Over the last few years there has been a real shift in the way we work. Many people work from home with meetings and interviews being carried out on Zoom or Teams or some similar virtual platform. The dress attire is usually whatever you pull out of the drawer. Office suits have been replaced by T-shirts and polo shirts and the attitude to what we wear has become significantly more relaxed however, don’t get complacent. This doesn’t apply to job interviews. While many first round interviews still take place online, what you wear is still key to whether you will make it past the first round! We answer the question “what should I wear for a job interview?”
First impressions count
Remember the old adage “dress for the job you want, not the job you have got”. You should always dress to impress, especially when making a first impression. How you come across at interview isn’t just about the questions you answer and the experience you have but also how you present yourself. Even for an internal promotion, it is still important to make the effort to impress, especially when you don’t the type of candidate you are up against. Treat every interview as your first impression and make the effort when it comes to appearance.
Be mindful that among the list of top mistakes people make at interview – dressing inappropriately is one of them.
Who is carrying out the interviews?
When going through the interview rounds you are likely to meet many different people. Your first may be with a recruiter, the second with a member of the management team and your final with senior management or even board members. Your first interview may well be an online conversation. Don’t be fooled by the casual approach of the first interview. They are all equally important. Recruiters aren’t just looking at whether you can do the job but how you will represent the company. What will senior management think of you, how will you be perceived by customers? Are you the person that is best to portray the image of the company?
What you should wear for an interview
Let’s start with what you shouldn’t wear. Don’t wear polo shirts, jeans, T-shirts and sweaters. They look like you don’t care – even if you really do. Equally you don’t need to wear a three piece suit with a bow tie to impress.
And on to the answer to ‘what should I wear for an interview?’
Ideally choose a single breasted jacket and smart trousers – they don’t have to match but if you want a safe bet a two piece suit is a wise choice. Wear a collared shirt. Even if you don’t have the collar done up with a tie, a collared shirt and a suit make a good impression. Choose a fairly neutral shirt – white, light blue etc. avoid garish colours.
If you are going to wear a tie keep it simple. Loud ties may exude personality but they aren’t to everyone’s taste. Finally consider the shoes – don’t be tempted by the trendy white pumps you see and think it looks cool – cool won’t get you the job. Stick with traditional black or brown polished shoes for the right impression. Remember you are often going to meet several people as part of the process. Even if you are having an online interview – opt for a collared shirt.
Look good – feel good
You may hear stories of people who dress for business on the top half that will be seen on camera but that wear a pair of sweat pants on the bottom. Don’t be tempted to do this. How you dress will reflect in how you feel. If you look good, you will feel good. Dress as if you are having a face to face interview. Brush your hair, pay attention to detail and if your home office background is a mess, choose a green screen on whichever virtual platform you are using.
If you are asking the question “what should i wear for an interview”?, fear not as we are here to help. Not only do we stock a wide range of suits, shirts, ties and accessories, we also have extensive experience of dressing people to get the job. Book an appointment and come and have a friendly chat with us. Let us help you get that job in 2023.
