What not to wear: interview style

By Katie Levans
Special to The Johnsonian

Appropriate dress for your interview is easy with these tips and tricks from the Center for Career and Civic Engagement graduate assistant

Two weeks ago we talked about résumés and how that single sheet of paper serves as your all-important first impression to a company or graduate school. And this is true. But assuming your résumé is flawless and experience applicable, you’ll get called in for an interview, and that will be your chance to really shine or slip and fall flat on your face (figuratively and literally, unfortunately).

Before we even delve into the intricacies of nailing a job interview, we need to first get you dressed.

Because arriving at an interview without pants is an ill-advised career move, here are some things to ask yourself when dressing to impress:

1. Does this fit? – Avoid painful shoes, too-tight tops or anything that is falling off of you like a potato sack. If you feel uncomfortable you will look uncomfortable and the whole idea of the interview is to make the employer feel as though you are a natural fit within their environment. If you don’t even look like a natural fit in your own clothes, convincing them otherwise could be a mighty feat.
   
   
2. Is this outfit appropriate for this office? – What works in one place may not in another. Do your research and find out how people dress at the office. I’d say it’s always safer to overdress than to underdress for an interview. Even if the company interviewing you is one of those cool, laidback places where jeans are appropriate daily, it’s best to dress formally for the interview.
   
   A casual work environment is not a free pass to slack off on your interview attire. Consider your outfit a reflection of you on your best (professional) day, regardless of how the other employees are dressed. On the other hand, if you know the dress code is strict, be sure to follow suit.
   
   I once interviewed at a place that had strict dress code requirements for shoe style (closed-toe pump), heel height (under 2 inches), color (all black) and style of pantyhose (nude or black only). You better believe I fit that description to a T when I walked into that interview.
   
   
3. Do I smell? – No, it’s not what you think. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’re already planning to bathe before all of your interviews. (If you’re not, reconsider.) When asking yourself if you smell, I mean to avoid smelling too strongly of perfume or cologne.

If you follow The Office, you know that Phyllis’ perfume made Pam queasy when she was pregnant. Do you really want the interviewer to throw up on you when you walk in the door? Absolutely not.

Even if the interviewer isn’t pregnant, they probably don’t want to drown in your overbearing scent, no matter how pleasant it is to you.

Keeping these three questions in mind will get you on your way to rocking an appropriate workplace wardrobe.

Want more fashion advice? Stop by the Center for Career and Civic Engagement and ask the experts to assess your interview attire. They can also help you with résumé writing, mock interviews and job searching. When you are poised and properly dressed, come strut your stuff at the Fall Career and Graduate School Fair on Thursday, October 21 (10am – 1pm, DiGiorgio Student Center). Professional dress is required, but I don’t need to tell you that, you interview attire expert.