Job interviews are all about making a good first impression, and nothing makes or breaks a first impression like how you're dressed. When a potential employer invites you to an interview, you should immediately start thinking about what to wear - what is the right outfit for this interview?
To some extent, of course, the answer to that question will depend on what sort of job you're interviewing for, but it's always important to look neat and professional. Even if you're hoping to land a role at a trendy tech start-up where all the employees wear T-shirts and jeans, it pays to look smart for the interview.
With that in mind, here - courtesy of the team here at Hyper Recruitment Solutions - are some top tips to help you get dressed for that career-making job interview:
- First of all, be prepared. Don't wait until the day of the interview to select your outfit (especially if you're indecisive - showing up late won't look good regardless of what you're wearing!). Pick your clothes a few days in advance, and get them out of wardrobe to check that they're clean and crease-free. Leave yourself plenty of time to do laundry and ironing, just in case.
- Don't dress too outrageously. Novelty ties, plunging necklines, garishly bright colours...a good interview outfit avoids all of these things. You want the interviewer to remember you for your articulate and intelligent answers, not for your red polka-dot shirt or your skimpy dress.
- Be moderate with make-up, jewellery and scents. A drop of cologne or a touch of make-up? No problem. But you're not going on a date or hitting the clubs - you're applying for a job, so there's no need to do yourself up too extravagantly.
- You're not there to show off your fashion sense. By all means wear nice, modern-looking clothes - you don't want to look like you've stepped through a portal from the 1970s. But unless you're interviewing for a post at some glossy magazine, your clothes shouldn't be trying to persuade the interviewer of your smashing fashion sense. Make a good impression by looking tidy and together, not by dressing for the catwalk.
- Check your hair. Like clothing, hair can have a very powerful impact on what people think when they meet you for the first time. Your hairdo should be as neat and tidy as your outfit, so spend a little time sorting it out before you set off for the interview (and don't be afraid to go for a trim if you need it).
- It's better to be overdressed than underdressed. It's an enormously clichéd piece of advice to offer, but 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have' is a good saying to bear in mind when pondering what to wear to a job interview. Most employers will expect interviewees to look reasonably smart even if they allow their employees to dress casually, and if in doubt, it's always safer to dress formally. In the vast majority of cases, business attire will make a far better impression than the clothes you wear around the house.
If you need more interview preparation tips, be sure to visit our Interview Advice page!
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