Interviews for jobs and internships are scary. Some successful, professional person quizzes you about what you’ve accomplished, what you want to do with your life, and why they should like you. That’s intimidating enough. But then you have to factor in everything that comes before you sit down with the interviewer: resume polishing, reference letters, outfit choices. While agonizing over the margins of your resume and drafting polite paragraphs to former employers might always produce anxiety, picking your interview outfit doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips and suggestions for interview ensembles that will make you look like you belong at the front of the boardroom.
Clothes
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t wear anything low cut, short, or too tight. If you wouldn’t wear it to dinner with grandma or to church on Sunday, don’t wear it to an interview.
Be comfortable (this also applies to shoes: if you can’t walk in heels, don’t wear them). It’s important not to wear anything that’s fidget-inducing or that you have to ‘fix’ every five minutes. If you’re uncomfortable in what you’re wearing, it will show.
If possible, check the office dress code before your interview. One of the goals of an interview is to prove that you can fit in at the office, and dressing comparable to everyone else is one way to show that you’re right for the job. If the company has a casual dress code, go for an outfit that you would wear to a Saturday night dinner party.
Bring a nice jacket to throw on last minute if you need to dress up your outfit.
Have fun by wearing something that will set you apart from the applicant pool. Whether that’s a conversation-starting necklace, a patterned top, or unique shoes, choose something that speaks to your personality.
This necklace is eye-catching without being distracting. A quirky top tucked into a skirt with a blazer is the perfect combo. That heel—fierce.
There’s no place like J. Crew for tailored, tasteful dresses and pencil skirts.
For a less pricey option, check out Target’s clothes department (as if you haven’t already!)
You can’t go wrong with a button down. If you already have a few in your wardrobe, try something new with a sleeveless shirt for summer interviews.
Shoes
Heel height can be a big dilemma when culling a perfect ensemble. Kitten heels are a nice compromise on height and will be easy to walk in.
A playful choice to put a spring in your step.
And if you’ll be walking 10 blocks to your interview and want to forego blisters…
Hair
Just like you shouldn’t constantly tug on your blouse, you shouldn’t play with your hair either. Maybe you twirl your hair or compulsively readjust how it tucks behind your ear when you’re nervous. In an interview, you can’t do that. There’s no way to get around the fact that it looks extremely unprofessional, not to mention it gives off a flirtatious vibe whether you’re meaning to or not. Do everything in your power to minimize the urge to touch your hair. This might mean you should go for a bun or ponytail to keep your hair out of your face. If you can keep your hands off, a half up, half down look could also work for more casual interviews.
Makeup
This is a hard line to walk. Too much is definitely a bad thing, but if you aren’t wearing any, some people might see that as a sign that you aren’t taking the interview seriously. Don’t feel pressured to fall into the make-up trap, though. If you don’t normally wear make-up, don’t try to put it on the day of the interview. You do you. If you do choose to wear make-up, the most important thing to remember is to not make it distracting. Remember my advice to choose one memorable feature for your outfit? Don’t make that your blue eye shadow or hot pink lip gloss.
Effortless, neutral makeup—and a fabulous top knot to boot!
This is a lot of advice to absorb. But don’t worry, if you start looking at your wardrobe now for pieces that have interview potential (maybe even put a few outfits together when you want to take a break from studying but still want to feel productive!), you’ll have one less thing to stress over when you have an interview. Have fun with it, and take the words of the debonair Oscar Wilde as your mantra—“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” Good luck, collegiettes!