“What should I wear to a job interview?” is a question that troubles many job applicants. Be it “what colour shirt should I wear to a job interview?” or the colour of my tie, shoes, skirt, or bag, a lot needs to be decided by the job applicants and done right to create a positive first impression.
Whether you are a man, woman, or teenager about to appear for a job interview, picking the right clothes matter. You need to be well-dressed, showcase your professional side, and have the right attitude to set the tone for your entire interview with the individual or group of people who will be making the hiring decision.
If you feel nervous before your first job interview, don’t worry because you aren’t alone. But does it get easier with time? Let us tell you a truth – even those who have appeared for an interview or two earlier could feel jittery before D-Day, thinking if they have chosen the right attire, jacket, tie, shoes, etc. If you feel undecided about the clothes to wear for a job interview, don’t lose sleep over the matter as we have got you covered.
In the sections below, we have compiled a handy list of what suits a man, woman, and teenager, and what’s best avoided when appearing for a job interview. Take notes and adhere to them to ensure your interviewers notice you, get impressed and make a favourable decision.
What Should a Man Wear to an Interview?
Though men usually don’t have a wide variety of options (unlike women) when it comes to the interview attire, they still feel lost about what to choose. “What to wear to an interview?” is a question they ask themselves and even their friends to get ideas they could implement and create an impact on their interviewers. Have you been in the same boat?
Fear not because help is here. From offering you a few tips regarding how to dress according to your interview setting (formal, casual business, casual, or worker environment) to choosing your accessories carefully (tie, watch, bag, cuff links, or belt) and more, we have laid it all out for you to refer to.
A single-breasted, two-piece dark, solid-coloured suit paired with a light-coloured or white dress shirt is ideal for interviews conducted in a formal business setting. For casual environments, trousers, dress slacks, or gray chinos could work.
For interviews in a casual setting where the company has no standard uniform requirements or a dress code for its employees, you can dress casually without forgetting the goal – creating a good first impression and displaying your professionalism.
Trying your interview attire before the day of your job interview and choosing your accessories carefully so they don’t distract the interviewer are other important factors to remember. You should also lay your clothes out the night before D-Day to ensure you can access them easily and quickly the following morning.
Men out there wondering how to dress for an interview can check our previous post on the topic to find additional helpful pointers they can implement to slay it.
What Should a Woman Wear to an Interview?
Too many choices make it difficult for women to decide what to wear to an interview. If you have an upcoming job interview and feel the pressure building up regarding what clothes to wear, you have come to the right place for answers.
Based on the type of interview (whether it’s casual, for creative positions, conducted in a formal setting, or industry-specific), you should choose what to wear. For instance, a tailored suit or a shirt/blouse paired with black dress pants or a khaki blazer will work well for formal interviews.
For casual job interviews, you can wear t-shirts or button-down shirts with a modest neckline and pair them with a suitable skirt. You could even wear slacks, dresses, non-denim pants, and dark-wash jeans.
Companies with a fashion-forward culture won’t mind if you turn up for the interview wearing a statement dress or pantsuit. For industry-specific interviews, it pays to dress accordingly, such as in an athletic outfit when interviewing for a fitness trainer’s post to facilitate a physical demonstration of your training approach.
Location and the season too could play a vital role in what you decide to wear. It’s equally important to choose your shoes, accessories, and makeup carefully.
What Should a Teenager Wear to an Interview?
Career-oriented teenagers looking to take up temporary jobs in cafes, restaurants, retail stores, or even work as volunteers, babysitters, or dog sitters often find it hard to decide how to dress for an interview. If you need advice on what to wear to an interview and your online search is turning up posts that offer contradictory advice, fret not as we are here to help.
Since most positions you interview for won’t need you to wear suits, you can choose a button-down shirt with dark, well-fitting slacks or khakis. Depending on what season it is, you could pair your collared shirt with a sweater. Polo shirts with dark khakis, slacks, or skirts can also work well.
It’s best to avoid wearing casual clothing and donning risqué outfits. You surely don’t want your interviewer(s) to get distracted by your clothes. Excessive makeup or cologne too is best avoided when appearing for a job interview.
Final Words
To do well in your job interview, you should know (in addition to what we have shared above) the colours to wear and avoid and things you should steer clear of wearing to ensure you don’t end up making a fashion faux pas. With many companies and organisations following a hybrid work model or still working remotely, virtual interviews have become commonplace today. If you have an upcoming Zoom interview, one of our earlier posts has the right interview clothing advice for you.
Browse these posts and take note to implement them when finalising your interview clothes. This way, you can feel stress-free and concentrate on the key things for your interview instead of worrying about how to dress for an interview.
This article was written by InHunt World