Dressed for the occasion
Dear e-COACH,
I am looking for a job and wondering, now that things are more casual in the workplace, what is an appropriate look for interviews? I am female and work in the purchasing field.
Dear Job Seeker,
I get asked this question a lot these days. Despite more informal work environments, it is still best to dress "up" for a first interview. As a female, that means wearing a blazer with skirt / slacks, or a suit, with a quality blouse or shell. It means shoes are polished, and have a closed toe and a modest heel. Your hair is clean, combed and if coloured, your roots done. If your hair is past your shoulders, tie it back. Don't wear rings on every finger or other excessive jewelry - it looks low class.
Make sure your nail polish, if worn, is not chipped and that your nails are not too long. I believe that a bit of make up (mascara, lipstick) gives a more polished look. However if you never wear make up then no need to. Wear little or no perfume (some people are allergic) and don't eat garlic before the interview. If you smoke, try not to after you've showered and definitely not on the way to the interview - unless you want me to remember you by the smell in my office for the rest of the day.
For a second interview, if (and only if) the office was casual, you could dress down by wearing chinos or dress pants with a sweater set or vest and blouse. Under no circumstances would you wear jeans, shorts, running shoes, low rise pants with your navel showing, tank tops, or sandals, in my opinion. Wear good quality clothes that are cleaned and pressed.
Now for the men. Wear a suit, shirt and tie, and black shined shoes. Period. That is the uniform for a first interview, unless you are applying for a non-office position. The suit should be grey, black or navy. While women have a lot more alternatives when it comes to colours, in my opinion men look silly in suits that are too light, brightly coloured or wildly patterned.
As a second option you could wear a blazer and dress pants but be warned – do not wear a jacket from one suit with the pants from another. Why? Because it looks exactly like you're wearing the jacket from one suit with the pants from another.
Blazers are usually textured and tailored in such a way that they have a different look. Make sure your blazer or jacket fits you. Many men wear jackets that are too short or too small. This gives you a cheap or outdated look and can emphasize any weight gain.
Get your suits dry cleaned. Failing to do that regularly, creates a slight odour that is detectable by people like me with good noses. Have your hair trimmed and don't use a lot of greasy-looking product. If you are gray-haired, consider not dying your hair all over - it looks so, well…dyed! Better to just soften the gray with one of the "for men" products. If you are thinning on top, for goodness sake, don't do the "comb over." Trust me, it really doesn't make you look like you have more hair. The less hair you have, the shorter it should be - including the top. As with the women, be cautious about jewelry, cologne, garlic and smoking.
For a second interview at a casual office, you could lose the tie, or the jacket or both, depending on the level of informality that you observed there. Another option is that you could wear chinos and a vest with your shirt. The same rules as above apply about jeans, shorts, running shoes, sandals and tank tops - avoid them. Another point for men is to consider whether you need to wear your earring(s) to the interview. Many of us older folks still consider that an unacceptable look, especially for management and sales positions.
These are some general guidelines that you may customize to suit your own style, career and situation. For most business interviews it's best to err on the side of the conservative. Boring but true.
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