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Jumat, 23 Juli 2010

SCORING POINTS WITH THE NBA DRESS CODE

By Mike Herr


With more controversy than a steroid scandal, the National Basketball Association recently announced a new dress code for its players. The NBA dress code may not help players score any points on the court, but it might help you score a job if you follow the general guidelines.

Whether you’re trying to find work as an equipment manager or an accountant, your appearance is the first thing an employer will notice. The visual cues you send them will instantly affect your chances of being hired. Although the way you dress is only one part of your image, it might make the difference in getting a job.

You don’t need an NBA salary to afford a decent outfit, but whether you buy your suit in Milan or the local mall, make sure you look professional. When you’re approaching an employer, they need to see someone serious about finding work. Like a rookie on draft day, you want to show your prospective employer you have the look of a hard-working professional.

Radio show hosts disagree about if and when basketball players lost their fashion sense, but the problem with sloppy jobseekers gained momentum in the dot-com era. A few companies took “casual dress” to a new low, allowing workers to wear t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps. Most of those companies are gone, but some jobseekers seem unaware that such lax dress codes are no longer in fashion.

As a former job fair coordinator, Karen Dawal has witnessed it first hand, “I mostly see this problem with young jobseekers. Too often, young men dress like they’re going to a basketball game and young women dress like they’re going to a nightclub.”

If you want employers to take you seriously, keep this in mind: A job fair is your opportunity to speak face-to-face with someone who might hire you. Employers are scouting for people who dress professionally. Those who aren’t are long shots to overcome that technical foul on their first impression. Dawal coaches guys to “leave the baseball caps, baggy pants and bling-bling at home. What impresses your friends won’t impress recruiters.” For the ladies, she stresses, “Dress like you’re serious about getting a job, not a date. Men may stare at you when you arrive, but employers will look the other way.” Dawal remembers one especially embarrassing example at a job fair. “A woman came in wearing a micro miniskirt that left nothing to the imagination. The employers laughed at her.”

For a general idea of what to wear when meeting employers, take a page from the playbook of Lisa Cockrell, a wardrobe consultant. “Understand your own image and the image of the company you’re trying to impress. Remember that most companies are looking for the corporate image. A clean, neat appearance is important. Men should always wear a suit and tie, and women should wear an appropriate dress suit.”

Accessories

Whether going to a job fair or a job interview, it would be wise to follow the NBA’s rules and keep accessories to a minimum. Keep the attention on you and your abilities, not your stuff.

Absolutely no hats, Dawal stresses. “Employers complain to me about baseball caps the most. It’s just not professional.”

As for jewelry, men should avoid wearing anything more than a watch and a ring. Women should stay clear of large or gaudy jewelry. Tattoos and piercings may be more common these days, but that doesn’t make them any more acceptable to the vast majority of employers. Cover it up or leave it out. Strong colognes or perfumes are another no-no.

Job fairs and interviews are not the place for family and friends. Leave the wife and kids at home. You won’t be taking them to your job, so why take them to your interview? Just bring a professional folder or briefcase with at least 25 resumes and a list of references.

Even if you think a dress code is pointless for professional basketball players, follow the NBA rules to put yourself on the starting team at your next job interview.

The NBA’s New Dress Code
Under the new rules, athletes are required to wear “business casual” attire whenever engaged in team or league business. That means: a collared dress shirt or a sweater; dress slacks, khakis or dress jeans; appropriate shoes and socks, dress shoes, dress boots, but no sneakers, sandals or work boots. Players can no longer wear chains, pendants or medallions over their clothes, no headgear of any kind, and no sunglasses indoors.

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