Power-suit…Check
Portfolio with paper and pen…Check
Copies of resume…Check
Confidence…confidence? Maybe, check the shoes.
No, it’s not the style of the shoe that matters, but it’s shine. Designer shoes or not, dress shoes don’t mean much if you don’t maintain them. Unlike a dingy sweater that a job-hunter can hide under a sweater (if so obliged), there is no such luck for hiding scrapped up shoes. But instead of buying the interviewing job-hunter some new shoes (definitely a kind gesture, but shoes are a very particular, personal thing since it involves style AND comfort) consider providing a shoe shine kit.
When I started interviewing for jobs I didn’t have one in my possession. The night before the big day I realized how “un-shiny” my favorite, grown-up looking shoes had become. Luckily I was able to borrow someone’s shoe shining kit, so on the big day I had shiny, gleaming shoes…too bad the actual interview wasn’t such a glowing affair (I didn’t get the job), but at least my feet looked good. And they continued looking good as the job hunt continued; I bought my own shoe-shine kit.
Where to go
Shoe shine kits are in most everyday “everything in one place” stores; just ask someone who works there. It will be the basic polish, just black and brown, so no luck for anyone sporting terracotta pumps.
There are also online resources (of course) that can provide a wide variety of products to really prepare a job-hunter for entering any room with the appropriate level of self-confidence and preparedness.
Portfolio with paper and pen…Check
Copies of resume…Check
Confidence…confidence? Maybe, check the shoes.
No, it’s not the style of the shoe that matters, but it’s shine. Designer shoes or not, dress shoes don’t mean much if you don’t maintain them. Unlike a dingy sweater that a job-hunter can hide under a sweater (if so obliged), there is no such luck for hiding scrapped up shoes. But instead of buying the interviewing job-hunter some new shoes (definitely a kind gesture, but shoes are a very particular, personal thing since it involves style AND comfort) consider providing a shoe shine kit.
When I started interviewing for jobs I didn’t have one in my possession. The night before the big day I realized how “un-shiny” my favorite, grown-up looking shoes had become. Luckily I was able to borrow someone’s shoe shining kit, so on the big day I had shiny, gleaming shoes…too bad the actual interview wasn’t such a glowing affair (I didn’t get the job), but at least my feet looked good. And they continued looking good as the job hunt continued; I bought my own shoe-shine kit.
Where to go
Shoe shine kits are in most everyday “everything in one place” stores; just ask someone who works there. It will be the basic polish, just black and brown, so no luck for anyone sporting terracotta pumps.
There are also online resources (of course) that can provide a wide variety of products to really prepare a job-hunter for entering any room with the appropriate level of self-confidence and preparedness.
