I fully understand what life is like on the often minimal budget of a college student. Furthermore, I know that for most of us, spending a significant amount of money on dress shoes does not seem too appealing. Trust me on this one, you are doing yourself a disservice but not suiting up with the proper footwear. As a sophomore, I saved for about a month to buy a pair of dress shoes for about $300. They are black Johnston & Murphy shoes that I got with the Temple discount at Jos Banks in center city. Even my parents almost fainted when they found out, but these shoes are still supporting my professional endeavors nearly 3 years later. When kept polished, they are the perfect blend of professional and sharp. They are not overwhelming. Most importantly though, they make me look like I could be doing a job 3 levels higher than the one I’m applying for. They instill confidence that helps shine through in interviews and business interactions. Whether the interviewer notices your nice kicks or not, it is something you know you will not need to worry about and can only help you. And yes - I have talked to plenty of recruiters that will not hire you if your shoes are scuffed. Shine your shoes before every single interaction.
Tags: Best Practices, shoes
Jena joined the CSPD as the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Professional Development with over 4 years career services experience including a background in corporate recruiting. She is excited to work collaboratively with the Fox School students regarding career search strategies and hopes students gain some additional insight into the job search through “Opportunity Knocks”.
Kel is an undergrad majoring in Management Information Systems, graduating in 2010. He is very involved and hopes to share some of his experiences with other students. His goal is to motivate others to do their best. He believes that with a little inspiration you can get where you want to be. Through this blog, he wants to show you that opportunities are out there.