After days, weeks, months? of searching for a job, you finally have your big break. The company of your dreams has finally invited you for an interview, and the last thing you want to do is to mess this up. Dressing the part is the first step in getting onto the good graces of your interviewer, so I'll attempt to give you tips on dressing for a job interview.
-Dress in a manner that is professionally acceptable to the position for which you are applying. This almost always means putting on a suit. It is never acceptable to be under-dressed for a job interview, notwithstanding the dress code of the company.
-One phrase - Suit up! You MUST wear a suit to any job interview. “Suit” means the whole works: a dark-coloured matching suit jacket and trousers, light coloured dress shirt, tie, appropriate socks and dress shoes.
Your suit must be comfortable and fit you well so there's no squirming around, trying to adjust yourself during your interview. If you're trying to fit into the suit you wore to your high school prom when you were 18, maybe it's time to invest in a new suit. You have to be 100% comfortable, as the last thing you want to be battling with during your interview is your awkward looking tie, or the way your shoes seem to want to chop your feet off.
-Avoid shiny colours and loud ties.
-Dress in a manner that is professionally acceptable to the position for which you are applying. This almost always means putting on a suit. It is never acceptable to be under-dressed for a job interview, notwithstanding the dress code of the company.
-One phrase - Suit up! You MUST wear a suit to any job interview. “Suit” means the whole works: a dark-coloured matching suit jacket and trousers, light coloured dress shirt, tie, appropriate socks and dress shoes.
Your suit must be comfortable and fit you well so there's no squirming around, trying to adjust yourself during your interview. If you're trying to fit into the suit you wore to your high school prom when you were 18, maybe it's time to invest in a new suit. You have to be 100% comfortable, as the last thing you want to be battling with during your interview is your awkward looking tie, or the way your shoes seem to want to chop your feet off.
-Avoid shiny colours and loud ties.
-Your clothing should be neat, clean, and properly ironed. Borrow a pressing iron from a friend if you do not have one (remember to return, in case of next time), or go see a drycleaner near you.
-Do wear deodorant, DON'T wear cologne or aftershave, in order not to smell overpowering to your interviewer or worse still, cause an allergic reaction.
-Get your breath to be fresh and minty. Brush carefully before you leave for the interview, and DO NOT eat before the interview. DO NOT smoke right before an interview too.
-Brush your hair neatly and conservatively. If you have on a faux hawk and other stylish hairstyles, try to make it as responsible as possible. The trick here is to look mature and responsible.
For a second interview, it may be acceptable to dress casually, but you must still dress professionally. 'Too dressed' is much better than 'casually dressed'. A good rule of thumb is to dress like the boss.
-Shoes should match with the belt, and should be well-polished, without fringes and should not be scuffed or looking rough. If in doubt, ask the salesperson at the shoe store for advice.
-Check your facial hair. Shave on the morning of the interview, even if you're not scheduled to on that day. Full beards and moustaches should be trimmed to look as neat as possible.
All these rules may seem too much to follow when going for an interview, but these are the generally acceptable guidelines. Employers like to know that they are employing mature and respectable people, and dressing the part is a good way to get them thinking on that level about you. You do not have to dress like this everyday, but you are more likely to be seen as a professional if you do.
