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Job interviews can make you excited and anxious at the same time – excited because you are closer than ever to landing your dream job and anxious because you know you have to do well. Interestingly, a successful job interview depends on several factors. While people tend to focus on what to say and answering the questions from their potential employers, they forget another crucial aspect – their appearance.
What you wear to a job interview is half the battle. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is such a relevant adage in this context. Your appearance counts as much as your responses during a job interview. So, while putting in the work to familiarize yourself with your potential new employers, you must dedicate efforts towards appearing nice and professional on the D-day.
Not sure how to look or what to wear for your job interview? We got you! Read on for some excellent hacks on how to pick the perfect job interview outfit.
What should you wear to an interview?
The first step in deciding what to wear is to understand the company’s culture you are interviewing at. The work settings often determine the outfit theme in a company. That is why startups and tech companies mostly have their staff dressed in casual wear while corporate entities like banks and insurance companies prefer their staff dressed in suits or shirts and ties.
Once you have done your research about your potential employers, it will guide your outfit choices for the interview. For instance, if you are interviewing at a company where the employers are always in a suit, you shouldn’t show up at your interview in jeans and a t-shirt. Overall, you should aim to match or be slightly dressier than the conventional work outfit of the company.
Now that you have chosen the right outfit based on the company’s dress code, the next is to give off great energy. Here are some tips to help in that regard:
- Ensure your clothes are neatly ironed and pressed. You may need to pay a professional to have it dry-cleaned. Do not worry; it is a worthy investment.
- Check and ensure your clothes fit properly. For example, you don’t want to end up with pants or sleeves that are too short, long, or tight.
- Get your hair right – conservative hairstyles always do the job. For men, your facial hair should be shaved to a minimum.
- Go for the proper shoes. Women may choose from pumps, dressy loafers, or flats, while men are better off with the dark color traditional style dress shoes. If you are wearing a pant outfit, get the color matching right with your belt and shoes.
What should you not wear to an interview?
To balance things up, here are a few things you must avoid when picking a job interview outfit;
- Avoid open-toed sandals or flip-flops.
- Avoid tank tops or shirts with thin straps.
- Do not choose underwear that sticks out from your clothing.
- Avoid dresses or skirts that are too short.
- Avoid strong cologne or perfume. Strong scents cause distractions.
- Watch your jewelry choices – less is more in this case.
Dress Rehearsal
After you have applied all of these dos’ and don’ts, you should try your complete outfit. This is called a dress rehearsal, and it is best done a few days before your interview. You can invite a friend over and do a mock interview with your chosen interview outfit. This gives you the fit and feels you will have on the interview day and helps you get accustomed to it. With another set of eyes, you can also pick out any damage or dent on the dress, including holes, stains, or wrinkles. If there is anything that needs to change, do it immediately before the day of the interview.
In Conclusion
Job interview outfits are either a miss or a hit. But with the steps provided in this article, you have all it takes to be appropriately dressed and make a good impression at your interview. For more professional help on preparing for and acing interviews, check out our interview section.
At Flexible Staffing, we are committed to making your employee experience a smooth and fulfilling one.
