Dressing for a Job Interview

The following information is from the University of Illinois Extension website Looking your Best for Work, http://extension.illinois.edu/dress

The type of clothing to wear for an interview depends on the type of job you are seeking. If you are not certain about the appropriate dress standard, call ahead to find out the dress code. As a rule, it is always best to dress above the standard that you would normally wear on the job, even if the everyday attire for the job is casual.

Here are some do’s and don’ts for men and women. For men:

  • Do wear clean, ironed clothes.
  • Do empty pockets – beware of bulging keys and tinkling change.
  • Don’t wear loud, bright colors such as greens, reds or purples. These colors can be used sparingly as accents or accessories.
  • Don’t wear jeans or t-shirts
  • Don’t wear ripped jeans.
  • Do wear buttoned shirts, leaving only one or two buttons open at most, not showing chest.
  • Don’t wear sports clothes with emblems. Avoid clothing with large designer labels.
  • Do wear a tie if possible. Make certain that it is knotted firmly, not loosely around the shirt collar.
  • Do wear traditional daytime fabrics. Avoid wearing satins or leather.

For women:

  • Do wear a skirt or dress whenever possible. Pants are not the best choice for a job interview, even in a casual working environment. If pants are worn, they should be slacks that have a crease. Never wear stretch, form fitting or denim pants.
  • Don’t wear jeans, denim outfits, tank tops, shorts or other very casual clothing.
  • Don’t wear it if you are in doubt about wearing it.
  • Don’t wear anything too short, too tight or too sexy. If your clothing or lack of clothing distracts a business associate, they may have trouble taking you seriously. Skirt length should be no more than two inches above the knee.
  • Don’t wear your skirt too short. Even if short is fashionable, you don’t want to draw attention to your thighs. Keep your skirt length at or below your knee. Sometimes opaque hose can mask a too short skirt.
  • Interview Tip: Avoid crossing your legs, especially if you are wearing a short skirt
  • Don’t show too much skin. This means cleavage as well as arms. So this means staying away from low-cut and sleeveless tops and also sheer fabrics.
  • Do wear traditional daytime fabrics. Don’t wear satin, velvet, glittery or leather fabrics.
  • Don’t wear iridescent or neon colors.
  • Do wear pleasant colors – women have a wide choice in beautiful colors. Most are acceptable on interviews.

Increase your career potential by continually increasing your skills. Never let down on your looks, starting fresh and neat every day. Also, the positive attitude that you presented to get the job should continue. Your actions speak for your own personal commitment to do the best job possible. It also speaks for the company that you work for.

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