It happened again this morning: I was reading a newspaper article on job tips and once again an “expert” who likely never has hired anyone in his life was giving others advice about how to land a job. And once again, his advice was off the mark.
This time the culprit was a fashion expert who cautioned applicants to avoid overdressing for interviews as “it’s very important to mirror the image of the company” and “to fit it.”
Guess what? If you showed up for an interview wearing the casual attire consistent with the dress codes of the many blue-chip companies where I worked, chances are your candidacy would have ended at “hello.”
As someone who has conducted thousands of one-on-one interviews, I think when applicants dress down for interviews, it gives the impression they’re arrogant and acting as if they’re already on the payroll — or that they really don’t care about the job.
Yes, there are many employers out there who have casual or business casual dress codes for their employees. But you must remember: You are not an employee.
If the job requires business casual dress, men should wear a jacket and tie or a suit. If the employer is not particularly stuffy, a man may want to soften his attire by wearing a tan or blue shirt and soft-toned complementing necktie versus the traditional power look of a white shirt and red necktie. Women should wear a light-colored two-piece business suit.
With some highly creative or hip workplace cultures as exceptions, dress above what the job requires. The higher the job level you’re seeking, the more formal the attire.
Did you find this article helpful? Learn how to get a new job fast with
more insightful tips by visiting www.navinstitute.com. Matt Durfee is CEO of
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Advisors and Navigator Institute.
Prior to launching Navigator Executive Advisors and the Navigator Institute, Matt Durfee held Senior Vice President, Vice President and executive-level Human Resources positions in a number of the world’s most admired companies including Pepsi Cola, Nestle, Frito-Lay International, Hard Rock Cafe, Bank One, Cendant, and Centex Homes. His expertise in career development & leadership transition, change management, and executive development is supplemented with extensive experience in roles ranging from the business unit level to the Board of Directors. His international corporate experience is supplemented with a two-session assignment for the U.S. Council for International Business to represent national employer interests at the European United Nations/I.L.O. in Geneva, Switzerland. Matt earned his Master’s degree in Labor & Industrial Relations from Michigan State University and subsequently completed an executive program in Financial Analysis at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
I agree you should always dress business professional with a suit and tie for males during the interview process. Even if the company is business casual, it shows respect and that you are not making assumptions in getting the position. Your qualifications may show you deserve the position, but your interview clothing shows how you present and carry yourself in professional situations.
I completely agree. You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.
100% agree! When did it become the norm to dress down to a job interview. I dont care if your applying at McDonalds- wear a tie!
Absolutlely right, Danny! The attitude you portray, simply by your dress, speaks loudly to an interviewer. There is still a traditional bias in organizations of all types that expect someone to dress “up” for an interview. It is not so much a norm that employers expect candidates to dress down, but there is a small growing segment that doesn’t care about this aspect of interviewing. You can never go wrong by dressing for the highest common denominator.
I absolutely agree, when a major grocery chain was opening a new store in our neighbourhood, both my teenage sons applied. I advised them to dress up with a tie – they grumbled they were only applying for an after school job – I persisted & they both got hired. Most of the kids arriving in baggy pants & baseball caps. In a situation where hundreds of people were applying for a few dozen jobs, it was very telling that they were both hired – & into better positions than they had expected. It doesn’t matter what the position, look professional.
So only men have interviews or go to work? You article doesn’t mention women or give them any advice.
Matt – you’re wrong. Please read what you wrote: “cautioned applicants to avoid overdressing for interviews as “it’s very important to mirror the image of the company” and “to fit it.”
Then you went on to say that the company you work for – a blue chip company – would end the interview at “hello”. So what this says is that the company you work for requires “dressing up” for the office. This is absolutely not the case in working for conmpanies like Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft. If you walk in to an interview at Facebook wearing a 3 piece suit – you will not fit in with the culture of the company and therefore, will not be hired. This is a fact. I tell all of my candidates to review the company and try to “blend in” as much as possible. I saw a candidate go in for an interview at FB and he was dressed in a suit and he looked out of place and uncomfortable.
Fitting in with the culture of the company outweights “dressing up”. Of course, this all depends on the company. Having worked in the gaming industry, I can assure you – flip flops are preferred.
Hey, Chelle – Obviously you are very passionate about your position but I’m afraid you missed some key points of the article. To begin with, you’ll see I am referencing my real life perspectives from the “many blue chip companies I worked” (e.g., Pepsi, Nestle, Marriott, Frito-Lay, etc.) where I did, in fact, reject candidates who dressed in anything other than traditional business attire. I then went on to say it is acceptable to tone down one’s attire if the employer is not particularly stuffy (by the way, I wouldn’t recommend a 3 piece suit in any scenario!). As for the employers you cite in your comment (Southwest Airlines would probably be another), I agree that over-dressing can sometimes backfire on applicants. That’s why I made a point of adding that there are exceptions for “some highly creative or hip workplaces.” In most cases, however, it’s better to dress conservatively unless you are absolutely certain the employer falls into the latter category.