Employability Skills

Session -3

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Personal Grooming
• Personal grooming refers to an art which helps individuals to clean
and maintain their body parts.
• Human beings need to wash, clean their body parts to look good and
for personal hygiene as well.

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FIRST IMPRESSION
 HOW TO CREATE THE IMPACT FOR THAT FIRST IMPRESSION
• When you meet someone for the first time they will make their minds up
about you based upon:
• Your Appearance
• Body Language
• Smile
• Eye Contact
• Stance And Posture
• How You Sound
• What You Have Got To Say
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Interview dress code for corporate interview

• It is crucial to follow a formal dress code while appearing for a

corporate interview scheduled at a middle level or senior position in
industries like banking and financial services, telecom, etc. Reason
being, formal outfits reflect a person’s strong leadership trait and also
exhibit seriousness towards the company and the interviewer.

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Formal interview dress code for males

Appropriate formal clothing styles for males during the interview are:

Top wear
Bottom wear
Footwear
Accessories

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Top wear
• Shirts: A light or solid coloured long-sleeved shirt is always a good
idea for interview dressing. You can either go for a plain shirt or a one
with micro checks.
• Suits and blazers: You can also opt for a formal suit or simply throw
on a blazer over a light or solid coloured shirt. For suits and blazers, it
is best to go for colours like black, navy blue, dark grey, dark brown,
etc.

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Bottom wear
• Trouser: Choose a dark-coloured trouser, preferably in black, grey, or
blue color. You can experiment with the fit of the trouser with a slim,
medium, or regular fit. Prefer a plain trouser over a printed one.

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Footwear
• Socks: Select a plain pair of cotton socks that match with the colour
of your trousers.
• Shoes: A pair of formal shoes will complete your look. Choose a
comfortable pair of shoes. It is always a safe bet to go for colours like
black or tan in shoes.

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Accessories
• Tie: Put on a traditional tie to complete the formal look. For the tie, it
is advisable to select a color and pattern that complements your shirt.
Here is how to tie a tie !
• Belt: Add a hint of style with a solid textured belt. You can select
colors like black, brown, or dark blue in belts.
• Watch: Add a finishing touch to your look with a classic watch.
• Bag: Carry a basic brown or black small laptop bag or briefcase for
your documents.

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Points to remember for male interview dressing

• Always wear clean and well-pressed clothes.

• Avoid loud colors/prints in shirts. Avoid flashy ties.
• Do remember to wear a mild deodorant.
• Make sure your shoes are free from stains and dust.
• Opt for a clean-shaven look or a well-trimmed beard look.
• Apply a limited amount of aftershave.
• Maintain neatly trimmed nails.
• Carry resume and important documents in a briefcase or laptop bag.

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Formal interview dress code for females

• Unlike males, females have a large number of options as a formal

dress code. Some of the most commonly accepted professional
interview dress code for females are:
• Traditional wear
• Western wear
• Footwear
• Accessories
• Hair and makeup

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Traditional wear:

• Traditional Indian suit: A well-fitted traditional Indian suit is a good

option for female candidates. However, avoid wearing a tight-fitted
suit with glitter, lace, or animal print.
• Saree: You can also opt for a simple cotton saree in solid or pastel
colors for a formal look.

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Western wear
• Pantsuit: A dark or pastel coloured pantsuit with light coloured shirt
makes for a classy interview dressing.
• Shirt/Top: Full-sleeved or half-sleeved shirt or top with a knee-length
pencil skirt is acceptable as professional dress code. Choose light and
pastel shades for shirt/top with minimal print.
• Formal dress: A well-fitted, knee-length dress in straight style is also a
good option for female candidates.

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Footwear
• Shoes: Formal women shoes with fairly low-heel look impressive. Go
for colors like black, tan, beige, blue, dusky pink, etc.
• Pumps: Pumps look impressive with almost any outfit. They are also
versatile and stay in fashion forever. Make sure to choose a
comfortable heel or go for flats.

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Accessories
• Handbag: Female candidates can carry a smart and basic hand bag to
keep their documents in place. Go for neutral shades or basics colours
like black, tan, and blue.

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Hair and makeup
•?
• Minimal make-up. A hint of blush, mascara, and natural-colored lip
gloss are usually enough while going for an interview. You can also
add a bit of kohl and eyeliner, if you wish.
• Nail paint: Choose neutral colors for nail paint.
• Hairstyle: Hair should be neatly styled in a basic manner. Generally, a
low or high ponytail looks good with suits and skirts. You can also opt
for a well-combed straight hair look. Another formal hairstlye that
goes well with msot outfits is a low and polished bun.

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Points to remember for female interview dressing

• Make sure your outfit is neat, clean, and well-pressed.

• Avoid wearing sleeveless shirts and suits as it imparts causal look.
• Wear a mild deodorant or perfume.
• Make sure your hair is fresh and clean.
• Avoid hair accessories that are flashy or shiny.
• Keep your nails clean and well-shaped and avoid very long nails.
• Avoid gaudy bracelets and dangling earrings. It may spoil the formal look.
• Avoid wearing stilettos for an interview; reserve them for parties.
• Avoid carrying huge handbags. Opt for a subtle coloured and medium-sized
handbag. You can even go for a briefcase or small laptop bag instead.
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Accessories
• Watch: Do not forget to wear a classy watch with your casual wear.
• Jewellery: Prefer wearing light jewellery like a sleek chain with a small
pendant and bracelet to get a polished look.

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Hairstyle and Make-up:

• Hair Style: Half tie your hair in a neat style with minimum or no
accessory. You can also go for a ponytail or keep your hair loose.
• Nail Paint: Keep nails well-trimmed and clean.
• Minimal Make-up: Keep your face fresh with a hint of light colored
blush and a natural-colored lip gloss. Adding a bit of kohl and mascara
can impart a beautiful look.

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The Bottom-line

• Candidates might feel like there are a lot of rules to follow for
interview dressing. However, these are generally accepted rules for
interview dressing. When it comes to the interview dress code, 'one
size fits all' approach does not work. Following the golden rule of
'dressing little better than what existing employees are wearing' may
lead to good results. This gives an impression of the way candidates
carry themselves and their interest level in the job position.

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Interview dress code when work place is less formal

• If the work place is casual, follow the thumb rule of “neither to be

overdressed nor to be underdressed”. For instance, IT is one industry
where dress code is less formal and wearing business casuals is
considered appropriate. Similarly, in a startup-like environment,
casuals or business casuals are prefered.
• Even if you are planning to wear business casual dress code for an
interview, it is necessary to put in the right effort while shortlisting
the outfit.

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Casual interview dress code for males

• Top wear: ?
• Shirts: Long-sleeved and button-down shirts in a light color and
simple design look attractive. Colors like white, light blue, light brown,
light grey, light pink, mauve, etc., are best to choose. Candidates can
also wear denim shirts as they look classy.
• Sweaters and blazers: Sweaters and blazers are optional. If you prefer
to wear them, select dark coloured sweaters and semi-formal blazers
and wear them over light coloured shirts.

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Bottom wear:

• Trouser: Khaki and cotton pants are ideal to match with light-colored
shirts. It is advisable to select cotton pants in dark colors like black,
blue, brown, dark grey, etc. You can also choose denim trousers or
jeans for business casuals. However, do not wear ill-fitted or ripped
jeans.

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Footwear
• Socks: Select a pair of cotton socks and match it with the colour of
the trouser.
• Shoes: Choose leather shoes in dark colours like black and brown. You
can also go for sneakers in white or black.

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Accessories:⌚

• Belt: Compliment your look with a brown or black coloured belt.

• Watch: Wearing a watch is optional. If you wish to wear it, you can
either go for a classic one or a sporty one.

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Casual interview dress code for females

• Choosing a casual interview dress code for females is a tricky task.

However, the following guidelines will help:

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Top wear
• Suits or kurtas: A traditional Indian suit in light or solid colour and prints is
a good choice for female candidates. However, avoid wearing a tight-fitted
suit with heavy embroidery. A casual suit in cotton, chanderi, or georgette
fabric is good to go with. You can also opt for a straight and long kurta in
cotton or Lucknowi style.
• Shirts and tops: Full or half-sleeve shirts are good to wear for a casual
interview. Prefer shirts with simple or no design. You can also opt for casual
tops, however, make sure that the top has a comfortable fit.
• Dresses: Females can go for straight-fit dresses in solid colors. Make sure
the dress is not body-hugging, instead choose a comfortable fit.
• Sweaters and cardigans: Sweaters, cardigans, and jackets are optional. If
candidates are willing to wear them, prefer solid patterns over bright
colors.

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Bottom wear:

• Trousers and palazzos: Khaki pants or cotton pants usually work well
with shirts and tops. Choose them in dark colours like blue, black,
coffee, and grey. Palazzos and leggings look good with kurtas. You can
also go for well-fitted basic denim jeans, which works well with both
tops and kurtas.
• Skirts: Conservative-length skirts in subtle pastels are a good choice
for a casual interview dress code. Prefer wearing skirts with little or
no design.

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Footwear
• Sandals: Peep-toe shoes and sandals are permissible.
• Socks: Socks are optional. If candidates want to wear socks, choose
light and comfortable fabric with minimal or no design.

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