ECU teaches students to dress for the future

Tonight ECU Career Services, Society for Human Resource Management and Forever Pirates will be hosting cheap plus size evening dresses for Success, which will educate students on how to appropriately dress for a job interview, job fair or business meeting.

“We all need to know what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate when putting yourself out there and trying to get hired by a company…you need to dress the part,” said Megan Howard, assistant director of alumni programs.

Karen Thompson, director of ECU career services, said she did a lot of research and spoke directly with employers to ask what it is they look for when meeting job applicants. Thompson said your appearance is important because it is the first impression that the employer is getting.

“You have seven seconds to make a positive or negative impression on somebody, more than likely in that first seven seconds you haven’t even said a word yet,” said Thompson.

Thompson said one thing she finds important when dressing in business attire is to make sure the outfit fits you appropriately and that nothing should be too big or too revealing.

Thompson said women sometimes confuse getting dressed up for business with dressing up for a night out.

“Leave the stiletto heels out of an interview,” she said.

Thompson advised young professional women to wear a simple two to three inch heel. Even if a shoe has a one-inch heel it is fine as long as they look “clean and classy,” said Thompson. “That’s the key it needs to be a classic look, nothing real trendy.”

For those who want to add a pop to their business outfits, Elle online suggests picking one bold piece, such as jewelry or a bag, and then anchoring it with more muted colors.

A recent trend in business Thompson said she noticed is that women’s pants are becoming narrower at the bottom. Thompson said the bottom of women’s pants used to be about eight to 10 inches wide but is now coming in slimmer at the ankle.

Fashion blogger Lauren Conrad listed tailored clothing as one of her top five guidelines for business australia formal dresses. Conrad suggested pairing a cropped trouser with a sharp blazer, and stated that it’s important not to confuse tailored clothing with tight clothing.

When attending a job fair, interview or meeting there are usually a lot of materials needed such as pens, resumes or a computer. Thompson said to carry all of these materials students should invest in a portfolio shaped bag with a zipper on the top. Thompson advised women to not rely on their purse as a business bag.

Thompson knows college students are on a tight budget so she suggests looking for business attire at stores such as Plato’s Closet or also looking for deals at stores like J.C. Penney or Kohl’s.

“It doesn’t have to be too fancy just clean cut,” said Thompson.

Thompson hopes that Dress for Success will educate ECU students and help them enter the job market with the knowledge they need to succeed.

“It’s important that you dress professionally and present yourself in the most positive physical appearance that you can,” said Thompson.