What to Wear to an Interview

What you wear to your interview depends heavily on the job you are applying for.  Your resumé is your first impression, but your interview is your lasting impression.  To impress you potential employer at first glance, pick an outfit that shows confidence, suitability, and class.  Belw you will find a guide to dressing for interviews, categorized by industry.

Corporate

Corporate interviews are perhaps the dressiest variety, or at least the kind with the most rigidly defined dress code.  Suits are standard, and polished shoes and subtle ties are a must.  Corporate interviews are not an opportunity to stand out or express yourself through your clothes; this part is reserved for the actual speaking time.  Corporate interviewers are often as concerned with how you present yourself within the company as how you represent it externally.  Corporations can have a good deal of money staked on their reputation, which rests upon the way they are represented by their employees.  In this case, utmost professionalism and polish is called for. For example:

• Men—suits of dark grey or black, with a silk tie and a quality button down shirt.
• Women—Clean and low-heeled shoes, a modest silk dress or women's pantsuit and conservative, groomed hair
• For a guide to dressing corporately, see here.

Food Service

Food service jobs rely party on the staff's interaction with patrons and partly on the quality of the food.  If you are working on the people side, your appearance is an aspect of marketing for the establishment.  To dress appropriately for this interview, scope out the aesthetic of the business.  Is it an artsy eclectic café?  Is it an upscale french restaurant?  Is it a café-turned-music-bar at night?  The most important thing in this situation is research.  Whatever the look of the place you are interviewing for, make sure you don't dress too outrageously to be discounted, even if you see current employees pushing the line of acceptable dress.  If jeans are appropriate, avoid holes. Here is a more comprehensive guide to dressing for many kinds of non-professional interviews.

Rules of Thumb

Whether you are dressing for a professional interview or otherwise, there are some genral rules of etiquette that will always apply.  A firm handshake is a classic good sign to an employer; skip the chewing gum, do not interrupt, no inappropriate jokes, no rudeness or physical play-punches, and maintain good hygiene.  For more tips on general interview etiquette standards, see this article.