How To Dress For An Interview (And Get The Job Too!)

Initially you probably thought it’s best to overdress, so you can impress them. Maybe, an hour later, it occurred to you they won’t like that so you figured you should just go casual.

Let me tell you your thinking is close to what you should be REALLY wearing to an interview. You don’t want to be too dressed up but you don’t want to be super casual either.

Someone once said: If you’ll wear jeans and sneakers to your interview, you’ll GET a “jeans and sneakers” type of job.

I can’t guess what job you’re applying for but I’ll assume it’s one where you need to prove to your employee that you’re serious and reliable.

So let’s take it one step at a time.

The very first thing you’ll want to consider is a suit. The suit is the most formal piece of clothing you can go to an interview. When you wear a suit you’ll communicate that you take good care of yourself, that you only want what’s best and that you’ll do an amazing job for that company.

Of course, not all job interview require suits: if you’re applying for a job at a fast-food restaurant, scroll down below for more dressed-down options.

If you’re applying for a sales or managerial type of job, the suit is your only alternative. After you get the job, you’ll have to wear a suit day in and day out.

The only question remaining is how do you stand out in a suit?

There are a few secrets to that.

1. Wear a suit that matches your skin complexion. I talk a lot about that in my ebook, so that’s a great place to start.

2. Wear a tie that goes with the rest of the suit. It’s all in the details and a man’s tie is the most important detail of a formal outfit. Make sure you do it right.

3. Wear a pocket square. This will definitely make you stand out in a positive way because most guys don’t even KNOW what a pocket square is…

What if i don’t want to wear a suit?

That’s ok, I got you covered. You don’t have to spend $2000 for a suit just for a job interview. However, you STILL have to make a great first impression.

The (only) alternative if you don’t want to wear a suit is… the dress pants.

The dress pants are less formal because they don’t have a matching jacket (by the way, don’t try to improvise a suit by pairing dress pants with a sports jacket). Dress pants do great with sports jackets but only if they CONTRAST.

Depending on how hot it is on the day you have the interview, you may or may not wear a jacket. However, what you do have to wear is a long sleeved dress shirt. Don’t go for a long sleeved one even if it’s hot outside. Short sleeved shirts are not considered formal at all so you shouldn’t wear them at an interview.

Wearing a tie is optional. It depends on the type of job you’re applying for and on how much you want to impress.

In case you didn’t know, here’s a few basic rules to formal outfit matching that you absolutely must know. (if you don’t grab my eBook fast because I have A LOT to tell you about how to look and dress fantastic):

1. Match your belt with your shoes
2. Match your socks with your pants
3. Never wear white socks

Here’s an overview on what you should and shouldn’t wear on your next interview:

Here’s my last tip. For a complete professional look, put a pen in the chest pocket of your shirt. Make sure the pen is placed as close to the middle of your body as possible. That’s where professionals wear them.