Whether you’re fresh out of college or looking for a career change, the job hunt can be a long process. Most of us focus on that all important resume. But, believe it or not, it only takes 7 seconds for employers to make a decision about whether you’d be a good fit.
FOX43 headed to a local job fair to see if potential employees were dressing for success. It wasn’t hard to find people in hats, sweatpants, and flip flops.
Bryan Weathers with Career Link says you should take events like these just as serious as interviews. You only have a small window of time to make a first impression.
“ We’ve seen people here in pajama pants, tank tops, you name it we’ve seen it. We try to stress that to our clients before the job fair, please, dress professionally. It’s your first contact with your prospective next employer,”says Weathers
Some simple advice? A suit and tie for men, and dress or suit for women
“ That first seven seconds that employer sees you, they’ve already had a stereotype, whether you’d be an asset or detriment and whether they’d want to hire you,” says Weathers
And it’s not just career fairs where employers are making decisions. When hired for temp work, the way you present yourself could lead to a permanent position.
“We’ve had an extensive range of people coming in with their pajamas. You definitely want to pride yourself in the way you look,” says Kristie Wertz, with Synergy Employment Group