Preparing for a Job Interview: Dressing the Part
June 9th 2008 13:57
I have interviewed many people over the years, and I am always shocked at how people present themselves at an interview. I have met a number of people with great credentials, terrific answers to our questions, but they looked sloppy, ungroomed, or too casual for the interview.
When it’s me being interviewed for a new job, I take great care with my appearance. There is one lesson that I learned from my father that I always remember. “Don’t dress for the job you have. Dress for the job you want.” I have heard that repeated in numerous books on interviewing, as well. So I take it a step further. I think about my ultimate goal. If I am a director or a manager and am interviewing to be a vice president, I dress as if I were preparing for an interview to be the president of the company. I want to be noticed but I want to be respected also.
As an interviewer, I find it difficult to take someone serious when they can’t even dress for the part. It feels like an insult to me, that the person couldn’t find the time to dress appropriately. In some cases, I figured that the job candidate didn’t really want the job and maybe were just there for interview practice (waste of my time).
Even if you are showing up for a job interview that is meant merely to improve your skill as you prepare for the interview you really want, show some respect and dress appropriately. You may not want this job right now, but that person sitting behind the desk conducting the interview could be someone you run into again in your field. They could be interviewing you for another position in the future; one that you really want. The last thing you want is to be remembered as a slacker from a previous experience.
My suggestion is to arrive overdressed rather than underdressed. Unless you are given specific instructions about how to dress when called to schedule the interview, err on the side of caution, wear a suit. Look the business professional in every way and know that making an impression early on can help to set the stage for your future career goals.
When it’s me being interviewed for a new job, I take great care with my appearance. There is one lesson that I learned from my father that I always remember. “Don’t dress for the job you have. Dress for the job you want.” I have heard that repeated in numerous books on interviewing, as well. So I take it a step further. I think about my ultimate goal. If I am a director or a manager and am interviewing to be a vice president, I dress as if I were preparing for an interview to be the president of the company. I want to be noticed but I want to be respected also.
As an interviewer, I find it difficult to take someone serious when they can’t even dress for the part. It feels like an insult to me, that the person couldn’t find the time to dress appropriately. In some cases, I figured that the job candidate didn’t really want the job and maybe were just there for interview practice (waste of my time).
Even if you are showing up for a job interview that is meant merely to improve your skill as you prepare for the interview you really want, show some respect and dress appropriately. You may not want this job right now, but that person sitting behind the desk conducting the interview could be someone you run into again in your field. They could be interviewing you for another position in the future; one that you really want. The last thing you want is to be remembered as a slacker from a previous experience.
My suggestion is to arrive overdressed rather than underdressed. Unless you are given specific instructions about how to dress when called to schedule the interview, err on the side of caution, wear a suit. Look the business professional in every way and know that making an impression early on can help to set the stage for your future career goals.
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