How Will AI Affect Candidate Experience

How Will AI Affect Candidate Experience The recruitment process is never as simple as it sounds, it can take far too long and it can be far too uncertain. For candidates especially,  this can be a negative and daunting experience. As AI continues to develop within the recruitment space, there has been widespread discussion towards the positive impact it could have on the recruitment process for job seekers. Especially in terms of time and bias, but what do our panel of experts think? Will AI really improve candidate experience for the better? Jonathan Kestenbaum For one, I think artificially intelligent bots will make great career coaches. I am still unclear on whether candidates will enjoy the experience of talking to a robot over a human being, but I am sure that the instant feedback candidates can get from Chat Bots will give them a level of satisfaction impossible today. Jonathan Kestenbaum, Executive Director, Talent Tech Labs Cheryl Cran Candidates will be able to ‘interview’ and ‘get the inside scoop’ on employers via AI Siri, Google Talk, Alexa and more will provide instant information for candidates to prepare for interviews and find out relevant data to ‘nail the interview’. Cheryl Cran, CEO Future of Work Expert, Synthesis at Work Inc Nathan Perrott If we can deliver a relevant experience to the candidate using real AI (there is a lot of ‘fake AI’ out there at the moment), then the benefits are huge. For example, personalising and contextualising the candidate experience at all stages of the recruitment process can only have a positive impact on the employer brand. AI can also be used to anticipate and predict candidate actions in order to provide the right content, information and call to action at the right time, in the right format and in the right place. Nathan Perrott, Director of Digital Marketing Strategy, AIA Worldwide Adam Glassman In a word? Tremendously. AI will be the top of funnel entry point but also the brains behind many of our talent attraction efforts. It will be smart enough to know “John the Candidate” from “Joe the Candidate” and will provide personalized experiences for each of them. Candidates will love it, as it will provide them the information they need faster and easier than ever before. Recruiters will love it, too, as it will find the purple unicorn candidate in a matter of minutes, not weeks. Adam Glassman, Recruitment Strategies Manager, Alorica Hung Lee AI might be the technology that finally kills the CV blackhole. Perhaps the most frustrating part of any candidate experience is the lack of feedback and information on the status of your application. This is almost always a human labour / prioritisation issue. AI will solve this problem really soon I anticipate AI chatbots to widely adopted by most corporate businesses to provide real time / on-demand information to candidates on where they stand in the recruiting process. Hung Lee, CEO, WorkShape.io Chris Russell I see it affecting things like pre-screening questions, FAs and scheduling. Candidates will likely interface with bots to pre-screen themselves, ask questions and schedule interviews. Chris Russell, Managing Director, RecTech Media Bryan Chaney We’ve always used technology to automate the things that we either don’t enjoy or that we don’t do well. As AI continues to creep into recruiting, I feel that our acceptable threshold will get further and further from real human interaction. If we know that we’re not dealing with a real human, our expectations change based on previous experiences. Meaning, we get more patient when we realize we shouldn’t expect too much. After all, automated communication is better for the candidate experience than no communication at all. Bryan Chaney, Director of Employer Brand, Indeed

How To Eat Healthier Lunches When Youre Constantly Eating Out for Work

How To Eat Healthier Lunches When You’re Constantly Eating Out for Work It’s that time of year again: The New Year’s resolutions have been set, and there’s no more common resolution than to eat healthier. But regardless of how strong you start the year in January, everyone’s willpower starts to slip in February, and by March, those resolutions are out the window. It can be especially tough to eat healthy when you’re busy working and don’t have time to cook. More often than not, you end up eating lunch out with colleagues or picking up dinner on the way home. Additionally, if your job entails taking clients and partners out to lunch or dinner often, your diet can take a serious hit. A meal out at a restaurant can contain over one thousand calories if you’re not careful. Here are a few tips on eating healthier when you’re always eating out: Eat With a Health-Oriented Friend Before you head out to lunch at your local grab-and-go, grab a coworker who you know is focused on nutrition and healthy eating. By teaming up against diet-busting menu items, you’re more likely to stick with healthier options. Studies have shown that people, and women in particular, mirror each other when they go out to eat. In other words, if she orders healthy, you will too â€" and vice versa. Don’t work with anyone whose mind is on healthy eating? No problem. Try to order first so that you can resist the temptation to order something more decadent based on the rest of the group’s choices. Ask for More Veggies Many dishes on lunch and dinner menus come with vegetables as a side dish. However, the portion of vegetables is usually much smaller than that of the main entree. When ordering, ask for a double (or even triple) portion of vegetables. The extra fiber will fill you up and since they’re vegetables, you won’t feel the effects on your waistline. Plus, there’s a good chance that the restaurant won’t charge you for an extra serving of vegetables, since veggies are among the lowest of a restaurant’s food costs. Don’t Fall for “Healthy” Options Beware of the menu sections that tout low carb or “healthy” menu items. Just because something is in a trendy diet bucket doesn’t mean it’s good for you. A lot of these entrees can be just as unhealthy, if not more so, than items on the regular menu. Something that is low carb might not be low calorie, and even a salad can contain a lot of fat. Check out the ingredients on everything before you order, and use common sense. Avoid anything with “creamy” in the title. Fill up on Salad First Order a salad before your meal, with dressing on the side. Since salads are chock full of leafy greens, veggies and sometimes fruit, you’ll load up on healthy foods before your meal even gets there, which leads you to eat less of the main dish. Since your dressing is on the side, you can easily determine how much dressing you want and when. A good method to use for rationed salad dressing is the fork dip method. Dip your fork in the dressing before you pick up some salad. You’ll get just the right amount of flavor, and won’t rack up the calories with a creamy dressing like ranch or bleu cheese. Portion Control A typical restaurant portion can easily be a meal for two people. When there’s a plate of delicious food in front of us, we tend to eat all of it, even if we aren’t hungry. To avoid overeating, try one of these methods: Get It to Go â€" Ask for a box before your food even comes. When it arrives, put half in the to-go container and eat what’s left on your plate. You’ll avoid overeating, and even have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Ask for a Half Portion â€" When you’re ordering, ask the waiter for a half portion of whatever you’re eating. It shouldn’t matter to them, as long as you’re paying for the whole entree. Since you’re taking the option to overeat out of the equation, your diet becomes that much easier. Order an Appetizer Instead â€" Entrees are the culprits when it comes to extra-large portions, and that’s usually not the case with appetizers. Order two appetizers instead of an appetizer and an entree. The portions will be smaller, and appetizer menus are usually full of salads, fresh veggies, seafood and other healthy options. Drink Smart Healthy choices aren’t just for food: You have to drink healthy also. Typically, drinks like soda, sweet tea or juice contain a lot of sugar, and that means calories. Skip the sugary drinks and order water instead. If you’re at a meal with a client and want to order an alcoholic beverage, order one glass of wine and intersperse several sips of water between sips. Ask Some Questions A lot of people don’t ask questions about the menu. Whether it’s because they don’t want the waiter to be annoyed with them or they don’t want to hold up the rest of the table, people often order blindly, without knowing more than what’s listed in front of them. If you want to eat healthier, start asking questions. Start with how the food is cooked. Is it fried? Sauteed? Maybe it’s grilled or baked. There’s a huge difference in the calorie and fat count of something fried versus something grilled. Knowing how something is made and what options it carries lets you make an informed decision about what you should eat. And when in doubt, ask about substitutions. Most restaurants have no problem switching out those fries for some steamed asparagus. And now, even mobile apps have the ability to customize your meals to suit your healthy eating. Slow Down Most people eat way too quickly. The result is that their bodies don’t have time to process that they’re full, and they eat too much. Take your time when you’re eating. Some experts say that you should chew your food between five and 10 times for softer foods, and upwards of 30 times for tougher foods. By tracking your chewing, you’ll slow down, and eat less. Chewing your food properly can aid digestion to boot. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be stressful, even if you’re constantly eating out for work. With these tips, you’ll keep that resolution for a lot longer.

Schawbel Report The Current State of Personal Branding [December 2008] - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Schawbel Report The Current State of Personal Branding [December 2008] - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A lot has happened since the last time I posted a “Schawbel Report” on the state of personal branding worldwide. The July edition had some great information on how education is evolving with social media tools, how the workplace is becoming more virtual and reputation management 2.0. I finally got around to doing my 3rd report. There is a lot of information here, but it’s all very important to your personal brand and that of your company. The economy crumbles The need for personal branding is directly correlated to the amount of competition there is for jobs. When there are fewer jobs available and more people vying for those jobs, personal branding becomes the only method for entry. Weve seen a huge economic downturn this year, with no hope for economic stimulus in the near future, so understanding how to become more valuable and known for something is crucial to your survival. 6.5% national unemployment rate (4.8 in 2007) according to the (National Labor Department) 1.2 million job cuts since January 2008 (Barack Obama) 350,000 jobs will be shed this month, which is the largest since May 1980 MarketWatch Corporate layoffs at Sun Microsystems (6,000), Citigroup (50,000) and Gannett (3,000) TechCrunch Layoff Archives 1.3% more college grads will be hired in 2009 (lowest in 6 years) National Association of Colleges and Employers 1.5 million graduating college students face stiff competition for a shrinking number of jobs Courant A new hope for job seekers! Aside from scaring you, Id like to offer you some new hope (think Star Wars with Luke Skywalker!). Instead of submitting your resume blindly to 100 corporate websites, as well as Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com, I think you need to add some other tools to your arsenal. Would you rather apply for jobs or have them come to you? With the internet, you can advertise your brand and have employers come at you with offers. Success stories with social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn 20 tips for using Twitter in a job search David Meerman Scott gives his advice, by stating You want to find a new job? You have to stop thinking like an advertiser of a product and start thinking like a publisher of information. Mobile job searching is taking off, with JobCompass. It allows iPhone users to scour for jobs with extra emphasis on location. Millennials are still an important focus Millennials are extremely important right now, not just because there are over 75 million of them, but because businesses dont know how to market to them or recruit them. Also, millennials require a lot of help with their brands because they are used to revealing their social lives to the wrong audiences, using Facebook. More than 33% of millennials are dissatisfied with the technologies their employers provide Accenture 70% of millennials leave their first job within two years Experience Inc. 42% of companies want to invest more in millennials than other generations MarketingVox The most effective technique for targeting millennials is to participate in viral marketing and social networking sites eMarketer Branding through social media becomes required For those who believe branding through social media is a fad, I must tell you that its just the beginning. Anyone who reads my new book next year (Me 2.0) will STILL be ahead of the curve. Companies, as well as millennials, are expected to have competency in social media or at least know that the tools exist. 85% of social media users think companies should interact with their consumers through sites such as Facebook and Twitter eWeek 75% of U.S. adults use web technologies and tools to connect with other people and to share information. Adoption has grown from 56% just a year ago. Mediapost Social media is part of journalism forever 100% of millennial journalists (aged 18 29) believe new media/communications tools are making journalism better Society for New Communications Research 87% of millennial journalists reported that bloggers are important opinion shapers 50% of journalists report visiting a corporate website or online newsroom at least once a week Bulldog Reporter Social networking mayhem Social networks can be your best friend or worst enemy, but either way, people are using them to find information about you or their customers. They might even be using advertising services to put banner ads on your screen. 55% of top-brand CMOs said they’re not too interested in social networking sites for marketing Epsilon 79% of consumers clicked on an online ad but only about 57% of consumers on social networks clicked an ad IDC 55 percent of workers use social networking sites at work for personal reasons 8e6 Technologies Virgin Atlantic launched an investigation of several crew members who allegedly criticized the airline’s safety standards on Facebook. Brand Republic Patriots cheerleader was fired after her pictures surfaced on Facebook and U2 singer Bono was embarrased with pictures taken with underage girls Fox News TMZ 99% of the Amherst College freshman class is connected on facebook before classes started InsideFacebook.com Technorati blog trends for personal branding This chart really wont tell you much. To me, its all up and down based on its acceptance in the media and with bloggers. There have been quite a few posts this quarter that are anti-PB, which actually draws more people to post and is part of why you see more traffic in certain time frames. Google trends for personal branding Ever since I started this blog, the amount of mentions PB has acquired has been quite volatile. Ive always seen a consistent degree of coverage from South Africa though and a moderate amount from the US. Top regions: South Africa, Indonesia, Romania and the Netherlands Top cities: Amsterdam, Netherlands, Toronto, Canada and New York, NY, USA Top languages: Indonesian, Romanian, Dutch and English

How to network without hassling your contacts University of Manchester Careers Blog

How to network without hassling your contacts University of Manchester Careers Blog Written by Elizabeth Wilkinson, Postgraduate Careers Consultant at The Careers Service You know everyone tells you to network for your career, but you dont like hassling people what should you do? This is the piece of advice I give most often to postgrads how to take the pain out of networking. Why is networking important? In many careers, getting inside information is invaluable. It can help you decide whether a career is really for you much better to be able to ask questions than just to read a career profile. You can get information to help you target your applications why do other people enjoy that type of work or working for that employer; does that fit with what you want? It is also much more impressive to quote a conversation with an employee, rather than a company website (which all other candidates will have seen). Sometimes, making good contacts can lead to you finding out about jobs before they are advertised. Take the hassle out of your networking meetings Scenario 1 If the sister of one of your friends contacted you, wanting to know what it was like doing a postgraduate degree at the University of Manchester, would you mind spending 20 minutes or so telling her about your experience? Most postgrads would be perfectly happy doing this: Shes your friends sister not just some random person contacting you out of the blue, asking you for a favour. You have all the information you need (shes just asking about your experience). She doesnt expect you to find a place for her on a postgraduate course. 20 minutes is not difficult to fit into your day, particularly if shes prepared to come to you and buy you a coffee while you talk. Its quite enjoyable talking about your own experience and flattering that someone else wants to know. Scenario 2 You would like some help and advice from someone in a career youre trying to break into. Translate the experience above into networking for your own career and you can see how to make your own networking meetings hassle-free: One of your own contacts, or a friend of a friend is far more likely to agree to talk to you, than someone you dont know. Always ask for information, never ask for a job (at this stage). Where possible, focus on your contacts career, rather than your own ambitions (they may not feel qualified to give you personal advice). Their circumstances may be very different from yours, but you can still draw lessons from their experience of breaking into, or progressing in a career. Make it easy for them to say yes 20 minutes is long enough for you to get some good information (as long as you think about your questions beforehand), but short enough to fit into a working day. Offer to meet for breakfast (the coffees are on you) if they cant meet you at work. How to take it to the next level Click to read our blog post: Networking how to persevere without being a pest Be clear about what youre asking for when requesting a meeting information only, timing and mention who gave you their name. Be flexible but dont give up if they dont respond immediately. If you get a meeting, take along a copy of your latest CV and ask for their feedback. This could be format or content is there anything critical missing from your experience, and how could you fill any gaps? Unless they ask for a copy, dont leave your CV with them follow up with a thank you letter or email, and enclose an amended CV just for information. This shows you have taken their advice on board and they now have an updated, targeted copy of your CV for future reference. Ask if there is anyone else they could recommend who you should talk to. If they give you a couple of names, make sure you follow them up. They will probably ask these contacts if you ever got in touch with them. If you havent, it looks like youre not very interested or that you didnt value their advice. In your thank you letter or email, you can add the comment: If you hear of any jobs coming up in this field, just drop me an email and Ill follow it up myself. This leaves your contact with a targeted CV, your contact details and an impression of a real person. If, at a later stage, they are recruiting, this is much better than being one of a hundred random CVs landing in their inbox. Can you turn a networking meeting into work experience or a job? If a contact has agreed to meet you, just to give you some information, it would be very bad manners to put them on the spot and ask them directly for work. It would also be embarrassing for both of you if they werent very impressed by you and said no or avoided making any commitments. However, you could ask how people find work experience or jobs in their field, or how their employer fills jobs when they are vacant. You may get some good advice on which adverts or agencies to look out for, or which entry-level jobs to target. Plus, it does also open the door for them to offer some work shadowing or work experience, if they are impressed by you. All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate networking How to network without hassling your contacts University of Manchester Careers Blog You know everyone tells you to network for your career, but you dont like hassling people what should you do? Well, in a shameless piece of wringing the most out of what Ive spent today writing, heres my handy How to network guide (ie. this is your sneak preview of part of a new resource, coming to a Careers Service postgrad website near you soon!) Why is networking important? In many careers, getting inside information is invaluable. It can help you decide whether a career is really for you much better to be able to ask questions than just to read a career profile. You can get information to help you target your applications why do other people enjoy that type of work or working for that employer; does that fit with what you want? It is also much more impressive to quote a conversation with an employee, rather than a company website (which all other candidates will have seen). Sometimes, making good contacts can lead to you finding out about jobs before they are advertised. Take the hassle out of your networking meetings Scenario 1 If the sister of one of your friends contacted you, wanting to know what it was like doing a postgraduate degree at the University of Manchester, would you mind spending 20 minutes or so telling her about your experience? Most postgrads would be perfectly happy doing this: Shes your friends sister not just some random person contacting you out of the blue, asking you for a favour. You have all the information you need (shes just asking about your experience). She doesnt expect you to find a place for her on a postgraduate course. 20 minutes is not difficult to fit into your day, particularly if shes prepared to come to you and buy you a coffee while you talk. Its quite enjoyable talking about your own experience and flattering that someone else wants to know. Scenario 2 You would like some help and advice from someone in a career youre trying to break into. Translate the experience above into networking for your own career and you can see how to make your own networking meetings hassle-free: One of your own contacts, or a friend of a friend is far more likely to agree to talk to you, than someone you dont know. Always ask for information, never ask for a job (at this stage). Where possible, focus on your contacts career, rather than your own ambitions (they may not feel qualified to give you personal advice). Their circumstances may be very different from yours, but you can still draw lessons from their experience of breaking into, or progressing in a career. Make it easy for them to say yes 20 minutes is long enough for you to get some good information (as long as you think about your questions beforehand), but short enough to fit into a working day. Offer to meet for breakfast (the coffees are on you) if they cant meet you at work. How to take it to the next level Click to read our blog post: Networking how to persevere without being a pest Be clear about what youre asking for when requesting a meeting information only, timing and mention who gave you their name. Be flexible but dont give up if they dont respond immediately. If you get a meeting, take along a copy of your latest CV and ask for their feedback. This could be format or content is there anything critical missing from your experience, and how could you fill any gaps? Unless they ask for a copy, dont leave your CV with them follow up with a thank you letter or email, and enclose an amended CV just for information. This shows you have taken their advice on board and they now have an updated, targeted copy of your CV for future reference. Ask if there is anyone else they could recommend who you should talk to. If they give you a couple of names, make sure you follow them up. They will probably ask these contacts if you ever got in touch with them. If you havent, it looks like youre not very interested or that you didnt value their advice. In your thank you letter or email, you can add the comment: If you hear of any jobs coming up in this field, just drop me an email and Ill follow it up myself. This leaves your contact with a targeted CV, your contact details and an impression of a real person. If, at a later stage, they are recruiting, this is much better than being one of a hundred random CVs landing in their inbox. Can you turn a networking meeting into work experience or a job? If a contact has agreed to meet you, just to give you some information, it would be very bad manners to put them on the spot and ask them directly for work. It would also be embarrassing for both of you if they werent very impressed by you and said no or avoided making any commitments. However, you could ask how people find work experience or jobs in their field, or how their employer fills jobs when they are vacant. You may get some good advice on which adverts or agencies to look out for, or which entry-level jobs to target. Plus, it does also open the door for them to offer some work shadowing or work experience, if they are impressed by you. All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate networking

The Basics of Using Professional Writers to Write a Fake Resume

The Basics of Using Professional Writers to Write a Fake ResumeThe use of a professional writer to write a phony resume is a surefire way to get your dream job. Those who have real job experience and will accept any job can be 'quasi-qualified' by using the skills they already possess. Why not learn how to make a resume that is 'quasi-qualified'?A very important key to using a person or company to write a resume is to find out what their main area of expertise is. They should be experts in that field. Otherwise, they may want to look for a position that does not require them to specialize in that area. For example, if you have some experience in the area of art, it would not be advisable to write a resume for a job as an artist.If a company wants to know what it will take to be hired for a job, it will offer the applicant a written sample of their qualifications, and if needed, references for these qualifications. Most companies also provide information about the applicant's skills a nd education. This is a great way to write a resume; however, there are often areas where one could be better suited.In order to write a resume that is 'quasi-qualified', one must have skills that are not as common as those of a real expert in the area of employment. One who has good office skills, or technical writing skills, would be a real asset to a company. Someone who has excellent customer service skills, or has been certified in the area of health care would also be a good candidate. There are many other ways to get a job without specialization.When someone applies for a job and he or she is not experienced in a specific area, the interviewers will quickly see this and will be able to use this information to make the hiring decision. It is very important to be open to changing career options and learning new skills. Thereare many different ways to go about getting employment without necessarily specializing in the area of employment.A second question that is often asked by a potential employer is, 'What experience do you have?' While this may sound like a no-brainer, the answer will not be so simple. While it may seem like one would be able to point to past experience that is relevant to the current needs of the company, it is best to develop a portfolio of previous work experience before applying for employment. When talking about a past work experience, it is important to state if this was the result of a job, or on a volunteer basis.To write a resume that is 'quasi-qualified', one must include these factors on the resume. Whether one had experience or not in this area, the focus should be on acquiring new skills that will help one achieve their goal of employment. The goal is to be creative in a way that will stand out from the rest of the resumes that are being turned down for a position.Writing a resume is not rocket science, but it can be very stressful. By using professional writers to write a phony resume, one can eliminate the stress and have a resume that shows how a person can meet all of the requirements for employment. Anyone interested in increasing their chances of being hired should take advantage of the services of a qualified professional.

Its Important to Attend Professional Conferences

Its Important to Attend Professional Conferences I recently attended the NRWA conference in Savannah, GA and returned with a wealth of information about leading-edge techniques for resume writing and career coaching. Every time I go to a professional development conference I take away golden nuggets of information that I can incorporate into my practice. But even if I had left the conference without learning one new strategy for resume writing or career coaching I still would have seen enormous value in attending the conference and heres why.I had the privilege of sitting with a prolific industry author and learning her tips and tricks to writing successful career relevant books.I got to know some of the industry vendors on a more personal level and discover their passion for the products they sell.I reconnected with friends, colleagues, and industry leaders that I trust and respect.I offered industry insights to newer members of the trade and shared ideas with industry old-timers.In order to effectively manage your career, you nee d to proactively tap into your existing network and build new relationships within your industry. Professional conferences allow you to do this in an educational and social environment. Sure, these conferences take time and money, but the return on your investment will be obvious in the weeks and years to come. In a nutshell, I deepened relationships with people who already knew me and I forged relationships with others who didnt know me before the conference. What opportunities for professional growth exist within your industry and what are you doing to take advantage of these opportunities?

How to dress professionally from head to toe - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to dress professionally from head to toe How do you dress professionally from head to toe in 2018? Whether you are a man or a woman, it used to be as simple as throwing on a suit. Nowadays, with the advent of the “business casual” look, you have to straddle the line between modern and professional wear to keep with the times. How does one do that? Here are a few hints to get you started: Hair Both men and women should strive for a neat, conservative style. Women should try classic hairdos, such as buns and chignons for long to medium hair, and bobs or pixies, perfectly maintained, for short hair. Men can blur the line between traditional and classic haircuts, with the modern pompadour, crew cut or comb over. If hair tends to be on the longer side, slick it back or try a low ponytail. Man buns are never appropriate for the office! Jewellery and Accessories Both men and women should display minimal jewellery and understated accessories. Quality is always more important than quantity. An elegant bracelet or ring along with a conservative watch is much more than enough. If bold statement jewellery is your style, dress it down by pairing it with a simple outfit. Also, ladies, a quality leather clutch or a canvas messenger bag in a neutral hue is always more advisable than toting around a colourful, loud pocketbook. Makeup, Nails, and Fragrance Makeup should always be light and natural-looking. It is meant to enhance a woman’s features, rather than becoming an attraction on its own. A woman’s nails should also be neat and well-manicured. They can be painted in nude tones, or any appropriate solid colours, however wild hues like green or yellow are not acceptable. Men should keep their nails trimmed and clean at all times. Neither men nor women should overdo it on the fragrance, either. Not only is it unprofessional, but others in the office may suffer from allergies. Therefore, as a courtesy, perfume, cologne, and aftershave should be minimised. Clothing Professional clothes can vary depending on whether your office adheres to a “business professional” or a “business casual” look. Just remember, even when allowed to dress in a business casual manner, the “business” takes precedence over the “casual,” and certain rules must be observed. For women, business professional usually means investing in a classic pantsuit with a coordinated, collared, solid-coloured blouse â€" usually in a traditional material such as silk. Or, you can pair a fancy blouse with a good pair of tailored pants. However, women should probably lean toward a skirt suit in more conservative environments. Another smart business professional choice for women is a simple day-to-night dress; not more than two inches above the knee. It works well during the day with tan or light-coloured pantyhose and a blazer over it, then remove both and it can be easily accessorised and dressed up for a night on the town. For men, business professional is much simpler. It starts with a conservative, well-tailored suit in a basic colour like black, grey, or navy blue. This should be paired with a long-sleeved shirt in either crisp white or a pale blue shade. A man may add French cuffs to make the outfit pop, but they are not necessary. Also, a tie, dark socks, and a leather belt are must haves! Just make sure any tie chosen doesn’t have a pattern that is too distracting, or better yet, does not have one at all. For the business casual look, women have many choices. They can wear neatly pressed pants or skirts made from corduroy, cotton, khaki, or twill. On top, a loose sweater or twin set, or a polo shirt will do. Bright colours, crazy patterns, and shimmery or velvety materials are still not appropriate, and should be avoided. For men, business casual could mean gabardine, cotton, or khaki pants with long sleeve, button-down cotton shirts, pullover sweaters, or any type of polo shirt with a collar. Ties are optional. Shoes Both men and women need a few pairs of moderate, professional shoes to top off their business wardrobes. For him, leather shoes, without any logos or buckles, in a dark brown or black hue should work nicely. They should be pristine and well-polished at all times. For her, closed stiletto pumps or a pair of sensible flats in solid colours should do the trick. Any shoe that is simple and elegant, yet still comfortable, is best. Boots can be worn under slacks or with a pantsuit, but you must never wear sandals. In conclusion, remember that in the office, appearances still matter. Not only are you making a great impression by dressing professionally, but it tends to pay off more in the long run. Simply because of how you dress, bosses may take you more seriously, you are more likely to receive promotions or raises, and you may tend to command more respect from subordinates and co-workers.