It is no question that one especially dresses to impress when she is going to a job interview. Clothes may not be the most vital part to consider when going to one. Of course, the two most important things are how well you answer the questions thrown at you and how you let your potential employer see your competence for the job.
However, the clothes you will wear may give your future boss a certain impression on you that will stick on him/her for as long as you are around. The outfit you will choose for the interview may also be able to help out in sending signals to your future boss that, yes, you are serious and competent enough for the job. And for those of us fashionable ladies, pre-interview outfit jitters can be a problem. The following are some helpful tips that may assist you on knowing what to wear for a job interview.
COLOR SCHEMES
People have this common mindset that gray is the color for office and an ideal color for a job interview. Sure, you’d look like you already belong in the office (if you’re applying on a corporate workplace). But you can also consider other colors. For instance, the classic color combination of black and white gives a polished look that works well for a corporate outfit.
Neutrals, on the other hand, will give a softer tone on your outfit while also offering the same kind of polished and clean look that gray and black-and-white outfits give. Feminine neutral colors such as blush and nude brown adds a touch of femininity too that says, “I’m tough and I’m a woman”. It really creates a good impression for work.
If you think that the workplace where you applied is not that strict with the color of your outfits, you can go and find bright colored garments as well as bold ones. Colors like light pink and soft yellow gives a soft, light, and girly look so you want garments that are lined and tailored in these colors.
Meanwhile, bold colors such as crimson and violet are for looser and more textured garments. You don’t want tailored pieces for these colors as they will look too stiff. Pairing bright or bold colors with black gives off a strong and powerful impression while adding white will look clean and neat.
PATTERNS AND PRINTS
You have to be careful on the patterns and prints you’ll incorporate into your job interview outfit. Some prints are too party-appropriate to be work-appropriate. Classic patterns such as stripes usually are flexible enough to be worn for a job interview. But you can also veer for clean patterns in neutral colors as well as microprints. You might also want to pay attention to the fabric of the clothing. Dressy fabrics such as silk will make the clean prints even more wearable to a job interview. Pair it up with pieces in neutral shades to maintain that clean and polished look.
OUTFIT SILHOUETTE
The silhouette of your outfit will vary on what and how you want to look for your job interview. For instance, if you want to look polished, consider tailored pieces with clean lines. This could also give off a sharp look especially when pointy elements like straight collared tops and blazers are present in the outfit.
Pantsuits are a common outfit for work, too. But if you want a more relaxed look in pantsuits, it’s best to wear a loose cotton top underneath. The presence of a balanced polished yet relaxed outfit holds a great impression that you may be serious of your job but you can also be a fun and loose person at the right times.
And if you’ll be interviewed in a casual place outside the office like in a cafe or if it’s during summer, you want to opt for a business casual outfit. Here you can wear denim but those that are dark wash are highly preferable.
BAG AND SHOES
Pumps are the typical footwear for work. And it’s because of the simple and sleek design of the shoes. That’s basically what you want to look for in the shoes you’ll incorporate into your job interview outfit. Pointy heels are also a good footwear since they give a polished and sleek look, too. Shoes such as boots can also be worn as long as the overall look says work-appropriate.
On the other hand, structured bags are the thing to use for a job interview. Large ones such as tote bags are functional for bringing relevant documents you’ll need for the interview as well as chic and stylish. If you are just going for a friendly chat with your interviewer in a cafe or somewhere similarly relaxing place, you would find that a clutch will be enough.
