Why is Dressing for the
Interview so Important?
Prospective employers make assumptions about your character, intelligence and ability to do the job based on your appearance. Unfair, but true! You never get a second chance to make a positive first impression. If the interviewer likes the way you look it will set the stage for believing that you will excel in other areas. The interviewer will spend the rest of the interview trying to confirm his/her initial positive impression.
Quality doesn't cost, it pays! By dressing for success you will let those you meet, and ultimately work with, know that you are ready to succeed. You will be giving yourself that same non-verbal message.
Personal Style – Is It Worth the Risk?As a new college graduate, this likely is your first professional job search. You may not understand how important projecting a professional image truly is in the selection process. You take a big risk if you choose to dress in a distinctive style that may have been appropriate in college, but now may be viewed as anti-authority or inappropriate or just plain poor taste. If your personal style is highly unconventional—and very important to you—you will have to weigh the risk of flaunting your personal style in the interview. Doing so may cost you an important job offer.
A better approach would be to follow the advise given here when you dress for interviews. After you are on the job and have proven your worth, you may be able to determine how much of your distinctive personal style you can get away with in the workplace without harming promotional opportunities.
How to Dress for Interviews – Women
Suits
- A suit makes the most powerful statement. If you choose a dress and jacket, remember that is a softer look. For an authoritative, professional look, choose a conservative business suit with a skirt just covering the knee or at mid-calf if you are tall enough to carry the longer length well.
- Fabric – Your goal
should be to find a fabric that looks like it is made from natural
fiber, or that is an appropriate natural fiber, so it will look fresh
and unwrinkled throughout a day of interviewing.
100% worsted wool will give you the best look and durability. It is a natural fiber so it breathes, feels comfortable and travels well. The right blend of wool and synthetic also holds its shape well. Wool blended with synthetic, a silk suit, or a linen-like fabric for summer are other options.
Squeeze the sleeve and skirt in your hand to see how the fabric springs back into shape before you make a purchase. Look for suits that are fully lined to increase durability and reduce wrinkling. - Color – The most
conservative colors are medium to charcoal gray and a shade of medium
blue to deep navy. Black is more formal, can convey too much
authority and is harder for many people to carry off as it tends to
drain color from the face. Dark solid colors carry more
authority, but you do not always need to convey the strongest
authority in an interview. Fine muted stripes also are
considered conservative.
Women have more latitude in the colors they may choose depending on the type of organization they are interviewing with. Muted/grayed or darkened shades plum, burgundy, taupe, forest green or teal may be possibilities. Camel, beige or light taupe convey a professional, conservative image when you don't want to wear the most powerful colors. Red is considered by many to be too aggressive. Know what successful professional women wear in the organization you hope to join. Consider the organization, the person(s) conducting the interview and the position for which you will interview. Then choose the image you believe will covey the non-verbal message that you are the right fit. If you only can afford one suit, choose a conservative color. Choose solid colored blouses or a good neutral in your most flattering shades or tints. Small even prints may work too.
Business Casual
- If an interviewer suggests that you dress casually for the interview, ask what business casual means in their organization. It can vary with part of the country, season of the year and the industry. You don't want to show up in a 3-piece suit if the interviewer asks you to dress casually. You also do not want to arrive dressed inappropriately for the interview. You won't know for sure unless you ask.