You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a good first impression. All you need to do is know what you shouldn’t wear to job interviews. Let's dive in!
A few years ago, I was interviewing with one of the top firms in Nairobi, and my anxiety manifested into a nightmare the night before the interview. I dreamt I had shown up for the interview in my pajamas, and everyone laughed at me. I believe my subconscious was trying to send me a message that I should dress professionally. A few years later, I now understand that there are some clothes that I shouldn't wear to job interviews.
What you wear to an interview is just as important as the skills on your resume. Your clothes, presentation, good work ethic, and confidence speak volumes about you as a person and help you to sell your resume to the hiring manager.
Importance of dressing well for job interviews
Apart from ensuring that your answers reflect the skills, experience, and qualifications in the resume, you need to look the part. The following are some of the reasons why your clothes should go hand-in-hand with your resume:
Make a good impression
When the hiring manager looks up at you when you walk to the interview, that is your first chance at making an impression. Anyone who meets you forms an opinion based on how you look and present yourself. Before you open your mouth to greet the hiring manager, they have already formed an opinion about you. Why not take advantage of this by matching the professionalism of the role? Your appearance speaks volumes about your professionalism, work ethic, and personality. Furthermore, the hiring manager has to uphold the Company's image by hiring someone who can make a positive and strong first impression on clients.
Fit into the company culture
Before you walk to a job interview, do some research on the company culture. Use social media and visit the company website or social media to get a glimpse of how the current employees dress. By doing this, you will know what to wear to your interview. The key is to dress similarly to how they dress so that you look like you can fit into their company culture.
No distractions
Clothes have a way of highlighting our best features. However, this is not the time to show off your features. It is time to convince the hiring manager that you can do the job and that you are the right candidate. Therefore, pick out clothes that make you look good and don’t distract the hiring manager during the interview. Your clothes should enhance your experience, qualifications, and professional skills.
Clothes you shouldn’t wear to job interviews
Clothes have the power to make or break you in an interview. You could be mentally prepared for the interview, but your clothes disqualify you from the race. You don’t want to come off as someone who is not serious or is not coachable. Your clothes highlight your personality and ability to mesh with the Company culture. Additionally, dress according to your industry. If you are interviewing for a fashion-related position, you have to look the part and still be professional.
The following are five things you shouldn’t wear to job interviews:
1. Wrinkled or stained clothes
Stains and wrinkles are distracting and cringe. You don't want to look like you woke up and wore dirty pants and a shirt you picked from under the bed. They make you look sloppy and unprepared. When they said cleanliness is next to Godliness, they forgot to add that it also gets you closer to securing that job. Take the time to check your interview clothes for stains and wrinkles. Ensure they are clean, ironed, and stored safely in preparation for your interview.
2. Flashy jewelry or clothes
If you're showing off too much skin or your undergarments, add that to the list of clothes you shouldn't wear to job interviews. Some companies have a conservative culture with policies on piercings and tattoos. Therefore, research this before you go to the interview. Generally, body art is quite distracting, especially during an interview. Pick out clothes that don’t highlight your body art.
When it comes to jewelry, be a minimalist. Unless you are applying for a fashion industry job, steer clear of noisy and distracting jewelry. Stick with pieces of jewelry that complement your outfit. Wear something that allows the hiring manager to focus on your answers, not how you look.
3. Poor-fitting shoes or clothes
I don’t know about you, but I get very anxious during interviews. I do breathing exercises and murmur words of affirmation to myself so that I can get the courage to be audible and answer the interview questions. Therefore, the last thing I'd want to feel is the discomfort of shoes or my outfit during the interview. Wear your interview clothes a few days or a week before your interview to confirm if they fit and if they ooze professionalism.
Your shoes should complement your outfit. If you have never walked in high heels, don’t try to now. Add that pair of heels that makes you walk awkwardly to the list of clothes you shouldn’t wear to job interviews. Torn shoes or those that don't fit will make you self-conscious and uncomfortable during the interview. Therefore, invest in footwear and clothes that make you look professional and comfortable in your skin.
4. Overly casual attire
You might have visited the company website and seen they have a relaxed and casual dress code. Don't use this as an excuse to show up in casual clothing. Even though you don’t want to look too formal, select clothes that highlight your professional skills, qualifications, and experience. When making a list of casual clothes that you shouldn’t wear to interviews, add these:
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Stylish ripped clothing like jeans and shirts
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Denim and jeans
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T-shirts, especially those that have art or words.
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Gym clothes like sweatpants and tights
Don't wear anything that might distract the hiring manager during the interview. Casual attire makes you look like you don’t care about your appearance and that of the Company. It makes you look like a difficult person to train and work with because you always do what you want, whenever you want. This is not the impression you want to make when you walk into an interview.
5. Heavy cologne or perfume
It’s important to smell good during an interview. However, tone down on your cologne or perfume. Your scent should be mild, not strong enough to aggravate allergies and distract the hiring manager. Waking into an interview and aggravating the hiring manager's allergy to your perfume or cologne is embarrassing for any interviewee. It will affect your confidence and thought process, which will affect how you answer the interview questions. Always be aware that the recruiter might have an allergy or aversion to strong scents.
Conclusion
The key to dressing up for interviews is picking out conservative but flattering clothes. Both men and women don't have to break the bank. Choose clothes that are well-fitting, clean, and ironed. When you look good, you feel confident enough to answer questions and think critically during the interview. Always remember the five things recruiters wish you shouldn’t wear to job interviews when picking out your clothes.
