Planning for your next job interview requires meticulous preparation. Put equal time into how you're looking versus your resume (which we assume will look outstanding). We’ve heard the same advice over and over again: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” It's true. Browse the internet and you’ll discover countless advice. Here's our take on it.
When choosing what to wear for a job interview, it’s not about staying in the safe lane. Instead, it’s about creating congruency between how you feel and how you want to present yourself to potential employers. Because guess what? Personality matters more than you think in a job interview.
1. Dress Up
Ask yourself: How do I want my potential manager to see me? What items will help bring out my best traits?
If you’re feeling down and tired, for example, wearing a grey blazer might make you feel even groggier. So you’ll want to dress up and pick out an item that will uplift your mood and a color will energize you. That might be a yellow pleated skirt or a funky tie.
2. Do your homework
Check out the company’s website and announcements (or consult with friends who have worked there) to get a general sense of the dress code. Are they all into blazers and jeans? Is it only Tom Ford black suits? Don't dress up and look like a copy-cat of your boss. Do your research and then pick out what is signature to you.
3. Do choose a ‘focal accessory’
Many people will advise you to keep it simple — and there’s some truth to that: Wearing something outrageous, even if it makes you feel ultra confident, can backfire by making the interviewer focus on your clothing, instead of your personality.
But avoid keeping things too simple. Consider picking out what I like to call a “focal accessory” — an item that enhances your mood and holds sentimental value because of the memories (or other some other positive association) it evokes.
That might be a unique tie or your leather MacBook sleeve that oozes class (leather always oozes class). Maybe it’ll catch your interviewer’s attention and lead to a quick conversation that will give them more insight to who you are as an individual.
4. Do wear perfume or cologne
Employers want to hire candidates who look clean and polished — and that means smelling good.
According to one survey, 90% of participants said they feel more confident when wearing their favorite scent. That’s because our olfactory system (our sense of smell) is connected to our limbic system (the part of the brain responsible for interpreting memories and emotions), according to the researchers.
So pick out a scent that you connect to positively. (Just don’t choose something too strong and pungent; a small spritz of something light and pleasant will do just fine.)