Today I am going to tackle the question: What to wear to an interview? This is important because employers not only evaluate your skills and abilities, but they also take into consideration your visual presentation as well. This is especially important for those positions that require face time with a company’s clients. Who they send out becomes a face (representation) for that firm or company. This is most often seen in the realm of public accounting. Partners wants to send firm employees that will make them look good. Please do not misunderstand, I am not talking about just good looks. The whole package is a much better presentation. You have to “wow” them on many levels during a job interview to land the job.
What to Wear to an Interview – The Essential Checklist
I am going to share with you a glimpse into my ultimate coaching tool, the InterviewEdge System. In this tool, I cover everything related to the interview process. It is a 15 page report packed full of tips, techniques, and strategies for nailing the interview. Here are a few tips to consider.
- Always Dress Up – Let me make sure that I define this so that you understand clearly what I mean. It is not a bad idea to ask around and find out what they typical daily attire is for a company before you walk into the interview. Each company is different. That being said, whatever the typical attire dress a notch up from their normal attire. If they are business casual, I would recommend to guys to still wear a suit. A nice business suit would also be great for ladies. If they are extremely casual and you are concerned with being too over dressed, go without the suit coat guys but keep the tie on.
- Make Sure it is Neatly Pressed – As I am sure you know, some clothes just wrinkle easy. There is nothing more frustrating then ironing your clothes, go for a 20 minute car ride, and feel disheveled. Do your best to make sure you select clothes that will look good after a car ride.
- Take Your Outfit to the Cleaners – It is also not a bad idea to pick out a job interview outfit and take it a few days earlier to the cleaners. They can clean and press it much better than you can with your iron and ironing board.
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- Purchase a New Outfit – This is an option that I always share with every candidate that is about to go out on an interview for me. This is especially important for the ladies, but it can work well for the men too. Our mood, energy and confidence can change according to what we wear. Ladies, you understand this well. Sometimes for a boost of confidence and to feel like a million bucks, all you need to do is go out and buy a new outfit. New clothes look nice and you can feel confident as you walk into the interview that you are putting your best foot forward.
For a limited time, I am sharing my personal internal document that I use with all interview coaching clients. This is a power packed 15 page document that walks you through what to do before, during and after the job interview. It also details checklist that can help you evaluate an opportunity and if it is right for you. Click the button below for a sneak peak video inside this document and for how you can access it.
+Jonathan Milligan is an Executive Recruiter/Career Coach that has successfully placed hundreds of Accounting & Finance Professionals. If you are currently struggling in your career, he is available on a limited basis for personal 1-on-1 career coaching and for resume makeovers.
