What Should I Wear to My Interview?

In a perfect world, a hiring manager would judge job applicants based on their backgrounds and how they performed in an interview. Appearances wouldn’t matter one bit.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world, and an interviewer is going to judge you based on what you wear to the interview.

Therefore, you need to put some thought into your interview outfit. What you wear will partly depend on the position you are applying for and what industry you are applying into.

It is also important to be comfortable, don’t squeeze yourself into an old suit if you’ve gained a few pounds. Buy something that fits and looks flattering on your frame.

Trades or production work

For blue collar work in the trades or on a production floor, you aren’t expected to walk in wearing a $2,000 designer suit. However, sweatpants and a hoodie aren’t going to cut it either.

Generally speaking, the move here is business casual. For men, that means a button-down or polo shirt and khaki pants. For women, business casual means good slacks and a professional top or blouse.

A blazer or sports jacket may be a bit too much for a trades or production work interview, unless you normally dress up a bit and going without a jacket feels unnatural for the situation. Wear a jacket if you think it will help you be yourself.

General office work

In a typical office environment, success and recognition is often based on working hard, coming up with effective solutions and working as a member of a team. Therefore, you don’t want to appear as someone who does things their own way.

Therefore, you will want to appear put together, but not too flashy, when applying for an office job. A suit with neutral colors is probably a safe bet here.

Receptionist

A good receptionist projects confidence and that often means making contemporary fashion choices. How bold you go for an interview should be based on the company you are applying to. For instance, someone applying to an industrial facility should tone it down a bit, while someone applying to a real estate company in a hot market can afford to go big and bold.

Healthcare

Because people in healthcare must work in sanitary conditions and maintain good hygiene habits, it is very important to come into an interview well groomed and in pristine attire. While being too flashy won’t disqualify you, avoiding bold fashion choices is a safe bet, particularly if you are not applying for a management position.

Quality control

Companies and government count on their quality control department to have everything organized and done precisely. This means applicants should be freshly groomed and in a well-pressed suit for the interview. You want to do everything in your power to avoid looking sloppy and unorganized.

At Career Concepts, we help job applicants with every part of the interview process, from picking appropriate attire to resume writing. If you are currently looking for a new job, check out what we have to offer!