Her Campus: What to Wear to an Interview
Last time around I talked about how to find a job and land a few interviews for yourself. Hopefully, you found a job and now you have to start worrying about what to wear to an interview.
Let me start off by saying no matter how hard you try, if you are anything like me shopping for clothes for an interview will never be fun. We all want to pretend that we are adults but once you try on your first pants suit you realize how awful being an adult truly is (trust me, I tried one on today).
But depending on your interview there are a few options and for the sake of trying to help you out through my own experience here are my tips for what to wear on an interview.
1. Ask them how you should be dressed. Most likely they will tell you, business formal, business casual, or business creative.
2. Business formal would include a blazer, trousers or a skirt. This would be for more business like positions. You want to stick with solid colors, darker hues, and clean linen.
3. Business Casual would be a more classic look, I always say “think 4th grade teacher.” To be honest anything from the Gap would do, in this case you just want to make sure you look fresh and polished.
4. Business Creative would include separates, so a skirt with a nice top or trousers with a patterned top (no need for a jacket). This would be for more journalism or artistic jobs. Feel free to use more color for these positions.
5. Keep jewelry to a minimum, earrings, bracelet, necklace, done.
6. Another great rule of thumb is to dress one step above what normal workers in that office are wearing.
7. Make sure that your clothes fit you correctly, don’t force yourself into a tight skirt or pants, you will be uncomfortable and they will notice.
Overall remember that your outfit should be modest, you don’t want them to be thinking about what you are wearing you want them to be thinking about you. Distracting outfits can take away from all you have to offer, just find an outfit you are confident in and feel free to wear it to all of the wonderful interviews you will have.