How To Dress on a Job Interview, And Not Be Over or Underdressed

I usually tell people to assume NOTHING when dressing for a job interview, so in this article, we’re going to look at how to dress for a job interview and not be over or under-dressed.

The internet and YouTube are filled with many guides for dressing for an interview, and most give the same answer – wear a navy or charcoal single-breasted suit, white shirt, tasteful red power tie, and dark oxford shoes. This traditional advice is good; however, due to the broad casualization of most workplaces, suits (and professional attire in general) are less prevalent than they used to be.

Since the idea of professional attire has become a moving target, the go-to approach for interviews also needs to be updated because there is no single outfit that will always be appropriate – and to get it out-of-the-way now so that I do not get any nasty grams, since every industry is different, the most important thing to remember is that it is more respectable to be overdressed than underdressed.

What Is Acceptable Wear for an Interview?

The goal of your attire in an interview is to underscore your professionalism and qualifications without distracting from them.

While it is better to be overdressed rather than underdressed, your goal should NOT be to dress as formally as possible, but instead to dress appropriately.

Overdressing and under-dressing can work against you, and in the context of an interview, there’s no reason to leave anything to chance.

In today’s casual offices, being overdressed risks making you appear not fully in tune with the modern working environment.

It is essential for us older workers as this may make us look out of touch and not a good fit in the environment where we will be working. It can make you appear like a bad culture fit. Then, being underdressed makes you look like you’re not taking the interview seriously.

Neither of these is the first impression you want to give, so it’s worth trying to find the right balance.

How to match your outfit to the workplace

Research, the company. It would be best if you had a sense of the workplace and what formality is appropriate, so look at their Facebook page and photos on their social media to get a sense of what people wear at the office and the overall office environment.

To look good in the interview, try to match clothes, pick colors and fabrics that go together, and make you feel comfortable. It goes beyond just looking good; it dramatically affects how you think about yourself and your confidence, plus you’ll feel great wearing it.

Matching your clothes isn’t to fit into any current fashion trends or to make a fashion statement.

It’s to look good and feel confident, and it is that confidence that you will radiate during the interview.

What Should Males Wear to a Job Interview?

In a traditional conservative bank or formal work environment, you should always wear a suit — a matching jacket and pants, dress shirt, tie, coordinating socks, and dress shoes. A dark-colored suit with a light-colored shirt is always your best option.

Consider an oxford cloth button-down shirt in white, light blue, or a white/blue pattern like stripes. For the pants, a pair of charcoal gray or dress pants in neutral, like navy blue or gray, can work well here.

Alternatively, if you know the office is a casual dress environment (no suit and ties), try a pair of chino pants with a nice sports jacket to dress the outfit down a bit, such as when going on an IT interview.

What should a male NOT wear to an interview?

Any item of clothing with a stain, snag, or hole, or any item that doesn’t fit properly or is uncomfortable, makes you feel self-conscious or needs to be readjusted as you move. Also, like females, NEVER wear beach-type attire like flip-flops, ripped jeans, or shorts — that is just not clothing for a job interview!

What Should Females Wear to a Job Interview?

Dress pants, pencil skirts, knee-length dresses, blazers, neutral or light-colored blouses, sweaters, cardigans, tights, and suits are acceptable for interview attire.

Dress shoes should be closed-toed heels, flats, or short boots.

What should a female NOT wear to an interview?

Clothing always inappropriate for a job interview includes flip flops, wedge sandals, ripped jeans or shorts, tank tops, halter tops, sandals, strapless tops, and dresses.

Also, athletic attire like yoga pants and sneakers are a significant no-no regardless of the office environment.

Even in our casual society, candidates should be dressed in a conservative manner for professional positions.

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Conclusion – And A Special Note

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, there is no right or wrong way to dress. Still, you do want to stay on the conservative side because while you may work in a very casual work environment, your future co-workers won’t care too much about how you dress, but your potential manager or HR may.

I always used to wear a suit and tie, then when I got there (I would arrive 15-20 mins early so as not to rush), I’d watch the employees who walked in (executives and staff workers) and see how they were dressed. After observing, there would be times I’d leave the suit coat in the car or carry it over my arm if they were dressed casually (jeans & polos, etc.).

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