What Not To Wear To An Interview

In a previous post I outlined what are some of the best things to wear to an interview, and now I am going to highlight some extreme no no's when it comes to interview attire. 

You mean this won't work?

Tee Shirts- Funny, witty, cute, solid, wild, whatever they may be, leave them at home.  Opt for a button up or a blouse.  Any applicant that walked in wearing a tee (or god forbid tank), was soon seen walking out without an offer or even a promise of a callback.  It can be seen as disrespectful for someone to be giving you their time to interview you and have you not even make an effort to look professional.

Jeans-  Dark wash, acid wash, skinny, flare, boyfriend, doesn't matter.  Don't wear them.  If you can invest in ten pairs of jeans in different styles you can buy one pair of dress pants to wear to interviews.  I promise you that jeans, even the darkest wash, don't impress anyone at an interview.  Please stop pretending they look super professional.  

Leggings- If you can't wear them to work why would you wear them to an interview.  They're too tight, most of the time see through, and altogether not appropriate for the workplace.  Please please please do not think this is acceptable to interview in.  (Unless they are sheer and under a dress in Alaska in the middle of winter.  Not even under a dress people.  Wear some pantyhose/stockings.)

Anything ripped- Please retire your ripped jeans, the jacket with a hole, the scuffed hem of your dress pants.  Nothing looks as unprofessional as showing up to an office, asking for a large salary, all while wearing clothing with holes in it.  If you only have one good outfit make it your interview outfit.  I am a huge fan of the Salvation Army for interview clothes when you have limited funds, and I promise you there are clothes there that can look good and don't have holes.  

Anything see through- I don't understand the see through trend. I tried to go shopping when I moved down to VA for clothes to wear that looked professional and dressed up, and even in the ladies section their clothes were see through.  Come on guys.  Think of it like this, if your father were a pastor and you were to come to Sunday service in see through clothing, would he be happy about it?  Probably not.  I don't want to see your undergarments, no one wants to see your bra or underwear or anything that could possibly be under your clothes.  If you showed up to an interview in see through clothing the first thing I would think was "excuse me but where are the rest of the fibers that belong in your clothing, and why do you deem this appropriate to wear today?"

Tight revealing clothing-This is not cute, and will not get you a job.  It looks desperate and like you are hoping a horny teenage male will be interviewing you.  Wearing this type of clothing will not get you a leg up, or an advantage over other "frumpy" applicants.  Stoppit. 

Cleavage- Just, no.  Cover up.  Like wearing tight and revealing clothing, showing off the ladies is cheap looking and not something people want in their applicants. They want to be looking at your resume and not your chest. 

Sandals- Dressy sandals, flip flops, sandals with a heel, any concievable type of sandal is a no go.  Opt for a flat, or closed toe shoe, or wedge.  No one wants to see your foot at an interview, and just like a good pair of shoes can pull together an outfit, a bad pair can ruin it.

Sneakers- For the love of all that is holy please do not come into an interview in your workout sneakers or your latest Nike purchase.  Even a black on black pair.  This can be okay depending on the place you are interviewing if you are a male, but in an office setting you better walk in the door with a pair of dress shoes or heels/flats if you are a female.  Like I said, shoes can make or break an outfit and sneakers always fall short when in an interview situation.

Messy hair/makeup- Take a little time today to spruce yourself up. Wash and comb your hair, put on a dusting of blush and some mascara.  Put your hair in a low ponytail, pin it up in a bun, braid it (no pig tails please), straighten it, put some product in it, just make a little effort.  The more you look put together (even if it's only one day and the rest of the time you come to work with hair in a pony tail everyday or left to it's own desires), the better your chances are at landing a job.  I know this is probably extremely superficial but sometimes we have to come to terms with the fact that interviews are your first ever impression to a company, and they do care about how you look.  You will be a representation of their brand, and if you come in looking like you just woke up and fell into ill fitting clothes with some of last nights makeup still holding on for dear life they will judge you.  It's a fact of life.  If you are morally opposed to the above statement I am sorry, you can come in with no makeup and three day old unwashed hair and try and prove me wrong.

Crazy/over the top jewelry-  Don't let your several bangles and ten rings take over the interview.  Jewelry is a great conversation starter at a party, but at an interview it's your work experience their interested in. Tone it down and wear one statement piece to bring out your personality, not overshadow it.

These are just my opinions and not proven fact, but as someone who has worked in the HR position during a hiring season these are the things that people come back and say "you would not believe what that person just wore".  A visual impression is the first impression you get when interviewing.  Even your resume is a visual impression of your work skills.  Don't let your clothing and personal image jeopardize your resume and personality.

What To Wear To An Interview

When dressing for an interview there are a few things to consider.  Some questions you should be asking yourself are what is the weather going to be like, what is the atmosphere of the company I am interviewing like, what position am I looking to achieve, how do I want to be perceived.

These are things I have learned from my own experiences and the general do's and don'ts associated with that.

Now keep in mind the length of these items may be shorter and longer based on the time of year:

Blouse- If it is sheer you should always wear a camisole underneath.  No interviewer wants to see your undergarments.  Trust me. This should also not be a cleavage revealing blouse.  Typically when you walk in and the first thing that is seen are the tops of your breasts you already start at a disadvantage.

Button up shirt- If you have a fitted or collared button up shirt, and do not feel comfortable wearing a blouse, go for it.  I find plain colors to be the best, but I always like long sleeved better than short.

Jacket- This can vary depending on the weather.  If it is hot you can wear a short sleeved jacket, and in the winter a long sleeved one.  I do suggest you make sure that the jacket is the correct size.  Too small and it will be too revealing and very uncomfortable, and too large will be slouchy and look unprofessional.

Dress pants- These should fit you properly.  Usually the colors black, navy, and khaki are the way to go.  Try not to wear bright or patterned slacks unless you know the environment you are going into is relaxed or "artistic".  It may sound silly but since there are so many styles and cuts of dress slacks/pants out there it is very hard to "mess up" wearing them.

Skirt- Preferably pencil as I feel they are the most professional, anything that is of knee length and lower is generally acceptable. Some professions prefer suits as opposed to just a shirt and slacks, so dressing it up with a skirt is another great option to look sophisticated and professional.  You don't want your hem line to ride up when you sit down exposing your thigh.  You want the interviewer focused on what you are saying and not what lies under your clothing.

Heels/Dress flats- It is always nicer to wear heels, even a small kitten heel, as opposed to boots or sneakers.  If you can't walk in heels then I suggest a very nice pair of flats.  Nice heels elongate the legs and add confidence to your walk.  I know it is a stereotype and can be considered sexist, but someone who comes into an interview that is wearing a small heel looks more professional and confident than someone who wears flat shoes.

Minimal Jewelry- Wearing a statement necklace and a simple ring, or a chunky bracelet with a delicate necklace is the way to go.  Make one piece of jewelry the focal point and mute or discard the rest.  Your jewelry should accentuate your outfit, not take away from it.  I would also suggest wearing something that looks of quality, and not six rubber bracelets or mardi gras beads. 

Minimal makeup- You want your makeup to look smart, not overwhelming.  A smoky eye, a light pink/nude lip, mascara, and some blush are all you need to look smart and sophisticated at an interview.  If you don't know how to apply makeup, today is not the day to try a full face of it, just stick to mascara and some lipgloss.  The worst thing was having someone come into an interview looking like they wore all the makeup they had in their collection.  It is not flattering and detracts from the focus being on your intelligence, not your looks.

Follow Up Post: What Not To Do When You Leave Your Job/ Get Fired

Hey There Lovelies,

As a follow up post to What to do when you leave your job/ get fired, I decided to write a list of what not to do in that scenario.  This one will be a little more fun, because I may or may not have done all most of these things, so this post may just get a little comical.

Do Not:

1. Do not drink yourself to sleep for the first few weeks.  You wake up hungover on your couch, or in your bed, fully clothed, at four in the afternoon.  Drinking away your problems does not help.  It makes them worse, and you usually end up looking like the living dead.  Not pretty.  Not helpful in getting a new job either.  If your own spouse, boyfriend, room mate, etc, looks at you with pity and offers you water and tylenol, your potential new employer will most definitely feel like they want to do the same.  Then they will never call you back. 

2. Do not lock yourself up in your house for a month.  It does not help.  You need to be out, seeing people, seeing the sun, trying to get yourself back on track.  You do not need to be hungover (see number 1), pale, full of anxiety and depressed feelings, alone in your own home.  It's not good for you.  Take some vitamin D if your country/home lacks sunlight this time of the year, and go outside to breathe.  Make a lunch date with a friend every week, or go out and visit a shelter and pet some kittens.  Just get out of your house.

3. Do not feel that because you don't have a job you get to live in your sweatpants and sweatshirts, let your hair fade, and generally be lazy.  Yes this works well for the first few days, but then the house becomes a mess, you start to smell, and your bed and couch get divets from your butt in them.  Get up, get moving, and wear some real clothes, and a bra, especially if it's chilly out.  Impose a no sweatpants after 10 AM rule.  It not only will make you feel better, but it will keep you from sleeping all day and eating take out.  Trust me.

4. Do not live off take out and junk food.  Eat a salad, drink a smoothie, try and be healthy.  This rule goes along with the no sweatpants after 10 AM rule.  Your sweatpants won't tell you if you're gaining weight unnecessarily, but your jeans sure will.  So will your friends when they see you three months later... Yep.

5. Do not alienate your friends or your former co workers.  They don't think less of you, and they don't want to make you feel any worse about your situation, they just want to be your friends and support you, so let them.  Don't feel like a burden, or like you should be ashamed of yourself and cut out everyone from your former life.  Right now you need support and connections if you ever hope to pull yourself out of this funk, so cutting everyone out is not gonna help you feel any better.  Also, your friends are a huge source of self esteem.  They will come over and tell you how pretty you are and help you apply for new jobs and pick out clothes. 

6. Do not think that retail therapy will help you overcome your sad feelings.  Same goes for late night Ebay shopping after a half a bottle of wine.  Don't do it.  You end up broke, crying over your dwindling bank account, and your lack of current employment to fix the gaping hole you just put into your savings.  Instead window shop, or make wishlists on your favorite sites, and come back to them in a day or so.  If you still desperately need seven things of eyelashes, and four different color shirts that all look exactly the same, so be it, but chances are you won't.  (I ended up with seven different sets of eyelashes, a headband with cat ears, and a comb shaped like a gun in my basket that I almost bought.  Always hide your credit cards at night.  )

7. Do not do a massive life/look overhaul.  It is not a good idea to decide that because you are currently unemployed that if you change how you look/dress/decorate your living space your life will dramatically improve overnight.  This is how you end up internet shopping your savings away to become "hip" and "interesting".  Cutting off all your hair and dying it a drastic color (ahem dark brown, which is what happens to my red hair when I get sad) will not make you feel better.  It will make you feel like a stranger to yourself and cut down your confidence and make you resentful and prone to drinking/eating binges.  You are lovely just the way you are. 

8.Do not procrastinate on getting a new job.  If you need the income, don't wait months to put yourself back out there because you're scared.  The longer you go without looking for a new job, the harder it is to put yourself back out there.  The worst any company can say to you is no, and eventually that no will turn into a yes with some other company and you will have another job.  Don't get discouraged.  Everyone starts at the bottom to work their way up, so even if it isn't your dream position now, some day you can work yourself up into the big office and the nice assistant. 

9. Do not get desperate in your search of a new job and undersell yourself when an opportunity comes along.  AKA do not offer to follow your boyfriend around and work for him when he is a construction worker and you are a weak little girl.  Yes I offered to do that, yes his boss said I could because my boyfriend is amazing and everyone always loves him.  No I did not go to work with my boyfriend because he never woke me up and left for work without me.  I guess me working on roofs didn't appeal to him.  The lesson still stands though.  Don't undersell yourself in a big way JUST to have a job.  As I said in number 8, it may not be your dream job, but it should also be something you want to be doing.  Do what you're good at.  Don't be desperate.  You won't work up to your potential and you will just be wasting peoples time if you don't actually want to be at work.

10.  Last but not least, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT fall into a pit of despair and sadness and bad feelings.  People love you, that situation wasn't for you, and you WILL find something else.  The last thing I want anyone to take away from this post is that while losing a job is hard, and while being jobless is not ideal or fun or enjoyable, it is not the end of the world.  You will find something else, and you don't need to be destructive or self loathing if you find yourself in my position, or the position many young people now find themselves in.  We put a lot of our self worth into our positions in society and the jobs we hold, but that should not mean that if we fall down we should give up. 

Good Luck Everyone!