What Not to Wear: Interview Edition

            We may not be Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, the hosts of What Not to Wear, but we can tell you the ins and out of dressing up, especially what to avoid wearing to the interview.

            The job interview is the first time you get to meet a potential employer. First impressions are key to securing the job. The outfit you decide to wear is an important part of that first impression. Any outfit you chose to wear says a lot about the person you are. To help ensure that you give a great first impression to your employers and not be like the people here we have complied a list below list of the top five clothing options to NOT wear to an interview.

Clothing with holes may be trendy for the day-to-day outfit but is not appropriate for any job interview. The rips can be a distraction to the employer conducting the interview. Some of these include ripped jeans, sweaters with large holes, etc. You want to stay away from clothing with rips or anything that can show under garments.

If you try on an outfit for an interview and think it would also be something you would wear on a night out, then that is not the outfit for an interview. You want to stay away from tight fitted clothing or anything too revealing. This is also a distraction to the interviewer. For women, stay away from tight fitted clothing and anything that reveals too much cleavage. For men, don’t wear anything too tight fitted and make sure to button-up shirts to a good spot that doesn’t show off too much.

This area can be hard to decipher sometimes. It all depends on the values of the company and what kind of company you are interviewing for and here will give you more information about this topic. Some interviews may be more business professional, and the proper attire is a suit. However, some interviews may be more business casual. Overall, it is not good to wear your everyday clothing. This includes sweatpants, t-shirts, sneakers, crocs, and flip flops. You want to look professional, even when the outfit is more casual than others. You want to make sure your clothing is prepared. It should be ironed or pressed and look nice for interviews. Wrinkled clothing can be a sign of unpreparedness to interviewers.

Wearing clothing that is very vibrant can be distracting to interviewers. It is important to stay away from bright colored outfits. The safe route would be wearing neutral colors. If possible, try to stay away from patterned options. Animal prints are the main pattern choice that should not be worn.

Jewelry is pretty and nice to look at, but it is best to keep it at a minimum during the interview. A nice watch and dainty jewelry would work. Just like the other don’ts for interview outfits, it can be distracting to the interviewer. Another big distraction that can play into accessorizing is the perfume and cologne. Be aware of how much you are putting on. Too much scent can be distracting and even harmful to your first impression to your potential employer.

The smallest changes to your interview outfits can determine your success of the interview. First impressions are very important in job interview. Following the list can help lead to a better outcome of the interview. A bad interview outfit may be the only thing the interviewer remembers about your interview. They will get so distracted by the outfit that they do not remember you for who you are and what you could possibly bring to the company. The list shows five of the top outfit choices to stay away from. When getting ready for an interview ask yourself, “Is this something that Stacey and Clinton would approve of?” For more on what is good examples of what to wear click here.

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