Dressing up for your Interview

Appearance helps in creating an impactful first impression. In most cases, the clothes that you would be expected to wear to work every day if you are selected for the job are the best to wear for that particular interview. A little research about the culture of the organization you are interviewing for can help in planning your attire for the interview. Try to understand if the employees of that company are dressed very formally or semi formally – this can make it easier for you to decide what to wear. In case you are not sure about the dress code of the company, follow the tips below to help you determine what to wear on that important day:

• For boys, formal shirt and trousers work best. Shirt could be plain or could be striped. If you are getting interviewed for a job where you would be interacting with customers face to face, you might want to wear a tie, in which case avoid stripes or cheque shirt because it’s difficult to get a tie right with that. If you are getting interviewed for the Hospitality industry, you might want to wear a business suit. Remember, NOT wearing a business suit is better than wearing an ill fitted one. So, don’t dig out the old suit that you bought during a relative’s wedding or don’t ask your father to lend you one. It’s important to wear well fitted clothes you are comfortable in. Dark colours like Navy blue and grey are safest colors to go with.
• For girls, a smart kurta with leggings/churidaar  or western formals work equally well and are completely acceptable in most Indian corporates. If you choose to wear a formal skirt, please ensure its knee length or below and the blouse/shirt has a conservative neckline. You may wear colorful clothes but avoid very bright colors and bold prints. Remember, that you do not want to wear something that will attract the interviewers’ attention to your attire instead of your answers. Wear a saree at the risk of looking over dressed unless you are getting interviewed for a hospitality job. 
• Make up and accessories should be kept to a bare minimum. Your lip color and nail enamel should be of neutral/nude/pastel shades. 
• Neat clothes – Whatever you wear, make sure your clothes are washed and ironed neatly. 
• Perfume or Cologne – Mild perfumes or colognes work well but ensure you do not overdo it. 
• Shoes – Your footwear is an important part of your attire. Please stick to conservative formal shoes. For boys, neatly polished black/brown leather shoes work best and for girls, formal leather shoes/pumps or ballet flats which are closed-toe ones would be appropriate. As with clothes, remember to wear footwear which is comfortable so that you can focus on ‘putting your best foot forward’ 🙂

If you still have any questions about what to wear for an upcoming interview, please leave a message in the Comments section below.  Feel free to share with friends and family who you know are going for an interview soon.