, especially under the fingernails.
Be conservative in the amount of jewelry you wear.
Keep makeup simple.
Avoid extreme nail color or length.
Use perfume/cologne sparingly. Some people have allergies.
Remove piercing jewelry; cover tattoos until you know your employer allows them.
Carry a small briefcase /padfolio instead of a large briefcase.

12. Leadership Lessons Learned
What is one thing you learned from this session?
What is one thing you plan to implement or do differently based on what you learned?
Facilitator: Finish the session by asking the group to reflect out loud on the two questions listed.

13. References and Reading
Dressing for Interviews (2017). Michigan State University Career Services Network. Retrieved from
Effective Job Search Strategies (2017). Effective Job Search Strategies. Retrieved from
Professionalism in Extension (2017). NDSU Extension PowerPoint for new staff orientation.
Smaaladen, J. & Knutson, C. (2016). Future Leaders and Mentors Engaging Society (FLAMES) Youth Leadership Program.