If you're looking for a job, Fox 4 wants you to have all of the resources you need to get your next gig. This is all part of our "Help Wanted" series. Teresa Araque, the AVP of Marketing for Hodges University, has some tips about what's appropriate to wear during a virtual interview, and what your background should look like.
Lisa Greenberg, Fox 4 Morning News Anchor: "For someone who's really trying to secure a brand new job, what can we do as far as a tire to really put your best foot forward?"
Teresa Araque, AVP Marketing, Hodges University: "Basically, you're going to dress like you would if you went in person. And how you decide to dress really depends on the atmosphere and the culture of the company. And a couple of ways you can figure that out, is to go to their website, go to their social media, look at their photographs of executives and directors and leaders of a company, and see what they're wearing. And that will give you a clue as far as the culture there, since you won't have the advantage of actually being in the office. But a general rule of thumb is to have a neutral background, like what I have, and no distractions. You don't want people looking over your shoulder to see what kind of books you have on a bookshelf, or who's in that photograph behind you. So a neutral background is super helpful. And another thing is to wear neutral colors like grays or blacks. Don't wear blouses or jewelry that are large or distracting, or bracelets that bangle when you if you move your hands when you talk. For gentlemen, a good thing, again, is a jacket and a tie and a shirt of neutral colors. No loud, crazy patterns on the tie. And of course, personal grooming is very important."
Lisa Greenberg: "One thing I've been hearing a lot about with Zoom being so popular right now, is many people are showing up for their Zoom interviews and maybe they're dressed appropriately on top, but wearing pajama pants or sweat pants on the bottom. And I know you don't see that necessarily on a Zoom, but wouldn't you suggest dressing for the job you want, and really getting into that full dress so you feel more professional?"
Teresa Araque: "Absolutely. Of course, sweatpants are the ideal comfort things to wear. But remember how you dress also impacts your attitude, your energy, and your sense of professionalism. Because we're not there in person, projecting that on a video is really important. So you should wear the slacks, wear the heels, wear the shoes, just as you would if you were to walk into their office."
