So how should you dress for your job interview?
It's important that you fit in, that you show you understand the customs,
the norms of this particular organization in this industry.
Now, most of my clients are business people who wear suits,
that's why I'm wearing a suit.
This would look ridiculous if you're applying to be a busboy.
Or if you are applying to be a graphic artist somewhere when they're
expecting you to be artistic and casual.
So you've got to know what it is that's the norm for
dress in the workplace where you're going.
Sometimes you just might not know,
you may want to ask the person who's scheduling the job interview with you.
Now if all else fails, most of the time you're in good shape
if you dress slightly more formal than you might otherwise.
So if you really don't know, there's nothing wrong, most of the time for
any kind of office job, of wearing a suit and a tie if you're a man, or
wearing a conservatively-tailored dress or suit jacket if you're a woman.
If the person interviewing you is wearing a polo shirt and slacks and
you're in a suit and tie, chances are it won't work against you.
They'll simply think, well, this person was respectful and made an effort.
What you don't want to do is go in with a T-shirt and shorts, and
the person interviewing you is wearing a tie, or wearing a sundress and
the person interviewing you is in a very conservative tailored outfit.
Because if that happens,
the whole time you're there you're thinking, I've already lost this job.
I look like an idiot, I look like a fool.
And even if you're not thinking that you don't want the person interviewing you
thinking this person doesn't really get it.
They don't really understand our industry, not quite sure they would fit in.
You don't want to call attention to what you're wearing,
unless you're going to be a fashion designer.
But if you're someone interviewing for most industries,
you're not a fashion designer.
You want what you're wearing to fit in.
There is a uniform in every industry.
If you're going to a really cool hip nightclub to be a bartender,
maybe the uniform is all black and something that is cool-looking.
I'm not saying everyone has to look the same or sound the same.
I am saying,
you need to be aware of fitting in with the organization you're interviewing with,
so that they don't have to wonder, why is this person dressed like that?
So give it some thought to how you look, how you're dressed,
how you're presenting yourself.
If you have some crazy wild hairstyles with your hair,
not my issue these days, you may want to tone it down for the first day,
unless you are interviewing at a nightclub or some sort of artistic design house.
How you look needs to fit with what you're going for.
Now you can say all day long, I wouldn't want to work for anyone who's judgmental.
But if you're going to work for a very conservative financial organization, and
you have a whole lot of tattoos on your arms,
maybe you want to wear a long-sleeved shirt that day or a suit.
I'm not asking you to be fraudulent.
I'm not asking you to hide your true self, but you do want people to focus on your
message, how you can help them, and why you would be an asset to the organization.
You don't necessarily want to distract them with wearing flip flops or
footwear that just seems wildly inappropriate.
So before you go into that job interview,
you really need to look at yourself from your feet to the top of your head, and
ask yourself, is this how I want to come across?
And is this how I think someone would be seen as fitting in with this
particular organization's culture?