What to Wear...
It takes only a few seconds for someone to form a whole list of impressions you during a job interview. Make sure your physical appearance isn’t the one thing that has a recruiter thinking, “This person is not for us.”
We recommend students dress as professionally as possible for interviews. It’s better to be a bit overdressed than to be underdressed and to therefore come off as unprofessional.
A few general rules regarding interview attire:
- When in doubt, always go the conservative route. You want YOU to stand out, not the clothing, jewelry or makeup you wear.
- Ensure you’re well-groomed before an interview. This means having clean and manicuring your nails, showering, wearing deodorant/anti-perspirant, brushing your teeth and neatly styling your hair.
- Whether male or female, your jewelry should be understated and should complement your outfit. Men should stick to no more than a wedding band and a watch, while women should choose conservative jewelry.
- Bring a briefcase, portfolio or simple tote bag to carry your work samples, a notepad, pens, research materials, etc.
Interview Attire Tips for Men and Women:
- Well-tailored, clean, pressed suit in conservative shades, such as navy blue, gray or brown.
- Pressed white or light-colored, long-sleeved shirt underneath suit.
- Shoes should be plain black or brown leather and should coordinate with outfit.
Interview Attire Tips for Women
- Pants or skirt suits are acceptable. Skirt suits should be no longer or shorter than knee-length.
- A sweater set with a knee-length skirt or dress pants is also acceptable.
- Hosiery (neutral nylons or tights, depending on the season) is a must.
- Shoes should be sensible pumps or low-heeled dress shoes.
- Natural-looking makeup.
- Hair should be out of your face. A neatly placed bun is a good way to ensure hair isn’t distracting.
Interview Attire Tips for Men
- A tie that coordinates with your suit and that avoids wild colors and patterns is necessary.
- Dark socks should be worn and should be long enough to cover legs fully at all times.
You should avoid...
- Low-cut necklines
- Mini-skirts
- Loud prints and patterns
- Open-toed shoes and spike heels
- Dramatic makeup
- Fragrance of any kind
- Excessive or flashy jewelry
- Baseball or any other kind of hat
- Low-cut necklines
- Sleeveless tops and sheer fabrics
- Mini-skirts
- Loud prints and patterns
- Open-toed shoes
- Dramatic makeup
- Excessive or flashy jewelry
- Gum, mints or other objects
- Flaunting designer labels too much
Looking for help with business casual? It's not recommended for interviews, but you can find some information on it here.