Angie: These are great guidelines for the first impression interview.

As a side note, in the software industry and probably others, there is generally a second interview that leans towards the technical side that you actually show yourself working. Than the guidelines might be different, e.g., wear business casual.

Fab guidelines, Angie. I actually ran into this today- a colleague was interviewing a prospective candidate, and I happened to run into them as the candidate was getting into the lift to leave. I guessed he was there for an interview- the conversation suggested as much- and immediately thought to myself that the candidate had no chance. I spoke to my colleague later in the day, and he admitted it was a “no” from him as soon as he saw the guy. Why? He was dressed far too casually for an interview- black trousers (I failed to notice if they were dress pants or not, but it didn’t really matter), black shirt erring on the side of casual, casual black jacket.

We have a very casual office on the edge of the creative industry, so it seems like double standards to expect a prospective employee to dress more formally than we do in the day to day, but I think the fact that he hadn’t made an effort to at least *look* like he’d put an effort into his appearance instantly worked against his favour- sort of like if he can’t even put in the effort at the beginning, what’s he going to be like if he actually starts working here? I tend to think an interview, particularly a first interview, warrants a smart look at the least, if not business formal depending on the company. Since we’re talking about a guy, I think for an interview in our office, I’d hope for business trousers, shirt and tie. A full suit wouldn’t be necessary though

Personally, I’ve learnt to stick to natural fabrics- the interviews I had to go to when I was straight out of university in a *terrible* polyester jacket because I was too poor to buy anything else are never to be repeated. And well styled hair- it always makes me feel more confident, since I don’t do it to often so it feels special.

Oh, Angie! If only you’d posted this on Monday- I had an interview yesterday!

Actually, I pulled together a pretty cute outfit, though I refrained from posting about it on the forum because I felt it would be pretty controversial (ie. too casual for some people’s tastes). It was a bit risky but I felt fantastic and I’m pretty sure it paid off.

I think these are great guidelines and are pretty true across the board of professions. Even though I’m a creative, and the specific items I choose might be trendier or more casual than those someone else would, I still strive for modesty and formality, feel good in a jacket, pay attention to my nails, etc.

Your advice is spot on Angie! Great post.

A little tip not really for the formal interview, but for those who may be running around filling out job apps…like a student or mom looking for PT work: be prepared to be interviewed on the spot, so dress how you would like the prospective employer to see you, in other words don’t go out wearing a tank top, shorts & flip flops.

I actually just got home from a second interview for a bookkeeping job, to which I wore a gray short-sleeved skirt suit with a black shell, nude nylons, and black round toe, low-heeled shoes. The jacket is a little trendy, but I felt like the skirt and the color helped tone that part down.

To the first interview, I had worn a black wrap dress with nude nylons and the same shoes as today. It’s a very small company, and the first interview had been with the office manager, while today’s was with the owner of the company. I felt like both outfits were appropriate and sent across the message that I would be competent, but not too set in my ways or inflexible.

This is super good advice, great list Angie! I’ve done a lot of interviewing on both sides of the interview, and all of this is spot on.

The single item I would modify is the perfume one: I’d actually advise interviewees to go scent-less. There are many people who are slightly or even severely allergic to scents (I am, on the slight side), and I know from my own experience that it can impact the connection you make with the other person. So unless you can totally tone it down, I’d avoid wearing a scent altogether for job interviews.

Regarding skirts or dresses, that’s a tricky one for sure. I agree that a skirt suit can look super and very formal and professional, and I myself have worn dresses for interviews (worn over button down, for a business casual look in a creative/technical field) and felt fab and put together. But I’ve also felt the uncomfortable feeling of “is too much of my leg showing”, and I’ve seen other women in skirts who kept pulling them down and stuff, and so it can be very distracting if the skirt is on the tight or short side. I’ve always felt more relaxed in pants for interviews for that reason, and as Angie points out above, it’s key how you feel, and it’s important not to have to think about your outfit once you walk in the door.

Finally – Good luck to everyone who has a job interview coming up!!!! I know how stressful it is to prep for it etc., but now thanks to Angie at least you have super good guidelines to help with your outfit

As a SAHM for the past ten years, I haven’t been interviewing for any jobs but these are great tips.

I would wear hose with a skirt (depending on the job setting) given generational/gender reasons … the interviewer could be 20+ years older and *expect* the interviewee in hose.

I also would skip the perfume, but then again, I don’t ever wear it!

Great post!
I would wear hos with a skirt suit, I have worked in very formal firms and that was a must.

Perfume can be used, but just one drop of a very light one, very intense perfumes can create adverse reactions on others!

Great tips!!

These rules ar also true for oral tests. Last year we had a candidate in flip-flops, tank top and some sort of Hawaiian print shorts, carrying a bag with a towel. When asked, he said: “I´m going to the pool after the test.”

PS: He failed.

Angie, I wish I had read your tips before my first interview 2 years ago.

I had less than 2 days notice for the interview, and was in the middle of finals week, without a car, on a very tiny budget. So I just ran to the nearest Target, picked up the suit that fit the best overall (in black), came home and hemmed the sleeves by hand about 3 inches, threw it on over a white button down, pulled my hair back into a ponytail and that was that. My roommate took pictures as I was heading out the door (“OMG Sru! Its your first interview ever, you need to remember this day!”) and I cringe when I look at it now. It looked professional, but boring and boxy and I didn’t feel comfortable……desperate times, what can I say?

But I got the job…and then I found YLF. So that will never be repeated again =)

I liked your recommendations and have one to add myself. I am in the educational profession so if you are interviewing at a university, you might want to tie the school colors into your outfit. I did that once and impressed the interviewer. Some may not notice, but its a detail that shows you have researched the institution.

Oh and please – for us with asthma, please go VERY light or no perfume. If all I can think during the interview is “wow I can barely breathe!” I’m not paying attention to you.

These are such thoughtful guidelines. I just had an interview on Tuesday, and here’s what I wore:

– Black lightweight wool skirt suit from Banana Republic. Thank goodness Angie strongly advised me to wear a jacket! I almost went with a sheath dress and cardigan and that would have been too casual. I did feel that my skirt was shorter than I liked when I sat, but luckily we sat at a table for the interview. If I had been in a chair in front of someone’s desk, I might have fussed with the skirt, and that would not have been fab.
– Silver and black graphic print satin shell from AT.
– Long strand of faux pearls that I wrapped four times around to fill in the shell’s neckline
– Black opaque hose
– Clarks Mary Jane pumps from Angie’s store
– Yellow Nine West tote (the rose style) from Angie’s store

I felt appropriate and that helped my confidence SO much (and, I was glad to be able to show a little bit of personality with the tote bag).

I’m an attorney, so I definitely dress conservatively when interviewing. I think that hose are necessary when wearing a skirt suit (at least in a field that is anything close to conservative).

I actually had an interview yesterday and wore a black skirt suit, hose, grey heels, white shell and carried my red purse.

Whenever I personally drop off a resume for an open job, I always make sure I am dressed in a polished, nice business casual outfit. I dropped off the resume for the job I interviewed for last week and wore a pencil skirt, black shell, pink cardigan and my grey heels. The last thing you want is to run into someone who will eventually interview you while wearing a tee-shirt and flip flops.

Graphic designers are usually well dressed but casual in my experience, so I would never go to an interview in anything too conservative or formal. It would be REALLY negative and off-putting, making you look stuffy and overly serious. As designers, we should be able to show that we are competent when it comes to using color, texture, pattern, white space, etc. in our portfolios, and so it should be in how we present ourselves. The only rules I go by are to keep it modest and be neat and well groomed. Other than that, I will gladly wear bright color, crazy patterns, bold accessories, etc. It is all very relevant to my job so why shouldn’t I? I don’t believe anyone is actually distracted by it (unless it’s neon), otherwise I have no idea how they are able to do their job, dealing with these elements all day.

I have seen my boss interview several freelancers and potential interns and always take note of how they dress. Some show up in jeans with a jacket, polished shoes, and blouse or shirt (men and women alike). I don’t think I’d be comfortable wearing jeans to an interview at this point, but I think as you gain more experience, more work, and a more impressive list of clients, it might be perfectly fine to do so.

For most women my age and perhaps in my part of the country, hosiery is a non-issue. I didn’t even realize that people consider it an issue of modesty until I read some snarky comments here and on another forum. I wear hose in winter but it comes off when it gets warm. I get really negative feelings about the idea that hose is mandatory and if you don’t wear it you’re a sl*t. I don’t think I’d want to work in a place where I have to worry about this issue.

…but take everything I say with a grain of salt since I am unemployed.

Here’s another vote for no perfume. I actually don’t see any point in wearing perfume/cologne in a business setting. Just be clean.

Such great responses. Thank you!

LOP, great point. A second interview might demand more casual attire. Is that right?

Fab outfits Laura and Steph.

Love the points about being appropriately turned out when you drop off your resume. Being prepared for an on-the-spot interview is crucial information.

My dear Maya, you make it sound that you wear crazy outfits to an interview when that is not the case! You absolutely err on the more formal side for interview purposes and are tastefully and appropriately turned out each time. Always polished, neat and interesting to look at – just a little more trendy which is what an interview in a creative profession demands. An interview in the fashion industry would be the same.

Asthma and the aversion to strong scent is a good point. If there is a strong reaction to perfume, you might as well keep the body lotion off too. In my experience, some body lotions and self tanners are far stronger smelling than any subtle scent of good perfume. It might be a good idea to avoid garlic the night before too

I would feel most confident in a skirt suit. Suit pants come up way too high on my torso and are so hard to fit. A skirt is much easier to fit. I’m looking for a skirt suit now if anyone has any recommendations, but the hose part is tricky.

I wear my nude micro fishnets almost every day but I would be afraid to wear them to an interview after reading some people’s reaction to them on this forum. I think of regular nude hose as tacky and old lady though – a big no no.

I think sheer black hose is fine, but that limits you to a black suit, which is so boring. Does sheer black hose coordinate with a gray suit? I would give that a try with black shoes.

Anyone have nude hose recommendations? That is truly a scary, scary thought.

Laura, did you take pics of your outfit? It sounds great and would be so helpful to see!

I agree that these are 99.9% great overall guidelines.

[I'm another who takes issue with the perfume/scented products advice; no matter one's personal opinion, some workplaces have scent-free policies in place, and who wants to be the one employees complain about after the fact? Plus scents tend to intensify when body temp rises...as often happens when one is nervous.]

I’m in the creative services field, and while I enjoy the work I find dressing for interviews a minefield. In addition to company culture, I ask myself:

* Will this be a client-facing job? If so, how casual/conservative are the clients?

* Is there a chance I could ever present in-house to higher-level executives or is this a team-centric job?

* If I dress more formally (can be perceived as “uptight”), how can I show my creativity in other ways? What work examples can I show/tell? How can I put my hypothetically jeans-wearing interviewer(s) at ease?

Despite knowing that I will likely be much more formally dressed than those in the room, I generally go with lightweight suiting — a black pantsuit, grey skirt suit (with hose or tights depending on the season) or the grey jacket with black pants. Then I add a slightly interesting colored necklace, a non-neutral colored silk knit shell or a small-scale printed top, and a slightly unusually colored leather tote.

Looks familiar to what’s in your post!

I once did my usual suit routine, had interviewers dressed for a winter hike, and we all laughed about the spectrum. One of the interviewers said, “It’s great to know you clean up well enough to put our more conservative clients at ease.” I got the job.

OTOH, I once deliberately dressed way down for a super-casual company (black cotton skirt, sandals, printed shell, short sleeved cardigan) and my interviewer said, “oh, I should have told you not to dress up.” I got the job, dressed in mega-biz-casualwear, and was still overdressed…it depressed me to work there, ha!

BTW, I wonder if you could expand your interview-wear thoughts to 2nd or 3rd interviews? Take about tricky/a PITA to figure out!

You do these posts so well, Angie. They cover all of the details in a really clear way, with explanations of why certain things work better than others – you get to the heart of the matter. Another wonderful post to refer back to!

I would tend to wear a pants suit with button down and probably a low-key necklace. Having read the comments I would now avoid scent or put very little on – although I often wear it for work, I think it is a good point that there are situations where it could work against you. I would wear hose if wearing a skirt.

Out of interest – my DH has always said that he would wear a white rather than coloured/patterned button-down with his suit for an interview, and would pair it with a classic and conservative tie. Good quality shoes very important too. For his most recent job interview he decided that he was sufficiently established in his field to wear a coloured shirt and a slightly more interesting tie, but he chose with care (he got the job).

I interview a lot of candidates. Your guidelines are great. I would add – no jewerly that makes noise, like a stack of bangles, and absolutely closed front and back shoes. No peeptoes, no slingbacks. You can assess the environment of the office once you’re in the interview to decide what is standard to wear. Also, if you have absolutely no idea whether you should wear a jacket or not, wear a blouse underneath that you’d be comfortable wearing on its own (i.e. not sleeveless) so that you can shuck the jacket if you feel ridiculously overdressed once you get there.
Go light on the makeup, but do wear some because it comes across as good grooming and making an effort.

I guess I am just unclear by what is meant by “bright” and “bold.”

I wore my chunky white beads and a bright yellow top last time. Sounds bold and colorful to me, though I did temper it with gray pants and shoes.

When I interviewed for one of my internships I wore a red bf cardigan, black and white graphic print top (Marimekko), microcheck pants, yellow shoes. That’s a lot of color and pattern. I did get the job so I guess it didn’t bother my interviewer-turned-boss.

This is a great post. All are guidelines that I follow when interviewing. I prefer pant suits for an interview so I don’t have to worry about the hose question. In my regular life, I don’t wear hose in the warm months. In an interview setting, if I didn’t wear them, I would second guess that decision. If I wore them, I would feel uncomfortable and matronly. Either way that would work against me. So pants are definitely the solution.

For my last interview a few years ago I was overdressed. I wore a charcoal grey skirt suit with a deep plum shell and black pumps. My interviewer (head of the department) had on faded jeans and a Hawaiian shirt. I couldn’t believe it. I felt a little foolish, but then I realized he should have felt foolish. It was a mid-level professional position. The interviewer owes you the respect to dress presentably also.

I don’t take any risks when it comes to interview outfits. I don’t show toes or shoulders, I wear conservative styles and colors, hose. I wear hose for formal events and this would be formal. No one’s going to have an issue with you wearing hose, but people may if you don’t. They don’t have to be nude suntan, they could be a subtle sheer grey or something else neutral. If you can’t stand hose, then I would probably wear pants so it’s a non-issue.

I can only recall one interview where I didn’t get the job and yes, it was the one with the Hawaiian shirt! I wouldn’t want to be interviewing in the current economy though, things have changed! All the best to people looking right now!

LegacyOfPearl, I agree. In fact, this is somewhat related to a post I saw earlier about what it’s like to work in male dominated fields.

I stopped wearing skirts to my technical interviews pretty quickly. That first impression we’re talking about, it went in the opposite direction. If I looked too “nice” I think the engineers sometimes got the impression that I couldn’t also be a serious engineer. And “nice” wasn’t much. It was light makeup, a knee length pencil skirt, simple low pumps and a knit top.

The trick became to balance looking like I cared to dress with respect, without giving engineers interviewing me the impression that I was “vain”.

My answer: nice trousers, loafers, a plain button up shirt, and no makeup.

It was very backwards.

As an afterthought, I think a full suit might have also worked, but I would have felt ridiculous as a 21 year old straight out of college, interviewing for a job where my peers would all be wearing jeans every day, wearing a full suit. Not to mention, it never would have gotten used again.

I think those are great guidelines…but I’d add one more thing. Usually, by the time they’re interviewing, they’re down to people who are all at least competent and COULD do the job. Face-to-face interview time is for your potential bosses and coworkers to see if you’re the best one for the job, and they one THEY would like to work with. And that means personality counts, especially in certain kinds of jobs. (I’m mostly in the academic field…used to be on the staff side, now I teach.) So I would suggest that you wear something that is *you*–not something more memorable than you, just something that reinforces the person they’re going to get to know in the interview with a visual cue. This helps when the committee meets and decides who to hire…at some point, the generic and expected just recedes to the background and it’s human nature to choose the standouts. Don’t choose something that will speak to them LOUDER than you will, just something that particularly suits you–underlines who you are. That makes you comfortable and confident, as well as more memorable.

Of course, all of Angie’s other guidelines should apply first so we don’t scare away potential bosses with our creativity and boldness. After all, they don’t really have a context yet to appreciate that about a potential employee. Save the big risks for later…when you know what the risks really are!

What a great post Angie, and so key for today. So many people interviewing almost on a weekly basis for what seems to be months on end, these guidelines should at least remove the stress of * What to Wear*…So helpful for so many!!

Maya, I just wanted to clarify: I certainly don’t think women who doesn’t wear hose are sl*ts, and I don’t know anyone who does, not even in the legal profession. But I would never not wear hose with a skirt suit to a conservative interview for the same reason I would never wear open-toed or slingback shoes to an interview. Closed-toed shoes and hose are just more formal, and I wouldn’t want anyone interviewing me to think that I wasn’t taking the job seriously, or that I didn’t understand appropriate professional dress.

In a non-interview setting I will absolutely wear a skirt suit without hose, with peep-toes, and with knee-high boots. But I would never do that in an interview.

Thank you, Angie, for a wonderful guide to interview wear. After reading the opinions on perfume, I’d add that if you smoke or are around smokers you may want to be very careful that you don’t have that odor on your clothing, hair, etc.

Steph, there is definitely a difference between people who wear hose because it’s part of their job and they have no choice, and the kind of judgmental, nasty people who equate going hoseless with going commando or going without a bra while wearing a tight tshirt. I was appalled at some of the things I read elsewhere about hoselessness. Some of the comments were just downright vicious. I am talking about the latter group mostly. I’d be afraid of being judged that way.

Maya, those outfits sound great for your profession. I would absolutely wear a bright top to an interview in the fashion industry too. But as you mentioned, toning the lot down with neutral, tailored and in my case sophisticated pieces is key.

I do not know what to say about the interviewers dressed in overly casual clothing. I have never been interviewed by anyone who was not formally put together. I am speechless.

This is great, but I would say a big NO to perfume! Scents trigger memories, so something that may smell clean and fresh to you, might not be as appealing to the interviewer. It’s easy to overpower with scents too.

What a fab set of guidelines I’m much rather be too formal than too casual as you say people form an opinion of you in the first few seconds x

Fathenry, I didn’t take a photo at the time but got dressed up again this afternoon and took a photo just for you.

http://i380.photobucket.com/al.....uit004.jpg

Hope it helps!

Thanks for posting your outfit picture, Laura! You look fantastic and perfectly interview appropriate. I’d hire you in a heartbeat. Love the bag

Great advice here!

As for hose, I think wearing hose is a must if not wearing pants. I don’t know for sure how it is elsewhere, but around here companies require hose in the dress code and I’d hate to break the dress code at the interview.

I really have to weigh in here – I run Talent Acquisition for a large, global financial services firm and can offer some insight from the employer’s perspective.

*Err on the conservative side – we are business casual, but we notice when someone dresses for a night out bar-hopping or too casual for our culture. Suits are not necessary, but a jacket will pull together an outfit and label it ‘professional’
*Skirt vs pants not an issue. Do what is comfortable and makes you most relaxed. No jeans. Ever. Even in creative.
*Watch your handbags. This is not a time for a statement bag. You will be walking around an office more than likely, carrying some kind of portfolio or pad (leather-covered preferably) on which to take notes. Bags need to be small & unobtrusive. Women interviewers will hone in on the bag rather than YOU, men don’t care. Leave it in your car & just bring in your keys/small wallet, or tuck stuff into more of a briefcase-looking bag.
*NO perfume. Don’t need it, it can only hurt you.
*NO heavy makeup. Again, can only hurt you.
*In warm weather, you can skip the jacket if you have a tailored dress on or skirt/shirt combo that is conservative (like black skirt, white shirt). No need to be drenched in sweat – it will be noticed and you look nervous and rattled.
*Hose are optional. I’m in my 50′s and I don’t even wear them, so I don’t think it matters. But, if your skirt is above knee-length, probably put those damn things on.
*Go light on the jewelry, but do wear some. You don’t need to look like a nun. Don’t be jangly – ie charm bracelets, etc. Just something that says “I thought about this today”
*Try out your outfit beforehand. I don’t mean try it on – WEAR it for a couple of hours. Nothing worse than getting into a prolonged interview & realizing that your skirt keeps riding up when you’re sitting down. Awkward. And noticable.
*And – beyond clothing – bring extra copies of your resume. Make sure your hands are dry when you shake hands (quick, sneaky wipe on your skirt/pants as the interviewer approaches). Be nice to the receptionist. Don’t take coffee if offered. Do take water if offered (a sip during the interview will calm you down). No gum (really!). Hair out of your face. Be ready for small talk, most interviewers aren’t very good at it, help them out! Know at least three points you want to be sure to make in the interview & find a way to get them into the conversation. Make eye contact. Smile. Slow down. Breathe. Relax.

Great tips (and comments!). This information will definitely come in handy.

One question: Are flat shoes strictly a no-no? I’m talking dressy flats here. I’m very unsteady/uncomfortable in heels and think I’d feel less confident in them.

Thanks again for the valuable feedback. It’s great.

Marianna, I think that if you wear slacks, dressy flats are fine.

Marianna – Nice flats are definitely ok if that’s what you are comfortable in. I am 5’10″ & have knee joint problems, so I never wear heels – highest ever is under 2″.

Overall, when dressing for an interview, I keep in mind that: this is an interview, not a stopover on the way to or from somewhere else, not a date or a night out, and I’m dressing to provide a backdrop for my competence and ability to do the job I’m interviewing for. Specifics on what to wear vary greatly by the industry, type of office/workplace, location (the part of the country, size of town, etc.), job level (entry, management, CEO), what kind of initial impression I want to make, and my comfort during the interview. More conservative is usually better than more personalized at this point in the game, but I’m not afraid to dress with a little personality too. I’m liking the idea of “classics with a twist” that’s been poppinig up on blogs – the usual interview ‘uniform’ with a slight, subtle twist that shows some thought went into your effort.

This is a very timely post for me, as I am in search of a new job! I haven’t gone to a job interview in 10 years, so these tips are very helpful.

I would definitely say absolutely no scent, as previous posters have said – people who are scent-sensitive really notice that sort of thing, even if it’s very light, and that would definitely make a (negative) difference to the initial impression. My co-worker has complained about my shampoo before!

Personally I think that these days there are very few situations where it’s appropriate to wear scent, given how many places are going scent-free (workplaces, theatres, yoga studios, gyms) or should be going scent-free (subways, restaurants).

Also, I’m not sure I agree about erring on the side of too conservative for creative environments. Formal, definitely, and I love your statement about a jacket adding to any outfit for an interview. But impressions are important, and for a creative environment, I think you need to *look* creative, while still looking dressy. Like you say, you need to fit in with the atmosphere of the work environment.

I have so many thoughts but want to say I love this thread – great discussion!

My basic advice is to really think about the industry, the setting and workplace and the position you are interviewing for.
I have been in retail management for twenty years – it’s an industry that has more creative focus.
If a college recruit walked in for interview in a basic suit, conservative accessories, etc. I would be impressed.
If a mid level manager did the same thing, I’d be thinking that they aren’t paying attention to style or trend and will they on the salesfloor?
You can express yourself in an interview more as your resume grows is my point.

Keep things professional – always! No sheer tops, not too heavy on the scent for sure, daytime makeup, nothing trendy to the point of distraction. But a little hint of personality is what makes you special! Retail or people centered fields are selling focused and you must sell yourself first.

For my last rounds of interviews I wore the following (summer in Bay Area):
Black pants suit with tiny white chalkstriping, bright yellow top, white pearl accessories. I went with a white bag. Black patent low square front heels.

For the second interview with regional manager (it was in the high 90′s in SoCal and they flew me in) : charcoal gray pencil skirt, Michael Kors cotton/silk blend top in a light violet,greyish black lightweight blazer but only in actual interview, charcoal open toe low slingbacks, no hose. And I carried a yellow bag/briefcase.

I felt overdressed for first interview but I knew the interviewers would be business casual (slacks, company polo, company dress shirt, no suits) and I wanted to show this was important to me yet the color kept it friendly.

At second, I knew they would be in “civilian” clothes as we joke and I needed crease proof travel outfit and low shoes, plus hot weather. Not many in SoCal wear hose (rare in most of California actually outside of courtrooms) so that wasn’t hard decision.

I think it was the confidence I showed, the fact that I had done research on the interviewers and company and the answers I gave in the interviews that sealed the deal.

Can’t wait to read more opinions and advice!

What a great thread and amazing advice Angie! I also agree with most of it.

I am sad to agree that perfume should be definitively avoided. I used to wear my scent every day to work ill someone casually mentioned that they are allergic to someone elses’s perfume. i felt really bad and decided that I will not wear it to work anymore, and especially not to interviews.

I would also like to add that in technical/science fields, pant suits are probably better than skirt suits, since vast majority of women in those areas rarely wear skirts anyway.

I did a lot of interviews last year in those fields, in a quite boring and conservative outfit: black pantusit, white button down shirt, black pumps with small heel, big black laptop tote, and my chunky white watch. The watch was he only thing the showed anything about y personality, but everything was of great quality and well tailored.

Laura – Thank you so much for posting your outfit!!!! You look amazing!!

Love this post! It looks like I’ll be interviewing soon, so this is very timely for me. I’ll be interviewing for my first management position (yikes). Does anyone have some ideas of what stores/what brands offer decently priced suits? I really don’t want to go over $150. (sorry if this should be in the forum instead)

Hose is fine. As long as it’s not patterned. The darker, the better.

This post is so timely! I am a full-time college student who applied for a job at a local retail store last week. After reading these posts, I think I may have been under dressed. It was not an interview, but the employees there did have time to “look” me over. I wore an over knee black/white skirt, a black tank top, a denim blazer, a black leather flats. since it was an entry position I know I wasn’t “over” dressed.

Could someone please post advice on how-to-dress for entry level positions. This advice would be greatly appreciated!

This is a fantastic thread! I would add though that you need to show a little bit of your own personality – especially if you know that a lot of people are interviewing as by the end of the day it can be hard to remember who is whom. At my current job, one of the reasons I was remembered was because I was the “young lady with the bright pink handbag” in a see of black and grey suits…

Yeah, definitely no perfume. Maybe some scented lotion or something of that nature would work. Even though I’m not exactly allergic, whenever I get too near the perfume section in a department store or sit next to someone on a train with noticeable perfume, I get an instant nasty headache. Even if I like the scent it somehow seems to drive an invisible knife straight into my brain.

Maybe it’s because I have kind of yucky legs, but I always feel naked without some kind of hose or tights in an interview situation. Well-made sheer tights shouldn’t be especially noticeable in any case, I think, and can help keep you from feeling too cold as well (often a problem for me here in northern England!).

I have an interview tomorrow (Thursday) at a credit union for a part-time teller position. I also have one Friday morning for an administrative assistant position at Genesis Energy Company (it’s a very small oil production company). I’m plus sized so it’s really hard to find figure flattering professional wear that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. I’m planning to wear black slacks, black dress boots with a 1/2 inch heel, a red camisole (does not show any cleavage) tucked in and a black button up dress shirt with the top button undone. Both of these companies are business-casual, I think this outfit should work very well for both interviews, what do you guys think?

P.S. I’m also in my late 20′s and live in South Alabama, so the weather here is very humid and warm right now.

I know this is WAY late to post, but I find little to no guidelines for interviewing in hospitality positions. Other than wearing a simulation of what could be the future uniform – white button down with black slacks – there’s little info out there. A suit would be not only inappropriate, but downright absurd, for a foodserver’s postion. The last time I interviewed cold off the street was 1994 and I wore a green fit and flare dress. I got hired. But now, as a 40 something, I wonder just what is appropriate for a hospitality position with my age and experience now under my belt?

Hi there Angie, What would I wear to a Apprentice Fitter and Turner Interview? Would a pantsuit be too formal? Does anyone have any advice for me? I’ve got an interview on monday.

I think on the hose issue, I live in Florida. And I only wear hose in the winter, as I did growing up in Iowa. I don’t think the style is to wear hose in general. But in the cold, I will. because being warm overrides what I would imagine a interviewer will think.

I have worked in retail management for years. What made me think twice about the candidates were excessive tattoos, I saw some that said deragatory sayings on their necks in a children’s clothing store I was a manager. Dress conservative and dress the part. I cannot imagine a mother would want to buy in a store with a clerk with excessive tattoos saying inappropriate things.