What to Wear to an Interview

A seemingly simple question, often overlooked until the morning of the big event, is deciding what to wear to an interview. It depends a lot on the industry, the city, the weather and your style.

Despite these many variables, we have prepared six great tips to help you decide.

Six Great Tips for Deciding What to Wear to an Interview.

1) Do not wait until the day of the interview to decide on what to wear. Procrastination will create undue anxiety and leave you distracted, increasingly likely to over think this decision. Try to set your clothes aside the day before, or even better, two days before in case you need to get anything dry cleaned. If you are buying something new for your interview(s), make sure that you remove tags, un-stitch the pockets and have it properly tailored.

2) Know the industry standard. Is your field creative and casual? Professional and put together? Rough and rugged? Most likely it is somewhere in between. If you walk into a law firm in your latest fashion t-shirt and fancy jeans, you will not be taking seriously. On the other hand, if you wear a plain dark suit to a bootstrapped Internet start-up, you probably will not be trusted. If you don't know the industry standard or do not have clothes on hand that meet that standard, err on the side of more conservative. Solid colors, limited patterns, limited jewelry, and very little skin shown. If you are put together, pressed and prepared, any lack of a suit coat or open toe shoe might not matter.

3) Coordinate as best you can. This is why planning ahead is ideal - visualize you shirt, shoes, socks, pants or skirt, and accessories - including your briefcase - to make sure that nothing stands out. Avoiding bright colors and patterns and sticking to solids is the safest bet.

4) Be comfortable. If it has been a while since you last wore an item and it does not quite fit, an interview is not the time to squeeze in. Ladies, avoid heels that you can not walk in or shoes that are physically painful. Gents, make sure your pants fit and your neck is not too tight. If you are not comfortable, you will be more likely to fidget and look agitated.

5) Set expectations. Do not feel the need to parade around in designer labels if that is not what is really in your closet. If you are a creative, stylish type, do not suppress your personality entirely. Let it show without going overboard. Be respectably dressed and confident in the clothes you own. Feel free to let them reflect your personality.

6) Remember that they are interviewing you for your skill set, not your fashion sense (unless of course, fashion is your industry!) Your goal is not to "wow" them with style, it is to not "offend" them in any way. Playing it safe on the interview and your first few days of work allow you to gauge the office standard before venturing into any questionable attire. Once you land this great job, talk with HR or read the employee manual for any expected dress code.

Bonus Tip
7) Your mother was probably right -- you do need a hair cut. ;)

Have any more great tips to share? Advice from previous experiences?

Share your thoughts in our comments!

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