You are finally ready for that next step in your career and scraped together all the courage you had in you to write an impressive cover letter. Now that you have caught your potential new employer’s attention with your words and are invited for an interview, it’s time to think of how to impress them with your appearance during the meeting.
Many people are stressing out about their outfit when they have to interview for a new job. But really, it’s not rocket science to create the perfect outfit for the occasion. Of course, you have to keep in mind the kind of position you are applying for and the type of company and people you are trying to impress, but it’s easier than you think.
If you are applying for a management position or some other office job where it’s required to wear dress clothes on a daily basis, it’s suggested you go for a more polished and business-like look.
A suit is the perfect outfit to choose in this situation. Make sure you don’t overdo it, but keep it nice and clean with basic colors like black or navy and pair it with a white dress shirt and plain tie and classic black dress shoes.
For some positions, it’s not required to wear a suit on a daily basis, but it is required to look sophisticated and somewhat business-like.
In this case, you can add a little more color to your outfit. While it’s still suggested to wear a suit during important meetings and other events, you could pull together an appropriate look by choosing a (light) grey suit, a light button up, bright accessories, and finish it off with quality brown leather accessories like a belt, shoes and even a nice briefcase.
Many non-client facing positions do not require you to wear a suit at all, but you still want to look presentable when interviewing for that new job.
If this is the kind of job you are applying for then you can really impress your new boss by wearing dark colored jeans (preferably solid dark-wash or black jeans that don’t have a washed look to them). Pair them with a button down and a nice pair of Chukka or Chelsea boots and a jacket to complete your look. Adding layers like a pullover sweater and sport coat will take your outfit to the next level.
When you are applying for a non-office job like a sales position in a sneaker or clothing store, you can get away with a more casual look. But make sure it’s still appropriate for an interview with someone that is going to ‘judge’ you on the way you present yourself.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a sales potion in a sneaker store, you can absolutely wear those super expensive limited edition sneakers you bought last month. They show that you have a passion for nice footwear and know a thing or two about the items you are going to be selling.
Just make sure the sneakers you are wearing to your job interview are not too bold and that you pair them with dark wash jeans, solid-colored t-shirt. Add a denim or puffer jacket to the mix to make your outfit more interesting. But avoid ripped denim jackets and jeans. Even though they are in style, they are less appropriate for a job interview.