The Job Interview; What to Wear

The mere prospect of being perused, face to face, by an interviewer, or even a panel, is daunting for most first time job applicants. Usually, it is not fear of the actual interview but fear of the unknown: What should I wear? What should I bring? What should I say? What should I expect?

a.       A. What should I wear?

You are overdressed if other job applicants appear as if they're sidetracked from their scheduled trip to the supermarket, while you look like you’re on your way to a wedding, rushing to buy a last-minute oven toaster as a gift.

Consider yourself underdressed if other applicants are garbed for a prom while you chaperone for one of the darling spoiled princesses. But being the lone underdressed applicant rarely happens, there is more than one darling spoiled princess in a prom, so there are a few other ‘chaperones’. Kidding aside, these nonchalant jobseekers are the type whose resumes speak for them. Capitalizing on years of work experience, it would be foolish for the Human Resource (HR) personnel to lower their chance based solely on attire.

Here’s the thing, it is always better to be overdressed than be underdressed. Always go for a corporate professional look, unless otherwise advised, or you’re planning to work at a high crime rate area.

It is often recommended to avoid wearing black or dark colors for an interview because you'd appear gloomy, and such a feeling might transmit to the interviewer. However, the trend is classy apparel. So it's safe to say, looking elegant in black, or poised in beige won’t ruin your chances. Just make sure that you beam, or smile, to counter the possibility of a lingering mournful aura.

On the other hand, I think it’s heinous to walk like the morning sunshine, or a neon light of a Vegas club for job interviews (or for any other reason). There’s yellow and there’s painful yellow, there’s pink and there’s pink of eternal scorn, there’s orange and there’s hell-on-earth orange to name a few. Others would be scandalous neon green, death-by-electric-chair blue and killing spree red.


Point is, don’t be an eyesore.

Wear warm and cool colors, and not scalding hot or blistering cold. More importantly, wear something you are comfortable in. Comfort boosts confidence.


B. What should I bring?
C. What should I say?