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Nobody has to tell you about the importance of appearance. It's something that was drilled into you from day one at boot camp and basic training. It's understood that your uniform, and how you care for it, says much about your discipline and commitment to the service. And when it comes to uniforms, you've got a whole foot-locker full of them. If you're an enlisted Marine, for example, you have your dress blues, blue-whites, reds, evening dress, service uniforms and then those trusty utilities for the field. And there's no guessing about which uniform to wear -- it's part of your military education -- Uncle Sam has got that all figured out for you.

Many service members dealing with a military to civilian transition have trouble deciding what to wear in a civilian office job once the "Uniform of the Day" is no longer a part of their routine. The good news, however, is that once you get past the job interview, a company will generally tell you what to wear on the job. So, the real key is dressing correctly for that big interview. Since 93% of individuals dealing with a military transition to civilian jobs are men, we'll limit our discussion to the guys.

Let's be clear about this: not one of you would where you desert camies if you had a chance to meet with the President of the United States. It's the same concept with a professional job interview -- you wear the best, most formal uniform in your arsenal. And in corporate America the best uniform, by far, is a dark suit, white shirt and a conservative red tie. Even if you live in warmer parts of the country, say Southern California or Florida, where business casual dress (chinos, button down shirt, no tie, no jacket) dominates, you must be in formal dress for an interview. Let this message sink in real deep: you CAN'T overdress for a professional job interview. Think of it as an individual meeting with your base commander. It's that formal.

When we say a dark suit, we mean blue, gray or black, and the deeper the shade the more serious you appear. And when I say a white shirt, I mean just that. It might be okay for you to wear pink, yellow, and lime green shirts once you're on the job, but your first impression must be a conservative one.

The same advice goes for ties. That great Chicago Bears tie your uncle gave you for Christmas is not going to cut it, even if your potential employer is a football fan. Turn on CNN and see what kinds of suits and ties that senators, congressmen and even the president wears -- that's how you want to dress for a job interview.

And remember, you may have two or three separate interviews before you get that big job. Does that mean you have to have three different suits? No, but it's a good idea to have three different ties; you can rotate them as you get closer to a job offer. It should also be said that, like the military, corporate employers generally don't care for messy facial hair, long hair, and piercings -- so get those things squared away before the interview. Your career transition from the military to civilian life will be easier if you rely on the neatness and standards of formal dress that you learned in the military. Good luck!

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