What to Wear to a Job Interview

It’s the night before your dream interview and you are getting ready. You’ve researched the job and the company, you have directions to the interview, and now it is time to pick your outfit. First general rule of thumb: always dress one step above of what people wear to work at that company.

The culture of that particular industry is a major factor when you make interview wardrobe decision. For example, you would dress more formally and conservatively for jobs in the law and finance industries than for software and creative jobs. Here are some additional rules for dressing for an interview:

Men: You seemingly have it easy. A good starting point is a collared shirt, dress pants in black, blue or tan, and a pair of nice shoes. Then, depending on what industry you are going into, you either tune it up or down accordingly. Consider following these tips on how to dress to impress:

• Professional looking ties if you decide to wear one. Don’t wear a crazy tie with flamingos or reindeer. Keep it toned down for the interview process. You can flaunt your eclectic tie collection when you work there.
• Your socks should match either your shoes or pants.  Don’t wear white socks with dark shoes –not cool!
• Comb your hair – The “just woke up look” or “beach hair” is not good for an interview.
• Make sure your shoes are shined and not scuffed.
• Your shirt should be ironed and tucked in.
• Don’t forget your belt.

Women: It’s a little more complicated for women when it comes to dressing for the interview. Women have the options of skirts, dresses, pants, heels, flats, etc. With so many options it’s better to play it safe by following the following suggestions:

• If you wear a dress or a skirt, make sure you wear tights or stockings.
• Conservative clothing is always the safer choice for an interview.  Clothing that is too tight or revealing is a no-no
• Make sure your jewelry is conservative and not distracting.
• Avoid strong perfume.
• If you have long hair and/or bangs, have your hair up and your bangs out of our face.  This way you are not tempted to play with it or “flip” it out of your face.

For both genders, dress in clothing that is professional, appropriate for the job, and comfortable! You want the interviewers to focus on you, not your clothing.