Not everyone knows what to wear to a job interview.
Yeah, the traditional suit should still work, but in today’s wacky world of “business casual” or “jeans Fridays”, the potential job seeker sometimes chooses the wrong outfits to appear at the potential future office with.
The good interviewer will share what the usual “around the office” dress code is, but that doesn’t mean that the applicant should show up in the same type of clothes in order to fit in. You don’t have the job yet, Bucko, so leave the flip-flops at home. Flip-flops don’t belong in the office anyway.
So what should the applicant wear? Well, you can never go wrong with a suit — unless you know ahead of time that the office is a bit more casual, in which case go with some nice slacks and dress shirt (but lose the tie).
Want some more specific advice? Take a look at this list of THINGS YOU SHOULD WEAR (OR NOT) TO A JOB INTERVIEW:
MEN:
- A two-piece suit, in a conservative dark color
- Starched white dress shirt (it matches everything! You should have a few of these in your closet ready to go anyway)
- A nice tie. Splurge a little bit, it’ll be worth it. You can use the tie to add a little color or personality to your suit, but don’t go crazy. One suggestion in the above link is not to wear a tie with a cartoon character on it. Web Watch will agree with not wearing one on the job interview — but if you’re working at a place where cartoon characters are common, such as an elementary school or children’s hospital… then go for it (but only after you get the job).
WOMEN:
- A two-piece suit, either slacks or a skirt. And if it’s a skirt, make sure it’s long enough to not give someone a heart attack when you sit down… if you know what we mean.
- As little cleavage as possible. Unless the job you’re applying for requires it… in which case it’s probably not a job that has an dress code of any sort whatsoever
- And leave the major jewelry at home. You don’t want to be jingle-jangly throughout your interview, do you? Keep it simple.
Surprisingly, the linked list of “to do” items says that “clean nails are a must”. Web Watch is scared to think about what’s going on with today’s youth that this has to be spelled out. It should be something that comes second-nature to any job applicant.