A common question is ‘what should I wear for a job interview?’ Surprisingly, responses to this question vary.
When I told a colleague that I had heard you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have, she laughed and responded ‘so I should dress in a fireman’s outfit?!’ Point taken.
Jokes aside, my three top tips for what to wear for an interview are:
Dress professionally
How you present in an interview is you putting your best foot forward. You need to have made an effort and to show how important this is to you. When I interview people, I think to myself ‘this is their best effort.’ Your attire at an interview reflects how you will present for work—except you will not put this much effort into your everyday outfits.
I believe in dressing quite formally for an interview, regardless of the level of role or type of position. Other people believe in guessing what might be the acceptable attire in the place of work and dressing similarly. For example, in a design studio, there may be a more relaxed dress code and people sometimes feel comfortable to ‘dress down’.
I suggest that men should always wear suit pants and a formal shirt as a minimum. They don’t need to wear a tie or suit jacket, but their shirt must be a formal shirt. For higher level roles, a suit jacket is essential.
Women can wear a suit, a professional dress, a professional skirt and blouse or crisp shirt. Google ‘what to wear for an interview’ images and you can see the sorts of recommended attire.
Regardless of how formally you are dressed, you should look professional. I suggest wearing toned-down colours—now is not the time to display your fashionable peacock dress. Bright colours, gaping shirts, drycleaning tags, ill-fitting clothes—I have seen it all and it creates a lasting impression—although not the impression you want to create!
So, dress professionally and put your best foot forward.
Ensure your clothes and accessories do not distract the interviewers
A key point about your attire is that you do not want the interviewer or interview panel focused on your outfit. You want them focused on you and what you are saying.
Outlandish outfits will not win you a job. I recall conducting graduate assessment centres around Australia and some of the outfits were totally inappropriate. This was for a very serious government organisation. One girl I recall wore slouchy boots and a short mini skirt and a green t-shirt. That’s all I can remember of her. A manager of mine interviewed a lady who had a different nail polish colour on every nail. This was incredibly distracting.
Make sure you look in the mirror—or better yet ask a family member to have a quick look at you. I have interviewed a young graduate who had the drycleaning tags on the outside of her outfit.
Ensure you look professional with no distractions and keep those interviewers focused on what you have to say.
Be confident
Finally, confidence is key. Wear clothes that fit you well and that are comfortable. You don’t want to be uncomfortable in the interview and thinking about your clothes. If you are distracted, you may look as if you lack confidence.
Once you are dressed and happy with your outfit, do not think about your clothes anymore. Be confident in your outfit and don’t give it another thought!
So, to give yourself the best chance at an interview:
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