What not to wear: getting interview and work clothes right

Why it pays to stay smart. By recruitment consultants, Joslin Rowe.

Picture caption, top right: Overdoing it - what not to wear for interviews.

Picture caption, bottom right: Clean lines - what to wear.

No, don’t worry, we’re not about to rummage through your wardrobe for fashion faux pas (unlike a certain UK television makeover show). But if you think you know it all, then think again – and take a long hard look at what you’re wearing today.

Are your shoes crying out for a polish? Did you really iron that shirt properly before leaving the house? Has your suit developed more snags than a thorny accounts problem? In short, have you lost that interview sparkle – or worse, did you ever have it in the first place?

Maintaining standards

First impressions count but the impression you make six months into a job is just as important. Amy Butler, manager at Joslin Rowe, explained: ‘So many people dress smartly for an interview and the first few weeks of their new job. Then about a month in, they start to cut corners. Out come the suits that should have been retired years ago and bang goes the extra five minutes grooming in the morning.

‘It’s a common slide. When we asked finance candidates, via an online poll, how many days a week they would feel smart enough to attend a last-minute interview after work, 78 per cent said only one day out of seven.

‘The other big problem is the number of people who try to stylise their interview outfit as a way of showing off their personality. This is a great idea if you have real flair but making a plain suit look different is hard to carry off.’

Keep it simple

According to Butler the trick is to look smart, but not bland or way-out. Her advice to women is to add a twist to the basic black and white combination by wearing a dark suit but adding a coloured shirt or top. ‘Ideally, you should wear a shirt but women can still look smart with a roll neck or v-neck.’

For men the key is simplicity and taste. ‘A dark suit with a light shirt and a plain tie wins every time,’ said Butler. ‘At all costs avoid a black or dark shirt with a bright tie as this may be off-putting to the interviewer. Also you’ve got to be aware that Homer Simpson on your socks, or Christmas trees on your tie, may give the impression that you don’t take work seriously.’

It would seem the general rule is to play it safe. Don’t presume your quirky style will be seen as creative – it may be viewed as non-professional. ‘You should let the content of your interview be the indicator of your personality and work style,’ said Butler.

Watch the body language

She also warned that prospective job seekers should be mindful of their body language.

‘I have lost count of the number of people I see at interview whose poor body language makes them appear less smart than they are. Wearing a suit is all well and good but if you’re slumped in the interview chair you might as well be wearing jeans,’ warned Butler.

Finally, for women candidates, watch the hair, make-up and accessories. ‘There’s no place in the interview room for the latest hairstyle if it’s more scruffy than sleek. A necklace or brooch can look nice but beware of overkill. With make-up, less is definitely more.’

December 2005