I know we all have had that moment…

when we get a phone call from a potential employer, and you get so excited. But then looking at your closet, you totally have no idea what to wear to this job interview. You know well, this is a chance of a lifetime, and you cannot afford to mess anything up. Well, you are not alone in this. In this article, we will cover a few tips that will help you look like success.

Most people don’t seem to pay attention to what they look like as long as they have a good resume. But the reality of the matter is that; when it comes to job interviews, the right first impression may be the difference between whether you get your dream gig or not. You always need to look your best as it helps in deciding if it’s you who will be chosen or your opponent. That extra detail of you looking presentable always makes a huge difference in everything.

And as we can all agree, dressing up for a job interview is never an easy task. You not only want to look professional but also be perceived as a good fit for the institution and its culture. That said, it is essential to make a terrific first impression during your interview. Even with the right papers, you still need to dress for success and look like someone who can play the part.

Be Conservative in Your Dressing

If you want to look your best in any job interview, you want to go with the most conservative outfits in your wardrobe. What do I mean? You need to go with darker colors like navy or black for your pants or skirt.

Pair up this outfit with minimal accessories and a dressy shirt. If you want to go with a statement dress, ensure that it has sleeves, or you wear a stocking for additional coverage.

Choose the Right Colors for Your Outfits

When picking out the colors for your outfits, you always want to opt for neutral colors. Therefore, you need to go with colors like white, beige khaki, navy blue, gray, and black. These neutral colors tend to create a professional look without being too distracting.

But if you want to demonstrate your creativity or visual appeal, you can incorporate a few bold colors in moderation. For instance: you can go with an over-the-knee pencil skirt that hugs your body nicely and a button-down shirt in solid color and some complimentary high heels. That will create a look that is relaxed but at the same time very refined.

The advantage we ladies have over males is that we can go with a dress suit or a skirt when going for an official look. When it comes to the work environment, ladies have more versatility in their outfits, which helps to exude their femininity. But at the end of the day, remember that your outfit should not only make you stand out as a woman but also show your level of professionalism.

Tailor-Make Your Clothes

No matter how much your outfit costs, it will not highlight your silhouette in the right way if it doesn’t fit well. That said, you need to make sure you tailor your clothes.

Let the suit, skirt, or dress be tailored to suit your body type. You need to make sure it’s not too tight or too loose. Get the perfect fit, and that will elevate your entire look instantly.

Always Pick Out a Complimentary Footwear

Now that you have your interview outfit in check, you need to finish off the look with complementary footwear. Choose footwear that adheres to your dress code.
You can either go with leather flats or low heels. No matter the dress code, make sure the footwear you choose is clean and in good condition.

Pay Attention to Your Hair 

When preparing for a job interview, you need to pay attention to your hair too. The good thing is that there are many approaches that you can consider. These are hairstyles that will give you that ideal business appearance. These styles include:

• The Ponytail

The ponytail should be sleek back, neatly done in a mid or long ponytail. A quick hack that you can do is wrap some hair around your scrunchie as it makes your hair look more precise. People pay attention to details, and you don’t want to walk into an interview with your ponytail holder showing. 

• The Sleek Straight

We can also call this the Kim-K look. The sleek straight style will never let you down as it helps you achieve an elegant and professional look. 

• The classic bun

The high bun or low bun should be sleek back. Do not tamper with the baby hairs as that can be very distracting. 

• The natural curls or loose waves

You can do the loose curls or probably just curl just the ends of your hair then feather them out. Make sure you achieve a crisp wavy style. You can even use a smoothing serum to ensure your curls are sleek. 

• You can try a side part

A side part can also give you that professional and classy look. It works best for long or shoulder-length hair. You can use some clips to hold down the hair on the opposite side. And if you have shorter hair, you can choose the more asymmetrical styles.

The best thing about all these hairstyles is that they keep the hair off your face. Hence, it keeps your makeup neat and ensures there’s not so much going on your face.

Be Minimal in Your Makeup

For your interview, you need to keep your makeup to the minimum. That means you need to go for the ‘bare face.’ The makeup needs to look as natural as possible since we don’t want to distract the interviewer.

Be very light on the blush and highlight. As for your lip, a nude lippy will do the trick. In fact, for the most part, just go with a gloss. And something fundamental with your makeup, avoid glitter. It can be very distracting, and we need something natural. Remember, when going for a job interview, the hiring team wants to “see you.”

Accessories

When dressing up for a job interview, keep the accessories to a minimum. Avoid layering your jewelry and accessories. Instead, choose just one statement piece that can serve as the focal point.
Any other accessories that you will add need to be very subtle and conservative. For instance, avoid charm bracelets as they can be very distracting. Every time you move your hands, you will distract the interviewer.

Nail Polish

Well, this is something that most people tend to forget, yet it an essential part of your image as well. You need to make sure your nail polish is not chipped. If there are any chips, better yet remove the polish and file down your nails to a neat length. Chipped nails look very unprofessional, and it could negatively impact your personal image.

If you are wondering about the nail polish colors, the best colors are neutral. Most companies do not allow colored nails. Therefore, you need to keep the nail color very conservative. Go for the neutral or nude polish as it looks very put together.

In Summary

What you wear to a job interview is essential as it demonstrates your suitability as a candidate. When you dress professionally, you are more likely to impress the hiring team. That first impression will immediately prove to the hiring team that you can fit in seamlessly with your future colleagues.