What to Wear to a Job Interview

So you landed an interview with a great company. You've polished your resume, spruced up your cover letter, and gone over your talking points. The only thing left is to put together a killer outfit and land the job. When deciding what to wear to an interview it is important to remember the clichéd rule: the clothes make the man. An employer will decide within the first five seconds whether or not you are a serious candidate for the job. A well assembled outfit signals to the employer that you are taking the interview seriously and pay close attention to detail. In this article, we are going to give you a few rules of thumb for dressing for an interview.

1)      When in doubt, wear a suit.

In the vast majority of professional environments, a suit is the most appropriate interview wear. When choosing your suit, remember that fit is everything. It is far better to buy a cheap suit that fits great than to buy an Armani Original that fits you like a potato sack.

As far as suit color, the darker end of the spectrum is your best bet. A navy suit or charcoal suit is for a business professional; a bright pink is for beers at the yacht club.

2)      Wear blue.

A recent study showed that employers are most likely to hire those who wear blue shirts for an interview. Incorporate blue somewhere into your outfit; be it a blue shirt, pocket square, or tie.

3)      Show your style, but don’t make a fashion statement.

Employers want to see that you have creativity, however, an over the top outfit may signal that you are self centered. Avoid large patterns on shirts, overly intricate pocket squares, novelty ties, large pinstripes, and for the love of god neon. Instead, show your style subtly. A great way to do this is with tie fabric. A tweed tie looks great and your employer will remember you for it.

4)      Dress one step above your potential peers.

Before your interview do some research on what your future coworkers are wearing. Start ups tend to be more relaxed environments. Often times people come to work in shorts and t-shirts. Wearing a suit to an interview at a company like this may suggest that you won´t fit in. Instead, try a nice button-down with tie and chinos. You can dress this look up with a sweater or cardigan. If your coworkers are wearing polos and dress pants, wear a button-down, blazer, and khaki or navy chinos. If your coworkers are wearing a suit, wear a suit! Suits are the highest level of professional wear. If you were to don a tuxedo, your employer would most likely dismiss you as a joke.

And last but not least, Good Luck!