I have my first *real* job interview for a Manger spot in a health clinic. I need your help to put together a Interview outfit from Macys for under $100. I need shoes, top, bottoms and maybe accessories too.

I also need ideas for my neutral makeup and hair.

I am also super nervous because this is my first time interviewing for anything medically office related. What kinds of questions do you think they are going to ask?

www1.macys.com . . .

Is this dress too short?

www1.macys.com . . .

I love this dress, but I don't want to wear a black blazer because I don't want to look like i am going to a funeral. Am I allowed to wear colored blazers to interviews?

The first dress you linked isn't really all that short when you put it on (ok maybe it is for you since you are tall). Calvin Klein has a nice dress too although I can't find it online. I also like this Calvin Klein suit www1.macys.com . . . . I know that I sound like a broken record, but there are so many sales still right now, there are good sales on 3 piece suits ranging from $59-$99.

If you find a black dress, a colored blazer should be fine as long as it isn't an outrageous color or pattern. When I was at Target the other day, I tried on this dress www.target.com . . . and it actually looks quite nice (also comes in black and maroon). The gray would look good with a black blazer, so that could be an option too.

I can't tell you what they will ask at the interview, but my bet would be that they may focus on your time management and organizational skills.

Admin job in the healthcare industry? Perfect time to invest in a suit. Wear a bright colored cami under it with coordinating accessories. Bing, bam, boom, done.

^ Do you have any suggestions to colors and styles? ( pants vs pencil skirt)

I have been looking around for suit sets, but they look so masculine and older. I think maybe I just need to get the suits tailored to suit my body type. I look a bit boxy when I try them on. I also feel like I am going to a funeral, but I am assuming that is the Business look

I really like the looks of these, but not sure if they are too informal or girlie looking for a interview?

blogcertified.com . . .
www.janehasajob.com . . .

What the job entails probably depends on how big the clinic you work at will be.
I filled in for a few weeks as secretary at my mom's family practice, and there was a lot of booking appointments, calling labs for results, calling patients, filing (although she's switched to paperless office now, so I guess running backups would be the equivlent), showing patients to rooms, and billing (although I didn't handle that part, since I was just filling in).

One term it might come in handy to know is EMR, which stands for electronic medical records.

In terms of your apparel, navy, grey, and taupe are all perfectly acceptable neutral suit colours, if you don't like black. Also, for your shoes, I'd lean more towards sensible rather than stylish heels, although I suppose it probably depends on your region.
For the dress, you really need to try it on to get an idea of length, since models are so tall. I wouldn't go higher than and inch or so above your kneecap, and try sitting down to make sure it doesn't ride up when you sit.


People invest in suits because they're so versatile. If you're looking to move into an office environment (whether or not you get this job), you might think about getting a suit with both skirt and pants. That way you've got three office wear pieces which you can mix with your regular wardrobe and still be office appropriate. Because of this, think about getting a suit in a neutral colour, which would blend with the rest of your wardrobe. For most people this is black, which is why you see so many black suits, but depending on the colours you often wear, it could be something else.

^agreed. A suit is definitely the way to go. I like Banana Republic pant suits myself and they always have pretty colourful tops.

The suits I invested in for my congressional internship came from White House Black Market. They have lots of neutral colors (black and white obviously, but also beije, gray,brown, navy etc.) They are really nice and very feminine and come in small sizes. It'll probably cost you more then $100 unless you get a great sale but it's worth it. You should definitely have a professional interview outfit (or 2 so you don't have to wear the same to a follow up) ready at this stage in your college career. If you get the job, you can go off of what the other people in the office wear. My office now is very casual which was disappointing to me since I bought all the suits last year and I think it's easier to dress up then to figure out what casual wear is appropriate.

As for other things to know, I'd familiarize yourself with HIPPA (Health Information Privacy Protection Act).

I just wanted to warn you to stay away from trendier suits, like that cream colored one you posted. The benefit of a basic suit is that you can change blouses, accessories, shoes and it's like another outfit. If you have a more "statement" style suit, you don't have that luxury.

Get a suit. It's time. I bought mine at The Limited.

I got my suits from J. Crew. When I lost weight and they didn't fit any more, I bought one from Express. I, personally, prefer skirt suits over pants suits. Maybe that's just because I don't like wearing pants, but I also think it makes me look frumpy rather than put together.

I'm a firm beliver in being comfortable in your clothes. If I feel like I look frumpy, that's going to come across. If you feel put together and stylish, that will come through as well.

I just went to Nordstroms and bought a suit! I am glad I took everyones advice and went with a basic black suit.

Here is what I got

Pants shop.nordstrom.com . . .

Blazer ( not the exact one. The exact one is 3/4 sleeve, no buttons on front, and a bit of ruched sleeve) shop.nordstrom.com . . .

Shirt Under ( Aqua Breeze)
www.chicos.com . . .

Necklace
www.chicos.com . . .=

I need to go buy some kitten heels...black I assume?

I would just keep in mind that you may not end up wearing a suit every day. Some of the tasks of an office manager include a lot of running around, basic cleaning, etc. I've been on a ladder gettinng supplies, cleaning toilets, sitting on the floor sorting through filing, etc. while working as an admin in a health care setting.

^ That would be great if I didn't have to end up wearing a suit. The whole outfit only cost like $300 so I see it as an investment into the future. As long as I don't gain or loose too much weight, I think this suit will last a long time for future jobs.

^ Absolutely. I wasn't trying to make you feel like the suit was a bad idea, just an experience that I had in a similar environment!

I got a job offer today, but I decided not to take it.

It was a group interview of maybe about 20 people, then they picked a handful to stay for individual interviews. I got a call late this afternoon offering me a position but I felt like it wasn't the right fit for me. At least I have a suit that I can wear to future job interviews.

Thanks everyone for your help.