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The straightening of ties, the clicking of fancy shoes on cement, the sea of shades of neutral colors, and of course the hundreds of blazers are common sensory to experience in the work place or at the career fair.

However, this year looks quite different.

Instead of donning our best head to toe looks, many are opting for head to waist or whatever shows up on the computer screen.

I won’t lie, I have my days that I am logging onto work in an old t-shirt and shorts. These days I feel groggy the whole day and never truly feel the most productive. Sound familiar?

While we have the opportunity to dress as comfy as we would like, there are so many benefits to dressing up for the day. This is especially true when we are being presented in video calls. The standard in the professional world is to dress in formal business attire. But what is that? Let’s take a look:

• A pressed, clean suit
• Subtle patterns and colors
• A collared shirt with tie
• Belt and dress shoes that match
• Clean, simple dress with a blazer over top
• Blazer with dressy top
• Dress pants
• Simple shoes. Can be heels or flats, whichever you feel best in!

The important thing to note is the inclusion of the jacket, which typically makes it business professional attire. While you may look nice in a collared shirt or dress, it does read as more business casual. It’s important to make a great first impression, even on a computer, and dressing professionally is the way to do so.

One of the most important pieces is to groom yourself! Make sure you look like you have thought about your appearance, and not just woken up from a nap. This shows the employer that they can trust you with important clients to represent their organization well and that you are working hard to get the position.

Dressing professionally doesn’t have to be the most expensive clothing you can find either! Some of my favorite jacket and suit sets I have purchased were found at Salvation Army. The employers won’t be checking the tags of your clothing to make sure you’re wearing a certain brand. What they care about is that you are putting forward your best foot and will do the same for their organization. There was a time that a friend needed a suit, and I was able to purchase the entire suit minus shoes at Goodwill for under $15.

Not sure if your look is professional enough? Ask a friend! It will be easy to tell if you look like you are prepared and serious about a potential job simply by the way you present yourself.

Blog created by LAS Career Services Student Communications Specialist Zach Hamilton