Look your Best in your Next Interview!

You always hear that for an interview, you should dress for success--but what does that really mean? Here are some tid-bits about personal grooming to keep in mind as you prepare for your next mock or real interview:

1. Do not wear too much fragrance. If you have been told in the past, "I smell you when you leave the room," YES that is too much.
2. Brush your teeth (and make sure you check for bagel seeds in-between!) 
3. Wear clothes that fit. If they are too tight, you will look uncomfortable and feel uncomfortable as well.
4. Wear comfortable shoes; for ladies, make sure your heel height is appropriate.
5. Ladies, keep a shorter nail length and wear neutral nail polish.
6. Minimal jewelry overall; for the men, NO earrings.
7. Hair should be neat and clean (keep in mind, there are MANY old school interviewers, know the work culture of the company!)
8. Makeup – less is best!
9. For clothing, men should wear a dark suit and ladies may want to consider wearing stockings with your skirt suit (better to safe than sorry!)
10. No matter your look, bring your BEST you.

Have you come into the Career Center for a Mock Interview? If you haven't, you should! Schedule one by calling us at 516-463-6060 or using our online scheduler at hofstra.edu/career!

Lorraine Massiah,
Assistant Director

If You Like Tinder, You’ll Love This…

Have you ever heard of the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words?”  When it comes to your profile pictures, this can very well be the truth! Anyone who is familiar with the popular dating site Tinder, will be familiar with the concept that this new website I’m going to tell you about has to offer.

Now, I don’t use the dating site Tinder because I’m happily married (love you Matthew), but from what I know users make quick judgments about people based on their photo.  I can only imagine the controversy a concept like this might instigate being that we, as people, are much more than one good photo.  However, what is undeniably true is that photos can make a “first impression” online. Do you look confident, fun, friendly? 

As a career professional I’m not exactly here to support your love life (although a career as a match maker might be cool).  My goals are more in line with supporting your career.  One of the major resources we encourage students to use is LinkedIn.  However, many students either don’t have a profile picture or they have an inappropriate photo up.  Well a new site is here to help: photofeeler! 

I signed up for an account and tested it out.  You can sign up for free and connect it to your LinkedIn or other social networking accounts.  After you vote on a few photos of other users, you get credits that you can use to get others to vote on your photos.  It is all free!  You start to see the results instantaneously as to the “competent, likeable and influential” look of your LinkedIn profile photo.  The feedback is objective and helpful!  The more votes you get, the more reliable your results are.  You can also use it to get feedback on your social and dating accounts – bonus! 

Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments section!

Deanna Rodin, Associate Director