So you’ve nailed that job interview and have been prepping yourself for those intensive questions for a week now. Great! …but you still haven’t decided what to wear…
Appropriate job interview attire will largely depend on the industry and specific company who are interviewing you, the geographic location of it and the time of year it will take place. However, there are some general rules that should be followed regardless of these factors. Here are some dos and don’ts for choosing that all-important outfit.
DO play it safe when it doubt
Generally for pretty much all job interviews, you can’t really go wrong with a suit in a conservative colour (black, grey, navy etc) that’s paired with a shirt in a light, solid colour (white or pastels etc). If you are really unsure what to go for, this option is always a safe bet. Just ensure that your suit is tailored well and that your shirt isn’t too tight and you’ll be fine.
DON’T be afraid to opt for a smart casual version of a classic
Especially during the spring or summer, and in certain industries where wearing a suit or standard uniform every day isn’t the norm, opting for a smart yet slightly more casual version of the above option is a good idea. This could be the difference of swapping a blazer for a cardigan or swapping a skirt for a pretty blouse instead. You can find lots of ideal blouses from Eterna on Peter Hahn’s site, for example, too.
DO go for a little detail
It doesn’t all have to be block colours and simple fabrics. Adding a little detail can go a long way in showing who you are, and even in some cases, what your interests and passions are. Keep things like jewellery and perfume minimal, yet do include them, as it also gives the interviewer something to remember you by, too.
DON’T overdo it
You’ll want your minimal jewellery to just be another element of your appearance and personality – you won’t want to jingle and sparkle as you walk through the door, and you won’t want to give the interviewer an asthma attack due to your overkill of perfume. Keep your makeup natural and professional too; using neutral tones. Avoid things like sparkly eye shadow and red lipstick.
DO your research
It’s always a good idea to do as much research on the company as possible obviously, but this can also include looking into what their employees wear day by day, or at least where they spend most of their time, as this will give you a pretty good idea of the dress code, too.
DON’T forget to show a bit of your personality
What you wear is a huge tool in terms of giving people an insight into your personality, so think about elements of it that you’d like to show. What colours you opt for will be a big tool when showing your personality via your clothing in your job interview. There’s a really interesting article on that subject here.