What to Wear to an InterviewApril 18th, 2007
A seemingly simple question, often overlooked until the morning of the big event, is deciding what to wear to an interview. It depends a lot on the industry, the city, the weather and your style.
Despite these many variables, we have prepared six great tips to help you decide.
Six Great Tips for Deciding What to Wear to an Interview.
1) Do not wait until the day of the interview to decide on what to wear. Procrastination will create undue anxiety and leave you distracted, increasingly likely to over think this decision. Try to set your clothes aside the day before, or even better, two days before in case you need to get anything dry cleaned. If you are buying something new for your interview(s), make sure that you remove tags, un-stitch the pockets and have it properly tailored.
2) Know the industry standard. Is your field creative and casual? Professional and put together? Rough and rugged? Most likely it is somewhere in between. If you walk into a law firm in your latest fashion t-shirt and fancy jeans, you will not be taking seriously. On the other hand, if you wear a plain dark suit to a bootstrapped Internet start-up, you probably will not be trusted. If you don’t know the industry standard or do not have clothes on hand that meet that standard, err on the side of more conservative. Solid colors, limited patterns, limited jewelry, and very little skin shown. If you are put together, pressed and prepared, any lack of a suit coat or open toe shoe might not matter.
3) Coordinate as best you can. This is why planning ahead is ideal - visualize you shirt, shoes, socks, pants or skirt, and accessories - including your briefcase - to make sure that nothing stands out. Avoiding bright colors and patterns and sticking to solids is the safest bet.
4) Be comfortable. If it has been a while since you last wore an item and it does not quite fit, an interview is not the time to squeeze in. Ladies, avoid heels that you can not walk in or shoes that are physically painful. Gents, make sure your pants fit and your neck is not too tight. If you are not comfortable, you will be more likely to fidget and look agitated.
5) Set expectations. Do not feel the need to parade around in designer labels if that is not what is really in your closet. If you are a creative, stylish type, do not suppress your personality entirely. Let it show without going overboard. Be respectably dressed and confident in the clothes you own. Feel free to let them reflect your personality.
6) Remember that they are interviewing you for your skill set, not your fashion sense (unless of course, fashion is your industry!) Your goal is not to “wow” them with style, it is to not “offend” them in any way. Playing it safe on the interview and your first few days of work allow you to gauge the office standard before venturing into any questionable attire. Once you land this great job, talk with HR or read the employee manual for any expected dress code.
Bonus Tip
7) Your mother was probably right — you do need a hair cut. 
Have any more great tips to share? Advice from previous experiences?
Share your thoughts in our comments!
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Shine your shoes!
April 18th, 2007 at 10:58 am
I really like tip number 6. Classic style never goes out of fashion.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Ladies- Make sure the heels of your shoes are not scuffed,torn or scratched. Its says volumnes about your attention to detail.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Here’s a question. What about facial hair - I mean if it happens to be really thin and tidy? I happen to have a thin razor-like line beard. Am I pushing it, or should I be clean-shaven and homogenous like every other “candidate?” By the way ladies… I am HIGHLY sexual..rrrrrr.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
One more tip is not to wear brand new clothes, as the wearer would be very conscious of the same and also the new clothes most likely would be pinching.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:17 am
My grandmother (an artist) always said to wear red on a interview because that color is unforgetable. I’m not talking head to toe here, just something like a normal red tie.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:05 am
For guys, make sure to keep both your hair and nails well groomed. A clean shave is best, but if not, trim facial hair well!
April 19th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Men, Go for the extra personal grooming.
1) Trim the nose hairs, ear hairs, unibrow whatever.
2) Shave the night before, or early in the a.m. if you are worried about cutting yourself and bleeding on your crisp white shirt. I use a trusted chemical dipilatory. (Magic Shave)
3) Spend the $20 on a manicure, even if it’s just a routine job.
4) Use cologne very sparingly, citrus based (like Cool Water) not musk (Obsession or Lagerfeld). This is a job not a date. You want to be bright not smoldering.
Most of my interviews are with panels of people, those who think the above is important will notice and appreciate that stuff (especially women). Those who don’t think it’s important won’t even notice it. Either way you win with more confidence.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Also carry one of those shoe shine sponges in your car. Give them the once over when you get to the place of your interview.
Spray a little Binaca, or chew some Sen-Sen.
And give them your best handshake, don’t crush but be firm.
April 19th, 2007 at 10:01 am
I always tell my candidates - new haircut, new suit, shined shoes!
April 19th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
And whatever you do…do NOT wear white gym socks with a business suit.
April 23rd, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Always better to be over dressed than under dressed. No matter how informal it sounds like it might be, a suit on Friday looks like you care and are taking it seriously. I had two interviews on a hot summer Friday — one in a suit, one in what could be interpreted as casual beach-wear. Guess which interview resulted in a follow up?
July 13th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
DO NOT FORGET TO SHAVE YOUR LEGS!!!
October 17th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I’m struggling with the question of suiting for women. I am comfortable in skirt suits; I have an upcoming interview in the higher ed setting of a top-ranked college. I have a sharp black skirt which I need to pair with just the right jacket. I’ve found a lovely structured jacket that fits beautifully, but … it’s RED. And while there is a previous post indicating that it’s ok to wear red, I come from an era in which we were instructed (and further instructed) candidates to steer away from red. It was deemed as a “power color” that one should steer completely clear of. I am confident in my ability to successfully execute the duties and responsibilities required for this position but I am truly hung up on this question about the appropriateness of wearing a red suit jacket to an interview. I’d welcome your input (…the interview date rapidly approaches).
Many thanks!
Lynne
December 13th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Thought I would let you know I wore a bright red shirt & black suit to a job fair interview,the interviewer informed me that they would only take resume’s that had at least one year experiance ,which I had none.Well after looking over my resume he asked me why I was the only guy out of about 500 guys to wear a suit to a mining job fair ,so I said “You don’t get a 2nd chance at a 1st impresion”.He said liked the red shirt and my answer that he would take my resume anyway and see what he could do.Well that was a month ago and on Xmas Eve I got a call that they want too do a behavioral phone interview so i guess my red shirt and good answer paid off.Hope this helps. Gord
December 28th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
I understand that many fear the color red, well if you are going to a power job.. sometimes some flare can make you stand out. I think that a tastful deep read color can and has for me get you a job. It depends on the job, and it depends on how you carry yourself. I am person with a lot of life and the suit color matches me. When I wore the RED I got the job. (OH I had red shoes too… will the GODS of inteviews get me?)
January 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm