Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Dressing for an interview when you aren’t familiar with the work culture
A fter all the work you have put in to create the resume, cover letter and application content to land a job interview, the hard truth is: the work is only beginning! When you are selected to the first interview round, you are excited to make your debut appearance, and feel that you are a great fit for the company, but you need to decide what to wear to continue to impress.
Your wardrobe can make or break their first impression. Spend time determining the best attire to show that you are ready to succeed in the position.
Dress for the Target Culture
Because each company has a unique organizational culture, you’ll feel more confident and make the most of your job interview by dressing appropriately. Do the men wear business suits and dress shirts with ties, or collared shirts with sports jackets, or no jackets at all? Are the women in dresses or blouses and skirts, or well-tailored pants? Or is everyone wearing jeans? If you appear too casual, the employer may question your professionalism. Significantly overdress, and it may seem like you don’t fit in the company or its unique culture. You don’t want to walk into a very casual company dressed in your best suit and tie, but you also don’t want to go the business casual route only to find out the interviewer is wearing a suit.
But What if You Don’t Know How Formal or Informal the Work Culture Is?
The best answer is to do some research to find out how people at the company dress.
If you know someone who works at the company, ask about the standard office attire.
Consider bringing up the dress code policy on the phone when scheduling the in-person meeting.
Look on social media for pictures of the staff on a regular day.
Drop in to the lobby or go to the facility and watch the employees come and go.
Consider the type of organization you’re interviewing with and what is considered standard attire for that profession.
Prepare your outfit ahead of time to remove wrinkles or stains which will give the hiring manager the impression you’re careless or sloppy.
A professional and put-together outfit can make a strong impact on a hiring team and solidify that first impression during a job interview. Don’t forget to maintain good posture and a pleasant, expression on your face. No matter what, the probability of losing the second interview is greater if you underdress than if you overdress.