Eleven.
That’s how many interviews it took me to land my first corporate job.
Eleven interviews!
And you know what that means?
Eleven outfits.
Oh my gosh.
It was 2007. I was in my twenties, working in the personal development and coaching world, and I was broke.
The economy was getting shaky, and I needed to find a way to make a living doing what I loved.
So I applied for a job at TaylorMade Adidas.
Yes, the golf company.
Now, please understand something. I had never worked in corporate America. I didn’t really know the culture. I didn’t own a corporate wardrobe. And frankly, I had never imagined myself working in an office surrounded by golf clubs.
But I wanted that job.
And somehow I made it through interview number one.
And two.
And three.
And then four, five, six...
You get the idea.
Now I have to tell you, when you are a twenty-something woman without much money, figuring out what to wear to eleven interviews is practically a full-time job.
I had to get creative.
Even back then in the early 2000’s, I would find myself hunting the racks at Ross and TJMaxx. I remember finding poplin cotton button up shirts and trousers too long to wear without heels for prices I could afford. (Maybe that’s why I love these places so much - they’ve got your back when you need to dress for your dreams on a budget).
It’s something I understood, even back then.
I might not have known how to be a corporate woman, but I knew how to dress like the woman I wanted to become.
And I had been practicing that for years.
When I was a little girl, I used to sit on my bedroom floor dressing my Barbies for the fabulous lives I imagined they were going to have.
The businesswoman. The movie star. The woman who traveled the world.
I’d put the outfit on Barbie, and suddenly she was that woman.
And apparently, at twenty-something, I was still doing the exact same thing.
Only now Barbie was me.
Every time I got dressed for an interview, I wasn’t trying to dress like someone who hoped they’d hire her.
I was dressing like the woman who already had the job.
I wanted to feel confident. Capable. Excited. Like I belonged in that room.
Even when I was absolutely terrified.
And then something happened that I have never forgotten.
Picture me sitting in the lobby at TaylorMade Adidas, waiting for what felt like my ninety-seventh interview.
I was in one of my carefully assembled outfits, trying to look completely relaxed.
Meanwhile, inside, I’m thinking, What am I even doing here?
And then the door to the HR office opened.
A few women walked out. Beautiful, polished, fabulous corporate women who clearly knew exactly what they’re doing.
They saw me and stopped.
One of them smiled, approached me and said, “I looooove your bag!”. Another asked about my shoes. And the third one wanted to know where I got my earrings.
Goodness, I felt like Snow White in the forest when all the little birds came flying down to land on her shoulders. Haha!
There I was, this broke twenty-something who wasn’t even sure she belonged in the building, and these women were wanting links. (lol - this was pre-Instagram/Youtube days)
I will never forget that feeling.
And it taught me something I’ve carried with me for almost twenty years.
You’ve probably heard the advice to “dress for the job you want.”
And I understand the idea. But I didn’t want to dress like some generic corporate woman.
I wanted to dress like me.
The woman who knew greatness stood between what I wanted and how I showed up for it. The woman who loved getting dressed. The woman who could make a little money go a long way and still look fabulous.
I didn’t need to become someone else to belong in that room. I needed to let more of myself show up.
And isn’t that interesting?
Because I walked into that building thinking I needed them to decide I belonged.
And there I was, sitting in the lobby waiting for my 11th interview, in clothes I found on the red tag clearance, having women who already belonged there come over and ask me where I got my earrings.
Talk about a breakthrough.
I got the job, by the way.
Eleven interviews later.
And while I certainly had to demonstrate I could do the work, I have never forgotten what those outfits did for me.
They helped me show up as the woman I wanted to be before I had the experience, the title, or the paycheck.
And they reminded me that you don’t have to wait until you belong somewhere to start feeling like you do.
Dress for the you already living the dream. Let the room meet you there.
Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can wear into a room isn’t the outfit that makes you look like everybody else.
It’s the one that makes you feel completely, wonderfully like you.
My 5 Favorite Interview Pieces
Okay, now for the fun part.
If I were sitting in that TaylorMade lobby today, here are five things I’d want in my wardrobe.
And because you know I love a great deal, these are pieces that can work for the interview, the first day on the job, and a hundred other moments in your life.
1. A blazer that does the talking.
Oh, you knew I was going to start here.
A great blazer is my secret weapon. It’s the piece I put on when I want to feel powerful, polished, and completely pulled together.
And it’s exactly why I started designing my own.
The Super Blazer, my own design
The Be Loved Blazer in faux leather, my own design
The Super Blazer is that incredible everyday workhorse you can dress up or down. And the Be Loved? That’s for the woman who wants a little personality in the room. I love both for completely different reasons.
2. A silk blouse in a real color.
I love a gorgeous blouse under a structured blazer. Something soft, feminine, and just a little unexpected.
And this? So good.
3. Wide-leg trousers that move.
Please, can we stop wearing uncomfortable pants to important things?
I want trousers that look polished but still let me sit, stand, walk, and breathe like a normal human being.
These are the very best Anthro has to offer - they have new ones in fabrics to die for as well as sale ones! Size down by one!
The Avery wide-leg pleated trousers, Anthropologie
Shop all the Avery trousers, including sale
4. Shoes they’ll point at.
I mean it.
Give me a fabulous kitten heel boot with a little personality over a boring corporate pump any day.
Kitten heel boots at Nordstrom
5. The earrings.
Of course, the earrings.
Because you never know who’s going to walk out of the HR office and ask where you got them.
Gold teardrop statement earrings, Amazon, $15.95
The blazers are from my own shop. The rest are affiliate links, so I may earn a little if you buy.
TRY ON
Think about the next room you’re walking into.
The interview. The meeting. The party. The event where you don’t know a soul.
Now, instead of asking yourself what you’re supposed to wear, ask yourself what would make you feel the most like you.
Lay it out. Put it on. And go enjoy yourself.
You never know who might come over and ask about your earrings.
And now I have to know: What’s the best compliment a stranger has ever given you about something you were wearing? I love these stories.
P.S. Most of my Saturday Letters go to paid subscribers, and they’re where I share the stories I don’t tell anywhere else. If you loved this one, I’d love to have you there for the rest.
You make me smile every morning!