Interview Attire 

If you have never been to an interview before, interview attire is a popular question.  A thousand questions are going through your mind including What should I wear? and what should I not?  The good news is learning what to wear is relatively easy.  Here, are our tips on what you should wear to ensure your clothes don’t knock you out of the running.

1.     Conservative is always in.  Although companies are becoming more and more relaxed in their dress code, you should always err on the side of caution here at the interview.  Dress conservatively for the interview.  As you start working, you can adjust accordingly.

2.     Wear a basic suit. For gentlemen, this means wearing a dark colored suit. A navy blue coat or dark colored coat will be fine.  Dress shirts should be light blue or white.  Ties should be nothing flashy and, it is best to stick with ones that will not stand out.  If it is the summer, grey suits or lighter colored suits are acceptable as well.  For ladies, this means wearing darker colored clothes.  Pant suits are a popular option.  Avoid any sundresses or outfits that draw attention to your body.

3.     Wear conservative jewelry. Men and women should wear conservative watches and other pieces of jewelry.  Once you get the job, there will be plenty of time to bring out fancy jewelry.    

4.     Avoid flashy clothes.  In the first point, I mentioned dressing conservatively.  This is so you do not draw negative attention to yourself.  If you dress too flashy, the interviewer could believe that you are more flash than substance.  By dressing conservatively, you give off the right impression that you are serious about the job and recognize that you are not the boss yet.

5.     Bring a back up.  Interviews are stressful time for even the most prepared candidates.  For this reason, it is a good idea to bring an extra suit with you to the interview.  You never know when you might spill a drink or even sweat through clothes on a long drive to the interview.  This extra security blanket will make you feel more comfortable in knowing that you have planned for this possibility.

By using these tips, you can relax your mind concerning questions about interview attire.   After a few rounds of interviews, you will be an old pro and wonder why you ever even worried about this area at all.

*To get some specifics on how to prepare for an interview, take a look at preparing for a job interview.