Recruiter Insights: How to ‘Dress to Impress’

Congratulations, you scored the interview! Now, what will you wear? This thought can be stressful as you want to make a good impression for your potential employer. The good thing is, you are not alone! The urge to present yourself professionally in how you dress is a great quality. It demonstrates your respect for the interviewer, as well as your desire to land the role!

Now let’s get started. Your outfit must paint a picture. You were brought into the interview for a reason; the interviewer wants to picture YOU in the role. Utilize the art of imagery and enhance your skills by dressing for the desired position. For example, if you have an accounting interview, skip the pajamas and slippers! Instead, dress as an accountant and choose a business suit or a conservative dress. Following a basic rule like this can easily set you ahead of other candidates that didn’t get the memo.

Make sure every item of clothing fits. It looks very unprofessional showing up to an interview in an outfit that is too small. No one wants to see your stomach hanging out of the bottom of your shirt. This rule also applies to clothing that is too big. Someone walking into an interview with a suit that is two sizes too big is also going to look unprofessional. Take your time picking out an outfit, don’t borrow your fathers old suit. If you have to, buy something new, it will be a good investment in the long run.

Be conservative. Choose a dress that is professional in style and is about two inches from the top of your knee in length. Don’t wear a dress that you would also wear to a bar or club! Make sure the neck line isn’t too low and add a cardigan or blazer to strapless or spaghetti strap dresses. As for shirts, make sure your they are buttoned all the way to the top, interviewers do not want to see your chest hair!

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes. Flip-flops and sneakers are not acceptable. Don’t be the person who picks out a nice professional outfit and pairs it with a cheap foam pair of flip-flops or an old pair of sneakers. This is a big no-no! Remember to keep your outfit professional from head to toe, including your shoes. Pair a suit with some nice dress shoes and a dress with an appropriate pair of heels or flats.

Keep accessories to a minimum. Jewelry is acceptable to a point. Don’t try and be too creative, keep it professional and classy to match your outfit. While you may want to wear sunglasses and headphones on your commute to the interview, remove these items before entering the office your interview is located in.

Hygiene is important. Shower, brush your hair and make yourself look presentable before your interview. Interviewers want to see that you take care of yourself and it is easy to tell when you don’t. There is nothing more distracting than a disheveled interviewee. As well as keeping yourself clean, wash and iron your interview clothes the night before. Let your cleanliness translate into how you will perform in this potential position.