Dress for Interview Success

HRHQ-Dress-for-an-interview

By Claire Griffin, Recruitment Consultant, Vantage Resources

When it comes to any of the big occasions in our lives one of the first questions we ask ourselves is “what am I going to wear?”.

I know we say “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but the moment you walk into the interview it is the first time the perspective employer gets the full picture, a picture of you the person and not the 2 dimensional you on paper. Here are a few pointers to make sure it’s the best impression possible.

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For men it is pretty straightforward:

I would always advise on a suit and tie. This way you can’t have it counted against you for being overdressed, but turning up in jeans and a t-shirt can give a sloppy impression. The interview panel might think that you are not taking the interview seriously.
“But what if the company has a casual dress code?”, still go with the suit and tie. Casual covers a wide spectrum from jeans and a hoody to slacks and a shirt and you don’t want to be left red face should you make the wrong choice.
Make sure not to go overboard with colognes or aftershave. Farcical as it may seem, this is known to be an issue with some hiring managers and put them off of a potential candidate.
Ladies have far more choice than men, meaning there is a greater chance of getting it wrong!

Something comfortable and conservative that suits the organisation you are interviewing with. The dress you choose for interviewing for a cast member on Geordie shore will not fit the bill for interviewing as a Business Analyst in a financial Institution.
If you are wearing heels make sure you are comfortable and able to walk in them. I have seen countless candidates arrive in fabulous designer shoes only to stand up and proceed to walk in to the interview room resembling a centaur – a half human, half horse, mythical creature, and yes I have already forgotten about the outstanding “2 dimensional” paper version.
Keep your make up neutral and hair neat, less is more! Again, keep it suited for the interview you are going for.
If you are still working towards getting that interview, why not take a look at some of the positions we currently have open www.vantage.ie/alljobs.

Or alternatively, speak to one of our consultants on (01) 2952850 who will be able to advise you on how best to shape your CV, turn your applications into interviews and help you land that new job.

By: Claire Griffin, Recruitment Consultant, Vantage Resources

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