Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We begin the week in splurge mode, with our most expensive suggestions, and wind our way to Friday, where a less expensive item of clothing might be just what you need to make it to the weekend.

Short-sleeved sweaters are great for transition weather, and this one is a great update on a basic — the little ruched bit under the cowl, the puffed sleees ending with the band, the ribbed hem — we like it all. (Is it just us, though, or does the model look a bit alarmed? Anyway.) Available in green, purple, and black, from Macy’s, for $59. INC International Concepts Short-Sleeved Cowl-Neck Sweater

Some great deals to be had at Nordstrom, including new 40% markdowns on shoes.  Some suggested purchases…

Pour la Victoire 'Prudence' Pump, was $164 now $98

Rebecca Taylor Mini Tweed Pants, was $275 now $110

Belle by Sigerson Morrison '5364' Flat, Was $310 now $185

Save 40% or more on shoes. Shop NORDSTROM

For this week’s suit of the week, we’re loving BCBG’s menswear inspired tribute, the Nika suit. We lurve the fit, as well as the tiny details like the layered hem and collar (they’re different without being frou-frou, which is so necessary in a suit).  The Nika jacket is $318 in viscose and $338 in wool, and the Daria pant is $218.  (For some reason the website has the 2 jackets and matching pant in 3 different colors, none of which match — check your local BCBG store for the actual items.)

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We begin the week in splurge mode, with our most expensive suggestions, and wind our way to Friday, where a less expensive item of clothing might be just what you need to make it to the weekend.

We lurve this simple yet beautiful blouse — for wearing with high-waisted pants, or beneath suits, or, well, anything. Available in black and “Merlot” (pictured), from Nordstrom’s, for $158. BCBGMAXAZRIA Silk Leaf Trim Top

Originally uploaded by feastoffools

For us, make-up must walk a fine line — you want to look professional, you want to look pretty, you want to look well-rested — but you also want to get out of the house on time in the morning.  We have a post coming up in a bit about interview makeup — but for today:  what’s in your everyday make-up bag for the office?  Multiple choices are allowed.

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We begin the week in splurge mode, with our most expensive suggestions, and wind our way to Friday, where a less expensive item of clothing might be just what you need to make it to the weekend.

No one does prints quite like Diane von Furstenberg. They’re colorful and playful, yet sophisticated — and lux. Perfect for a pick-me-up as you’re getting dressed for a long day at the office. We’d wear this one under a black suit, or with gray trousers. Available at Saks for $198. Diane von Furstenberg Nadina Blouse

We realize interview week is over at some schools; for others they’re still to come. Still, callbacks will be going on well into September and October, so we thought we’d share some advice on interviewing. Photo at left by SOCIALisBETTER, courtesy of Flickr.

Interview Prep…

1. Make sure your resume is up to date and without typos. We recommend putting the “date printed” on your resume — it can just be a field in your footer. This is especially helpful when you make changes to your resume, or if you interview with firms multiple years.

2. Think about which of your personality traits to highlight. Try to recognize what it is about you that makes you a great catch for an employer. Are you creative, an outside-the-box thinker? A great manager? Someone who pulls teams together? These are the sorts of things that won’t appear on your resume and might not even come up through your references. Now, once you’ve identified those traits, sift through your experiences to find examples of those traits in action, because showing is always better than telling when it comes to these things. Armed with two or three stories, you’ll be all set to casually drop them in when you interview. It’s a great way to prepare for those questions you can’t prepare for — (”What does your resume not tell me?”) — and it’s a great way to sound intelligent and charming but not rehearsed.

3. Research, research, research. Google the firm or company. Know the web site backwards and forwards. If you’re interviewing with a law firm, search Westlaw for recent decisions (or briefs) that lawyers at the firm were involved with. Check Above The Law for scuttlebutt.

4. Work an inside connection. Peruse Linked In to see who you know. Figure out if anyone from your journal worked there last summer. Ask the Career Office if they know of any alums. Try to make a phone call or shoot an e-mail — if you know the person well it can be as simple as “I’ve got an interview this Monday with ____ — anything I should know?” We once advised a friend to mention a recent case during her interview and she got the job.

During the Interview…

5. Lean forward — it silently conveys your interest. Simultaneously, avoid crossing your arms (it makes you seem closed off) and keep your focus on the “triangle” of the person’s face formed by their eyes and mouth. Check out Lifehacker’s guide to other “conversation hacks.”

6. Focus on the conversation and be sure to answer the questions asked. Sometimes doing a little preparation work makes you overeager to answer questions a certain way — be sure you’re not making that mistake.

After the Interview…

7. Keep detailed notes of who you spoke to — and what you spoke about. We had a friend who, during her OCI week, kept a spreadsheet that included the firm’s name/website/telephone number, the date of the interview, the name of her interviewer, 3 brief pros and 3 cons about the firm (in case someone from the firm called she wanted to remember quickly), the date of her callback and any information about it (hotel/flight reservations, etc), the name of who she interviewed with on her callback, and her general impressions from walking around inside the firm on her callback.

8. Don’t pick up your telephone unless you know who’s calling. Of COURSE, firms aren’t fungible. But the distinctions between the firms tend to get a bit blurry after a you’ve interviewed with 15-20 of them. Our advice: let everything go to voicemail unless you know for sure who’s calling. This way you’ll absolutely be prepared to sound professional, intelligent, and 100% interested in the job.

9. Set up Google Alerts or Westlaw alerts if you’re interviewing for a legal job. If there’s a new development, you’ll want to hear about it, both to sound knowledgeable about the firm during your interview as well as to gauge your own interest in the firm.

10. Send professional thank you notes. Check and check again to be sure there are no typos in the letter! Be sure to mention the conversation you had (”It was great to hear more about X and Y”). If you interviewed with multiple people, it’s acceptable to send one thank-you note to just one of the people — either via the hiring office or to whichever (senior) interviewer you clicked with the best. For more advice on thank-you notes, check out this list of FAQs on Thank You Letters.

We also suggest you check out the Daily Lawyer’s interview tips. Have we left anything out? Comment away…

Liking this article?  Check out more like it in our Interviewing section — including posts such as:

- What to wear to your interview

- How to accessorize for your interview

- Our thoughts and suggestions on basic suits

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We begin the week in splurge mode, with our most expensive suggestions, and wind our way to Friday, where a less expensive item of clothing might be just what you need to make it to the weekend.

We’ve been eyeing these great Foley & Corinna totes since we first saw them a year or so ago at Barney’s. We love this one, with its snakeskin finish in “Midnight;” we think the size is perfect for those days when you only need to lug some paperwork to the office (or from it) — but not both. Available at Tobi for $458. Foley + Corinna Mid City Tote Bag

Liking these posts? Follow Corporette on Twitter — this is the edited version of what we’re reading! (We also Tweet if we hear about a good sale.)

- Ladies, toot your own horn — studies have shown that far too many career women work too hard and promote themselves too infrequently, meaning they work hard forever but never get ahead. [Jezebel, Downtown Women's Club DISH]

- Business schools are bummed that their ranks are only about 30% women — compared with 47% women in law school — and accordingly are trying innovative ways to get women in, like giving them seven years to finish an MBA and having early AM classes (as opposed to evening classes) in their part-time programs. Sounds great except the program is becoming known as “The Mommy MBA.” Hmmn. [WSJ] If you’re thinking an MBA might be for you, you might want to check out the Forte Foundation’s upcoming panels on what an MBA can do for you… [Forte Foundation via Lindsay Pollak]

- From Marie Claire: The Smart Girl’s Guide to Negotiating Anything. In addition to the stuff they list, we would also add: jewelry. (A friend of ours just got 19% off a Cartier watch she bought for herself!)

- 25 Painless Ways to Free Up an Hour to Pursue Your Goals. [Zen Habits]

- England trash-talks the idea of “fast fashion,” a la H&M, Forever 21, Target, and other places where clothes cost next to nothing — apparently the Bangladeshi women and children who make the clothes are underpaid, the fabrics are horrible for the environment, etc, etc. (Not to even get into the ethics of the knock-off!) [Jezebel]

- Makeup Loves Me reviews the Essie colors for fall (pictured at top). Is anyone else freaked out that it’s only August but feels like October already, weather-wise?

- Huh: What to do with those semi-dirty clothes. [Jeri's Organizing & Decluttering News]

- Are you bitter? And a lawyer? And perhaps bitter about becoming a lawyer? Check out Bitter Lawyer, a great new website on point. Our favorite section thus far is the interviews with ex-lawyers, although the columns are all great, as well. [Bitter Lawyer] (For more interviews but less snark, also check out JD Bliss.)