The search for a new job is an important stage in the life of every woman. The excitement at the interview is experienced by both a yesterday’s student, a successful careerist, and mom after decree, doubting her professionalism.
But there are moments that absolutely everyone has to remember: employers still look not only in resumes, but also in the appearance of applicants. When deciding how to dress for an interview, you have to remember a lot of little things. The reason for refusal may be non-compliance with the corporate dress code, deliberate sexuality or sloppy image.
Men have no easier way. They decide whether to wear jeans and are also worried about the choice of hairstyle, the need for a manicure. Changing seasons can also add problems. How to go to an interview for women in summer and autumn, whether loose linen suits for men would be appropriate - the search for answers to these questions only adds excitement.
Finding a middle ground to create the right image will be easier if you study in advance useful tips and tricks that have already been tested in practice.
How important is the look?
At the interview, most applicants expect professional skills to be evaluated. But in practice, business qualities are often overshadowed by the first impression that was made incorrectly.
The first thing to start preparing for communication with the employer is not a manicure or hairstyle, but learning corporate traditions. If the company has a dress code, you need to study it in detail.You can see how employees prefer to go to work on the official websites of the company or using other Internet resources.
When applying for a resume and interview It’s important to look as if the applicant is already part of the team. This helps the recruiter immediately assess the willingness of a new employee to join the already formed corporate culture.
The importance of appearance has its opposite side. The appearance of the employee must correspond to the position for which he is applying.
"Torn" or non-standard hairstyle, catchy manicure, bright hair coloring, piercing - all these exterior details are acceptable for employment in a tattoo parlor or bar. But for the office, such accents may be completely unacceptable.
The manifestation of a bright personality can be hidden with the help of clothes, styling, other measures, and when looking for work in a serious company it is better to take care of this in advance. The days of programmers in stretched sweaters have passed - today even an IT specialist looks like a successful professional, and not yesterday’s schoolchild.
General recommendations
What to go for an interview with the employer, each applicant decides for himself. If we are talking about the sphere where it is customary to wear a uniform, you can dress in casual style.
You can also go to work in jeans, a shirt, ordinary tight pants, blouses. Representatives of creative professions are forgiven for more fashion blunders, but it is better to surprise not with an explosion of color or an abundance of jewelry, but with a non-standard cut, clean hair and good styling.
If the company’s dress code is unknown, It is worth focusing on professional standards. Most of the professions associated with working with clients, communicating with people, imply a neat, tidy and neutral appearance of the staff.
In this case, a win-win option for any interview will be use of classic style in clothes. A sheath dress of restrained black, wine, gray, blue or chocolate color, matching shoes or ankle boots, an elegant jacket, cardigan, a light coat - these are the image that will help to successfully pass the stage of a personal conversation with the representative of the employer.
A strict men's suit can also be different, but it is definitely worth avoiding tuxedos and dress coats when going for an interview. Do not get out of the closet the jacket that was last put on the graduation party.
Let it be an inexpensive, but a new suit of a modern cut. If the company does not have a strict dress code, you can put on a gray, blue or burgundy shirt, refuse a tie, unfasten the top button.
It is important to note that the clothes selected for the interview should be clean, ironed. Strongly worn things that have lost their shape should be avoided. The manicure should be neutral - colorless or in tone with the skin, neat, men also should not forget about the cleanliness of the nails, the condition of the skin of the hands, especially if they are applying for a high position.
It is better to update the haircut no earlier than 1 week before the interview, in the styling avoid Hollywood curls and other fanciful details.
Be sure to take into account the status and position that the applicant is applying for. Specialists in some areas usually choose casual clothing; a strict suit in this case will demonstrate that a person is not aware of the rules of business etiquette.
Managers wear only formal suits; any deviation from professional standards will look strange here. Denim clothing is the destiny of informal and creative personalities, freelancers, journalists, photographers, designers.
Selection of clothes based on gender and age
To properly dress for an interview, you must always consider the age category and gender of the applicant. Young people are forgiven for some miscalculations in the dress code.Mature applicants at first glance should demonstrate self-confidence and desire for success.
After 50 years, it is appropriate for men to switch to three-piece suits with vests. Women older than 45 years should go from skirts to trousers, allowing you to hide some features of the figure and possible problems with veins.
Men
To successfully pass an interview, a man needs to create an image of a confident person. This is most easily achieved with the following elements.
- Suit Two classic cut, well fitting in shape. It is better not to rent it and wear it at least 1-2 times before the interview. The color scheme should be restrained, shades of blue, gray colors are suitable.
- White Slim-fit fit shirt. It has a fitted cut, it is better to choose a long sleeve, the collar is slightly looser than the circumference of the neck.
- Clean, well-groomed shoes in black, dark brown. Shoes with laces make the best impression. In summer, moccasins and loafers are acceptable.
- Belt. It should be trouser, the same color with shoes.
- Socks. They should be tall, dark, plain, made from natural cotton. Better put on a new pair.
If a tie is required, you should give preference to a wide triangular version of natural silk. The optimal node is a voluminous “windsor”. Color - blue, navy blue, red.
It is worth taking care of the presence of a tie clip so as not to correct it.
Women
Before passing the interview, it is important for the girl and woman to correctly decide what to wear for such an important meeting. It is worth preparing several options for kits in case you need to replace it at the last moment or let the weather down. A universal solution will be a business suit with trousers or a midi-length skirt of a tight-fitting or semi-adjacent silhouette.
The trouser part should not create assemblies in the groin and under the knees, dangling on the hips. The optimal fit of the suit is according to the figure, with a high waistline. The shirt under the jacket should be closed cut, with a long sleeve, without a deep cut in the neckline.
A silk top is acceptable only if the upper part of the costume is not planned to be removed. A suit with a skirt is necessarily complemented by thin flesh-colored tights. If the dress code is not too formal, a woman can afford to go for an interview in a strict dress with a long or short sleeve (in combination with a jacket).
A prerequisite is the length below the knee, the color should also be neutral. You can correct the features of the figure with the help of special underwear. The skirt or trousers and pullover for an interview are appropriate in the autumn-winter period, in which case the top should be light or neutral in color.
Season effect
The seasonal selection of clothing for interviews often baffles even confident people.
Rules to follow in order not to look silly or ridiculous.
- Summer. The optimal choice of clothing for an interview for the season involves the use of natural fabrics in light blue, pale gray, peach. A dark blue, black, red suit will look out of place, it is better to prefer a tight skirt to loose trousers sitting high on the waist. It is better to avoid flax - it quickly loses shape, wrinkles, looks sloppy after 30-40 minutes of socks. If you are going for an interview in the heat, it is better to abandon the use of perfumes with a sharp aromatic composition, a deep neckline, but it is better to take care of antiperspirants, matting and wet wipes in advance.
- Fall and spring. It all depends on climatic and weather conditions. But in general, these seasons suggest the possibility of a varied approach to choosing clothes for an interview. Thin jumpers and cardigans in combination with classic or fitted shirts, well-fitting trousers and skirts, light raincoats or coats will help to create the right mood in preparation for the interview.
In the color scheme one can prefer natural natural tones - beige and brown, deep blue, green, burgundy, which are not so affected by the weather.
- Winter. Thick fabrics, wool, tweed or cashmere, the ability to add vests or bulky sweaters to classic trousers. Cold colors correspond to winter time, without soft pastel shades. The length of the skirts goes from midi to maxi, coats to the middle of the thigh, gloves become relevant, but it is better to refuse a headdress.
Seasonal rules apply to shoes. Even in summer, shoes with an open toe and heel, slippers, too high and thin stilettos are banned. Winter boots for meeting with a potential leader should be chosen in a business style, leaving informal shoes for relaxation.
Women should prefer ankle boots instead of boots. It is unacceptable to come for an interview in uncleaned, too worn shoes.
What don’t you need to wear?
Ripped jeans, a stale shirt, a stretched T-shirt, sneakers in the style of rap artists, a checkered “cowboy” - these are just a small list of what you do not need to come for an interview for. In addition, from the list of outfits overly informal clothing should be excluded.
For example, loose colored shirts for men, overly tight trousers and t-shirts, things not in size. Representatives of the stronger sex should avoid stretched, dirty or outdated clothes, uncleaned shoes. Under the ban massive jewelry - rings, chains, bracelets, belts with emphasized large buckles.
The women's wardrobe also has its exceptions. For example, you should abandon the idea of trying on interviews for long earrings, ringing bracelets, overly catchy necklaces and brooches. When choosing a bag, you should give preference to a leather folder for documents or a clutch bag without cracks and other signs of wear.
It is unacceptable in business etiquette to use tight, tight clothing, a demonstration of a naked abdomen and shoulders sticking out from under the clothes. Too bad colors, predatory and animalistic prints in clothes are also considered a sign of bad taste.
Even in the summer, an interview is unacceptable to take place in a sundress on straps, short shorts and T-shirts. You cannot choose army boots or over the knee boots as shoes, especially in combination with an extreme mini. Pink, even in moderate colors, should be ruled out - it is often perceived as a sign of frivolity.