What should you wear?

My daughter was told by her guidance counselor that she would never get into college or get a job because she was coloring her hair pink. Seriously? In this day and age some people still have a very arcane mentality. (she got into college) This attitude by the "establishment" is why I wanted to share my insights on what to wear to an interview.

Your parents, advisors and friends do not know best (trust me on this one). Tell them thank you for the advice, nod and smile kindly at them.

What you must do before the interview day is ask your recruiter! Your recruiter will help guide you to the correct outfit for the office environment. While you may think that the conservative black, grey or navy suit is the way to go but, beware it may be the reason you don’t get the job! I bet that just got your attention!

Part of the interview process is to ascertain if there is a cultural fit. If the office is casual and creative environment your conservative suit with sensible shoes that your parents told you to wear is not going to send the message to your interviewers that you are cool and creative. It may tell them (albeit incorrectly) that you are uptight and stuffy and don’t fit in with the culture. Conversely, if you were to show up to an interview with say a big defense contracting firm wearing an amazing pair of leather shorts, retro concert tee shirt and patent leather Doc Martens again, you are probably not going to get the job. Not because you are not qualified on paper you don’t fit the cultural norm. I am not saying that this is correct or even fair it is just a fact.

Things were way easier when I was a lifeguard. I didn’t have to interview I only had to have my certificates and boom the job was mine. In the “professional” world we need to understand what the culture is like, does it fit who I am? If it doesn’t fit with you then don’t apply find a place where you will shine and stand out for the right reasons.

I learned this lesson the hard way. I went on an interview many years ago I really wanted to work for this (unnamed) company. So, I borrowed a fabulous Chanel suit (red) wore and amazing pair of shoes only to discover that the office was casual… Needless to say I did not get that job. Recently, I went on an interview with Amazon (signed a document that stated I couldn’t share the process) but what I can share with you is I asked my recruiter what should I wear. She told me NO suits for my interview day. I was happy that I listened to her. During my day I felt that I fit into the culture and didn’t stand out like a sore thumb. It was an amazing day.

Your recruiter can help you prepare for your interviews. They will tell you who you are interviewing with, what they are like, what you should wear. You should always have your questions for the interview team, a notebook and pen to write down things while your interview.

What to wear is a question that plagues those of us that don’t wear a uniform to work. While it would be awesome not to have to think about if your shirt matches your pants and if the shoes work with the outfit every day. Truth be told I really like mixing and matching BUT, I know that this can cause stress. Especially if you are going in for an interview.

Ask your recruiter for help! (recruiters love to help and you could be the “set of keys”)