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Suggestion for a sticky - what to wear for an interview

  • 04-11-2012 11:56am
    #1
    amdublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭


    This topic comes up all the time.

    IMO you can generally never be overdressed for an interview - okay unless you turn up in full 3 piece with monocle & fob watch :D

    Plus! If you arrive and everyone is else is more casual you can always change it down e.g. Remove a tie or remove a jacket. if you arrive and you are the most casual you can never change it up!

    What I would suggest is.

    Girls
    smart fitted shirt (Zara do good ones for reasonable price)
    Smart pair of navy trousers
    Nice shoes
    *But ideally you would wear a Navy suit (I.e. Jacket and trousers) - if you can stretch to it Zara or Next do nice suits. Otherwise keep an eye on Penneys!

    Fellas
    At a minimum
    Shirt & tie (remember you can always take the tie off if you arrive over dressed)
    Trousers
    Nice shoes - not big chunky slip ons if possible. Just your standard lace ups. Not clunky shoes in any case.

    Suit is always good though...


    Few more tips.
    *Most importantly - wear what you feel confident in!
    *Keep a suit / interview clothes clean and on hanger in wardrobe - don't wear it for anything else.
    *Keep an eye on sales. If you see something at good price buy it and store in wardrobe as interview clothes. Means you don't have to think about it when interview is coming up.
    *what ever you wear, it just needs to be neat and tidy and look like you made some what of an effort.

    Nb. All of the above is advice for 90% of jobs. There are some jobs where a suit or tie might be overkill and might even be frowned on e.g. A job where personal expression is encouraged. Off the top of my head a job in animation, graphic design or advertising or the like...


    What you think? Any other tips?


Comments

  • #2
    yunglassiegurl
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭yunglassiegurl


    Great idea for a thread amdublin


    A few tips from my experience

    General:

    If you know you may have more than one interview with a company its worth getting a few different tops or shirts to go with your suit for interviews

    Girls:
    Penneys or M&S are great for matching jacket/skirts or jacket/dresses.
    Plain neutral coloured high necked top will also do instead of a shirt
    No cleavage or visible bras through shirts - wear vest under if needed
    Makeup minimal and natural/neutral e.g brown/nude eyeshadow
    Neat and tidy nails, try to avoid fancy nail art or brash colours - clear varnish looks smart.
    Conservative shoes with a low heel
    Have hair pinned out of face - a niggle with interviewers is hair sticking to lip gloss or interviewees playing with hair!


  • #3
    user.name
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 283 ✭✭user.name


    If you have an interview for River Island etc wear clothes from their brand mostly


  • #4
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    Bring a tissue for those sweaty palms

    Failing that, find the toilets and use some cold water


    Try not to bring a bag but it's ok if you do.
    For example if it's Friday evening you may be getting Bus Éireann to your county afterwards.
    It's not hugely important but would be better if you weren't dragging in your large Nike sports bag.
    Some offices are huge and you may be walking up and down different floors to get to the free room. Best to leave the bag at reception


  • #5
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,011 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    The way you dress and present yourself is a form of communication and may be marked accordingly.

    Ladies:

    I know nothing about ladies' attire but don't wear trousers which are too long and fray/tear/get dirty and wet at the heels.


    Lads:

    If you have a suit, don't get into the habit of wearing the trousers without the jacket (i.e. don't use the trousers for ordinary use) as they will wear/fade quicker and the suit will look mismatched when you need it.

    If you are going to wear a tie, do a proper knot and close the top button of the shirt. Otherwise you give the impression that you are unaccustomed to wearing a tie and that it is just a token gesture. If you can't close the top button of your shirt, get a different size or buy one in a large gents outfitters who will stock several variations of the same size.

    Don't get changed at the venue or outside at you car. It looks tacky. If you can't get dressed at home, find somewhere along the route and arrive ready.

    Polish your shoes and don't have frayed laces.

    When your interview is over, leave the venue. Don't hang around outside the room talking to other candidates or calling your friends to say how you've done.

    I know many will consider these things to be unimportant but if I have two candidates with exactly the same qualifications and who otherwise score the same, I know who I'll choose.


  • #6
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Clean hair
    Clean nails
    Clean shoes (You'd be amazed how many people don't bother to clean shoes)
    Ladies: Neat and tidy style for the hair. Fellas: Get haircut if necessary.
    No strong perfume/aftershave.

    Arrive at least 15 minutes early. If you need to do a dummy run to the venue, then do so. Nothing worse than trying to find a place, getting lost and flustered.

    Remember to turn off or put on silent mobiles!!


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  • #7
    tatli_lokma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,332 ✭✭✭tatli_lokma


    yunglassiegurl wrote: »
    No cleavage or visible bras through shirts - wear vest under if needed

    +1
    And if you think this is obvious and doesn't need to be stated, you would be wrong. Recently interviewed someone who arrived in a totally see through chiffon shirt with a brightly coloured very obvious bra underneath, and the suit jacket swinging open! Before she even opened her mouth she was not going to get the job. I don't fancy having to pull a woman in her 40s to one side and have to explain what appropriate work attire is...no way was she going to be employed.


  • #8
    dearg lady
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭dearg lady


    Just out of interest amdublin, why do you specifically suggest navy?

    I don't feel comfortable in any 'work' clothes and I fear this shows through... :(


  • #9
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Personally, I think black is best for a business suit. Charcoal grey, or navy are also good, but black is best. Matches with everything. Pinstripes or 'funky' tweeds, dogtooth or any other pattern is out.

    Don't eat, drink, or smoke before. Water is OK.


  • #10
    tatli_lokma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,332 ✭✭✭tatli_lokma


    Absolutely AVOID smoking before hand.... and by before hand I mean if you are in your interview garb, then don't smoke. A non-smoker can smell the smoke off you a mile away, even if you douse yourself in perfum and eat a whole packet of mints! If you are interviewing with someone who currently has a problem with people nipping out for a fag break, then you are straight away putting a strike against yourself by letting them know you smoke.

    And I agree, don't eat immediately before hand, but also don't go on an empty stomach -tummy gurgles and rumbles are not good in an interview! Nor is the smelly breath you get from an empty stomach. Don't go in hungry, a snack an hour or so before is fine. And don't chew gum. Take a few breath mints before you enter and make sure they are gone before you start the interview, or use a breath spray.


  • #11
    Eoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,257 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    I've added a link to this thread from the newly created "useful links" sticky thread (rather than having a sticky for each topic)/


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