Dressing For A Job Interview - Dressing for a job interview was once a simple proposition. Wear a suit and tie, polish your shoes, shave, and comb your hair. Today, however, the casual workplace and the desire to immediately fit in has confused all that we once knew about dressing for a job interview.
Knowing what to wear and when to wear it is now as important as your handshake and maintaining eye contact. Even more important is knowing how to dress for the different working environments you might aspire to join. To help you make the decision before you go out and spend a lot of money on a suit you don’t need, we’ve investigated three job markets to get a better understanding of what’s expected in the business attire department.
Conservative jobs
OK, if you want to save the world from financial ruin, you better dress like you know what you’re doing. This means dressing like the big dogs in the tall weeds, which means power suits and plenty of them.
Don’t even think about pulling on that old blue blazer with chinos for your interview in sales or finance. Dressing for a job interview in the conservative market requires you to wear a black, charcoal or dark blue suit (like this affordable J.Crew Ludlow suit) with a crisp white button-down shirt and black leather shoes with laces. Avoid funky patterns and bold color combinations -- they will speak louder than you think.
Dress code: Although your look will approximate the more traditional image of what dressing for a job interview entails, that doesn't mean you should fade into the background. Learn how to be memorable by adding a bit of spice to your suit with a tie that strains against the conservative, like one of these Band of Outsiders ties. You are projecting responsibility and confidence when you wear a suit as much as you’re giving the interviewer a sense of your perspective on working in a conservative environment. When in doubt, stick with dark and solid colors, a proper fit and accessorize with cuff links and a modern briefcase.
Creative jobs
While liberating, working in the cultural arts jobs of publishing, photography and media does not mean that all rules of men's fashion are thrown out the window. If anything, the rules become more difficult as you balance the creative -- and often casual -- nature of the office with the need to be professional. A suit might not be necessary, but arriving in your weekend casual clothes won’t do either.
You will want to wear jeans, but don’t. Plain-front trousers with modern cuts, subtly striped shirts and cardigans are all acceptable options.
Dress code: Creative jobs allow for wardrobes that feature sharp pattern and color coordination. Striped or checked shirts (like this Reiss Checked Shirt) under collared sweaters will work best with twill trousers. While you might feel compelled to arrive in those high-tech sport/dress sneakers, you should also consider wearing leather loafers, lace-up oxfords or even suede boots.
Service jobs
Whether you’re working retail or in an administrative office, you’re still working for the people and you need to be comfortable and able to move with what the day throws at you.
With comfortable, professional clothes in mind, it is OK to wear a blazer or sweater over a tie and chinos when dressing for a job interview in the service industry. You want to look responsible and well-pressed as well as approachable to the public.
Dress code: For the interview and the work afterward, pair a crisp shirt with a conservative tie under a J.Crew Shawl-Collar Cardigan sweater. For the interview at least, wear trousers or corduroy pants, but experiment with dark-washed jeans once you have the job.
look the part
The dress code in the work world has changed, which means there are a number of fashion pitfalls to be made by the uninitiated. If you want to dress for success, you have to know how to make the most of those first 30 seconds in the room. Your most important step is to match your own personal style to that of the job you want and project not only professionalism but a sense of self and self-worth by being confident in what you wear. ( askman.com )
Knowing what to wear and when to wear it is now as important as your handshake and maintaining eye contact. Even more important is knowing how to dress for the different working environments you might aspire to join. To help you make the decision before you go out and spend a lot of money on a suit you don’t need, we’ve investigated three job markets to get a better understanding of what’s expected in the business attire department.
Conservative jobs
OK, if you want to save the world from financial ruin, you better dress like you know what you’re doing. This means dressing like the big dogs in the tall weeds, which means power suits and plenty of them.
Don’t even think about pulling on that old blue blazer with chinos for your interview in sales or finance. Dressing for a job interview in the conservative market requires you to wear a black, charcoal or dark blue suit (like this affordable J.Crew Ludlow suit) with a crisp white button-down shirt and black leather shoes with laces. Avoid funky patterns and bold color combinations -- they will speak louder than you think.
Dress code: Although your look will approximate the more traditional image of what dressing for a job interview entails, that doesn't mean you should fade into the background. Learn how to be memorable by adding a bit of spice to your suit with a tie that strains against the conservative, like one of these Band of Outsiders ties. You are projecting responsibility and confidence when you wear a suit as much as you’re giving the interviewer a sense of your perspective on working in a conservative environment. When in doubt, stick with dark and solid colors, a proper fit and accessorize with cuff links and a modern briefcase.
Creative jobs
While liberating, working in the cultural arts jobs of publishing, photography and media does not mean that all rules of men's fashion are thrown out the window. If anything, the rules become more difficult as you balance the creative -- and often casual -- nature of the office with the need to be professional. A suit might not be necessary, but arriving in your weekend casual clothes won’t do either.
You will want to wear jeans, but don’t. Plain-front trousers with modern cuts, subtly striped shirts and cardigans are all acceptable options.
Dress code: Creative jobs allow for wardrobes that feature sharp pattern and color coordination. Striped or checked shirts (like this Reiss Checked Shirt) under collared sweaters will work best with twill trousers. While you might feel compelled to arrive in those high-tech sport/dress sneakers, you should also consider wearing leather loafers, lace-up oxfords or even suede boots.
Service jobs
Whether you’re working retail or in an administrative office, you’re still working for the people and you need to be comfortable and able to move with what the day throws at you.
With comfortable, professional clothes in mind, it is OK to wear a blazer or sweater over a tie and chinos when dressing for a job interview in the service industry. You want to look responsible and well-pressed as well as approachable to the public.
Dress code: For the interview and the work afterward, pair a crisp shirt with a conservative tie under a J.Crew Shawl-Collar Cardigan sweater. For the interview at least, wear trousers or corduroy pants, but experiment with dark-washed jeans once you have the job.
look the part
The dress code in the work world has changed, which means there are a number of fashion pitfalls to be made by the uninitiated. If you want to dress for success, you have to know how to make the most of those first 30 seconds in the room. Your most important step is to match your own personal style to that of the job you want and project not only professionalism but a sense of self and self-worth by being confident in what you wear. ( askman.com )
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