You're Wearing What? What to Wear in College When Attending Career Fairs, Interviewing and Starting Your Career
Author(s): Kim Ruggiero
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Choose Your Platform | Help Me Choose
In today’s competitive business world, the way you present yourself can make all the difference. In You're Wearing What? What to Wear in College When Attending Career Fairs, Interviewing and Starting Your Career, Kim Ruggiero, an award-winning executive with over 42 years of leadership experience at top companies like AT&T and Verizon, offers practical advice on how to dress for success—whether you’re in class, interviewing for your first job, or landing your dream position.
With social media trends often setting the standard for casual style, it’s easy to blur the lines between what's trendy and what's appropriate for the professional world. But understanding how to dress for each situation, whether you're in a business meeting, attending a networking event, or participating in a virtual interview—can have a big impact on how you're perceived. You’re Wearing What? gives you the tools to make smart wardrobe choices that project confidence and show you’re ready for the next step in your career, without spending a fortune.
Whether you're a college student preparing for your first internship, an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone looking to step up their professional game, this book is your guide to using style as a tool to accelerate your career. Drawing from her extensive leadership roles at Verizon, AT&T, and Arizona State University, Kim Ruggiero helps you choose clothing that fits the occasion, aligns with your goals, and communicates your personal brand.
Throughout the book, you’ll learn how to:
- Navigate Business Dress Codes: From corporate settings to business casual and beyond, this book helps you decode the unspoken rules of professional attire across various industries.
- Build a Versatile, Impactful Wardrobe: Learn how to invest in key pieces that work for every occasion, helping you look polished and poised without overthinking your daily outfits.
- Leverage Style for Leadership: Discover how your appearance influences your perceived leadership potential, authority, and approachability.
- Project Confidence and Competence: Learn how to communicate your career goals and personal brand through the clothes you wear, while staying true to your unique style.
Packed with tips, real-world examples, and insights from Kim Ruggiero's impressive career leading teams and navigating high-pressure business environments, this book will help you create a professional presence that’s in sync with your ambitions.
Introduction
Chapter 1 My Story
How to dress for career mixers, interviews and your initial years in a career.
Don't make the same mistake I did
Chapter 2 Start with a Smile!
Chapter 3 Dressing for a College or University Career Fair and Interviews
Chapter 4 Find Your Color
Chapter 5 Women: What Attire Works for a Professional Sales Position?
Business Professional
Business Casual
Smart Casual
Chapter 6 Men: What Attire Works for a Professional Sales Position?
Business Professional
Business Casual
Smart Casual
Chapter 7 Putting it All Together—Where to Go to Find Clothing on a Budget
Kim Ruggiero is a seasoned business leader with more than four decades of experience in sales, leadership, and consulting with top-tier companies like AT&T and Verizon. As a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, Kim Ruggiero has coached, taught and observed students for more than 17 years. Kim has been honored with multiple leadership awards, including accolades from Verizon and AT&T, and the Distinguished Alumni Award in Marketing from ASU. Throughout her distinguished career, she has led teams, built successful sales strategies, and mentored countless professionals on the importance of personal branding and professional appearance.
In addition to her career, Kim Ruggiero is an avid traveler, enjoys golf, is involved in many philanthropic causes in the Phoenix area including the Diocese of Phoenix and ASU’s Women and Philanthropy. Her passion for both leadership and personal development is evident in her teachings, which blend real-world experience with practical advice.
In today’s competitive business world, the way you present yourself can make all the difference. In You're Wearing What? What to Wear in College When Attending Career Fairs, Interviewing and Starting Your Career, Kim Ruggiero, an award-winning executive with over 42 years of leadership experience at top companies like AT&T and Verizon, offers practical advice on how to dress for success—whether you’re in class, interviewing for your first job, or landing your dream position.
With social media trends often setting the standard for casual style, it’s easy to blur the lines between what's trendy and what's appropriate for the professional world. But understanding how to dress for each situation, whether you're in a business meeting, attending a networking event, or participating in a virtual interview—can have a big impact on how you're perceived. You’re Wearing What? gives you the tools to make smart wardrobe choices that project confidence and show you’re ready for the next step in your career, without spending a fortune.
Whether you're a college student preparing for your first internship, an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone looking to step up their professional game, this book is your guide to using style as a tool to accelerate your career. Drawing from her extensive leadership roles at Verizon, AT&T, and Arizona State University, Kim Ruggiero helps you choose clothing that fits the occasion, aligns with your goals, and communicates your personal brand.
Throughout the book, you’ll learn how to:
- Navigate Business Dress Codes: From corporate settings to business casual and beyond, this book helps you decode the unspoken rules of professional attire across various industries.
- Build a Versatile, Impactful Wardrobe: Learn how to invest in key pieces that work for every occasion, helping you look polished and poised without overthinking your daily outfits.
- Leverage Style for Leadership: Discover how your appearance influences your perceived leadership potential, authority, and approachability.
- Project Confidence and Competence: Learn how to communicate your career goals and personal brand through the clothes you wear, while staying true to your unique style.
Packed with tips, real-world examples, and insights from Kim Ruggiero's impressive career leading teams and navigating high-pressure business environments, this book will help you create a professional presence that’s in sync with your ambitions.
Introduction
Chapter 1 My Story
How to dress for career mixers, interviews and your initial years in a career.
Don't make the same mistake I did
Chapter 2 Start with a Smile!
Chapter 3 Dressing for a College or University Career Fair and Interviews
Chapter 4 Find Your Color
Chapter 5 Women: What Attire Works for a Professional Sales Position?
Business Professional
Business Casual
Smart Casual
Chapter 6 Men: What Attire Works for a Professional Sales Position?
Business Professional
Business Casual
Smart Casual
Chapter 7 Putting it All Together—Where to Go to Find Clothing on a Budget
Kim Ruggiero is a seasoned business leader with more than four decades of experience in sales, leadership, and consulting with top-tier companies like AT&T and Verizon. As a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, Kim Ruggiero has coached, taught and observed students for more than 17 years. Kim has been honored with multiple leadership awards, including accolades from Verizon and AT&T, and the Distinguished Alumni Award in Marketing from ASU. Throughout her distinguished career, she has led teams, built successful sales strategies, and mentored countless professionals on the importance of personal branding and professional appearance.
In addition to her career, Kim Ruggiero is an avid traveler, enjoys golf, is involved in many philanthropic causes in the Phoenix area including the Diocese of Phoenix and ASU’s Women and Philanthropy. Her passion for both leadership and personal development is evident in her teachings, which blend real-world experience with practical advice.