Interviewing can become the make-or-break for any job-hopeful. Do poorly on the interview, and you'll soon find yourself back in the hunt. But the interview isn't all about answering questions. The way you present yourself is just as important as knowing your stuff.
So, Alicia was surfing around one day when she found this GQ Feature, Project Upgrade: How to dress for the big interview. I took a look at this article, and it really does bring up some great points. Behind all of the corny photos, outrageous clothing prices, some strange jobs, and the fact that the feature is directed to men, there's a solid message for everyone!
Surprisingly, dressing yourself correctly can be quite a challenge if you've previously turned a blind eye to it. This feature shows it perfectly. It follows seven dudes who are getting ready for interviews at their prospective jobs. GQ says each guy has flaws in his attire, and since I'm not here to straight up repeat the things they wrote, I'll paraphrase.
Know your role. Know your interviewer's. Dress accordingly. Power-dressing, as some may call it, is a no-no. Don't give the interviewer the impression that you think you're better than him. You aren't the boss, yet, so don't try to trump him with your suit.
Be clean. It doesn't really matter how long you've been sporting a goatee, you need to nix it. It will grow back, anyway. Show your interviewer that you know how to groom yourself, and that will, in turn, show them that you're all about business.
Tone it down. There's no need to slap your interviewer in the face with the brightest colors you can muster. Color is great! But don't over do it... and make sure you match.
Size it up! Poor-fitting clothes can undo all of the points above. Invest the extra time and money to get your suit tailored, or find something that fits from the get-go. It's all about clean lines and minimal boxy-ness. Besides, if you get this job, you'll be able to get all the cool things you had to give up for this suit, right?
And lastly, be confident! Alright, that has little to do with the actual clothes you're wearing, but an interviewer can see right through the confident suit to an unconfident personality. That's what they're getting paid for.
That's about it. Hopefully this shed a little light on your interview-dressing woes. Sooooo know your role, be clean, tone it down, size it up, be confident, and then all you need is a good set of answers and a little luck! So here it is - good luck!
