The first impression you make on a potential employer is incredibly meaningful and important. When you first meet, employers will form an assessment based on what you’re wearing and how you carry yourself. Regardless of the work environment, it’s important to dress professionally for a job interview. This will help guarantee that you make a great first impression.
In general, the candidate dressed in a suit and tie is going to make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in scruffy jeans and a t-shirt.
Here’s more on what to wear to an interview for professional, casual, and startup companies, when you want to make the best impression.
How to Dress for a Professional Interview
Men’s Interview Attire
For a professional interview, men can default to wearing a suit. All clothes should fit well and not have any stains. Here are the fundamental items a man wears during a professional interview:
- Suit (solid color – navy, black, or dark grey)
- Long sleeved shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
- Belt
- Tie
- Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
- Little or no jewelry
- Neat, professional hairstyle
- Limit the aftershave
- Neatly trimmed nails
- Portfolio or briefcase
Women’s Interview Attire
- In general, fashion for women is more complicated and varied, which makes assembling an interview outfit a bit more challenging for women than it is for men. For instance, for any job interview where a woman is wearing a dress or skirt, she needs to determine if she should wear pantyhose or if bare legs are acceptable. Women also need to consider interview accessories, and choose an appropriate purse.
- Here are the fundamental building blocks of what women should wear to professional interviews:
- Suit (navy, black, or dark grey) – make sure the suit’s skirt is long enough so you can sit down comfortably
- Coordinated blouse
- Conservative shoes
- Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
- No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
- Professional hairstyle
- Neutral pantyhose
- Light make-up and perfume
- Neatly manicured clean nails
- Portfolio or briefcase
Less Formal Interview Attire
When the workplace or the job is less formal, the dress code may be as well. If you’re not sure what to wear, it’s fine to check with the person scheduling the interview. However, it’s still important not to dress like a slob.