Job Interview Dress Code
I received an email the other day from someone who wondered what happened to the dress code for job interviews. She said that she'd seen more applicants lately in ratty jeans and sneakers or flip-flops than dressed in interview appropriate attire.
Is there a job interview dress code, anymore, she wondered. The answer, in a nutshell, is yes. It does matter what you wear to a job interview. When you are dressing for a job interview the image you present is important, even if you're applying for a part-time job at a local store. Your image is what makes the first impression on the interviewer, so it's important to dress appropriately when interviewing.
Regardless of the type of job you're interested in, you want that first impression to be a great one. When dressing for an interview for a professional position, dress accordingly in business attire. If you're applyng for a job in a more casual environment, a store or restaurant, for example, it's still important to be neat, tidy, and well-groomed, and to present a positive image to the employer. And, even if you're a teenager going on an interview for a first job, what you wear matters, too.
More: What Not to Wear to a Job Intervew | What Not to Wear for Teens
My experience differs a bit. I’ve gone to interviews were the interviewers were dressed like slobs, making me feel uncomfortably overdressed in a pantsuit or blazer and dress slacks. I know I’m the one who has to make an impression, but give me a break!
I’ve seen young girls getting the job because of what they were wearing–low cut blouses! Also, I’ve seen the flip-flop clad crowd applying for jobs where one was required to wear professional clothing (they must not have really wanted to work there). I was told at one place that I was too overdressed to work there. It was hot that day, and I wore a simple white blouse with a navy skirt and low-heeled pumps. They were dressed in shorts!