The end of the school year is approaching, and for many college students, that always leads to one dreadful thought: interview season.
College is all about getting experience in your field and beginning to step into more professional environments, and opportunities are bubbling all around us. Whether it’s a part-time job, summer internship, work program or a scholarship, students can be bombarded by the pressures of lingering interviews and trying to figure out how to look and sound their best.
What you wear and how you look is the first thing employers notice when you walk into the room, and it says a lot about you. You may have grown used to sitting pantless in your Zoom classes and virtual meetings over the pandemic, but as we shift back to in-person meetings once again, we must be prepared to dress for the occasion, especially for decisive interviews we all will encounter. Here are some tips for how to look your best and dress professionally to make a lasting impression.
Tip 1: When in doubt, dress up
When you walk in the room with a hiring manager, you are being judged within the first few seconds — before you even say a word — and a lot of that comes from how you put yourself together. Dressing up shows you care about making a good impression, you’re taking the opportunity seriously and you have respect for the interviewer and the company. They want to imagine how you would fit into the position you’re interviewing for, so you need to look like you belong.
Dressing too informally gives the idea that you either do not know the expected business etiquette of a workplace, or you have a casual attitude toward work culture. If you’re unsure about the proper dress code expected, you are never wrong to overdress.
For a more masculine look, go for a button-up shirt tucked into a nice pair of slacks, a set of black or brown loafers and topped with a jacket or blazer. Blazers can go with just about any business-professional outfit, but if you end up feeling overdressed, the blazer can come right off. For a more feminine look, try out a blouse with a tailored blazer or cardigan on top, a nice pair of pants or a formal skirt, finished off with a pair of heels. Always remember that too formal is better than not enough.
Tip 2: Research the company ahead of time
For all interviews, it looks good to have some prior knowledge on the company: what they do and what they value. This goes for their dress code expectations as well. If you’re interviewing for an internship for a top-tier private equity firm in Manhattan, a full suit would be the way to go. If you’re applying for a job that values creativity and free expression, including what you wear, you could possibly dress slightly more casual. But take that with a grain of salt — you should always dress nicer than what they expect.
Tip 3: Make sure your outfit is clean, fitted and wrinkle free
Wearing the right clothes is one part of the equation, but making sure they are fresh, clean and properly fitted is just as important. Even if you have the right outfit, that can be overlooked if something is clearly too loose, too tight or too revealing. It also doesn’t help your case if your clothing is visibly dirty or grossly wrinkled. Take the time to wash, dry clean and iron your outfit beforehand, and never forget to try it on before the day of.
Tip 4: Wear neutral colors
Another overlooked aspect of an appropriate, professional outfit is to keep colors on the neutral side. Black, navy, gray and khaki are safe bets to incorporate into your style. These tones are typically expected for a formal working environment, especially for major outfit components like blazers, pants and shoes. Save the lime green and hot pink for another place.
Tip 5: Be well-groomed
Looking your best is beyond how you dress. Along with bringing your best outfit comes bringing your best looking self, so grooming is equally (if not more) important than your attire. Bathing goes without saying, but be sure your hair looks clean and neat and you stay clean shaven. If you do have facial hair, keep that well-groomed. Grooming also includes avoiding bad breath, which is surprisingly noticeable, so refrain from chowing down a tuna sandwich before you head in. Stay away from highly fragrant perfumes or colognes, too, which is easy to overdo. If you choose to use it, be extremely moderate.
Tip 6: Keep it comfortable
It’s important to look professional and presentable, but you need to feel comfortable and relaxed in the clothes you’re wearing in order to feel poised and confident in front of your interviewer. It would be extremely hard to answer thoughtful questions when you can’t take your mind away from an itchy collar or a tight pair of heels. Simply wear what you like, and don’t wear what you don’t.
Tip 7: Give your interviewing outfit a test run
It may be weird to fully dress up and wear something you never normally would, so try on your outfit and give it a test-drive the day before. Get to know how it feels on you, making changes as needed, and you’ll start to feel more like yourself, which is the goal. Practice good posture and body language sitting in a chair, and why not give yourself some positive affirmations in the mirror while you’re at it?
Tip 8: Be yourself
Above all, be yourself, both with how you dress and how you engage in the conversation. Showing your originality through your outfit can speak volumes. After all, it is you they potentially want in the position, so show them who you are and why you would be a great fit for them.
If you look good, you feel good. Dressing up shows your professionality and your respect for the opportunity, and it can provide a boost of confidence. That is, in fact, the most important thing you can bring to an interview, and feeling good in your polished outfit will help.
