A. Review Vocabulary

Before you do the reading below, do this short activity to review the vocabulary.

B. Dress for Success

What does it mean to dress for success? Most people would agree that this expression means to dress professionally, so that the interviewer gets a positive first impression of you. Depending on the position you are interviewing for, you might need to wear business professional or business casual clothing. You should dress as nicely as possible for an interview. For some positions, the nicest business casual dress you have will be fine. For more professional, business positions, it is a good idea to wear black, grey, or dark navy suits. Try to wear colours that are neutral. You want your interview responses to make an impression, not your bright clothes! Women should meet the five-accessory rule for interviews: glasses count as one, watches count as one, and so on. Remember that your clothing should be professional and conservative.

Look at the pictures below to see some examples of appropriate interview clothing.

And then compare the first examples with the pictures towards the bottom of the page that show inappropriate kinds of dress for an interview or professional workplace.