A Man’s Guide to Dressing for an Interview

As many business environments become more laid back one can only wonder what they should wear to an interview. I mean you’re already worried about what you’re going to say, how you’re going to be received, and if you’ll land the job…the last thing you want is to screw things up by not having on the right attire. Sure, first impressions are everything, but overdressing could send the wrong message just as under dressing can. So what’s a guy to do?

While you may have thought that this was an issue that only women had to deal with… bros you’re sadly mistaken. It is important for you to take an interest in what you’re going to put on, because whatever it is, it will make a statement about who you are before you even say hello. Here are some tips I came up with that should help you in finding the appropriate attire for any interview:

Check the Company Environment

To determine what type of attire might be best suited for a job interview you can always do a little investigative research on the company in question. Checking social media pages and even the company page can tell you what type of working environment is. Look at the employees, are they business casual dressers? Or do they seem to have the more business professional look? While you still want to stand out a bit from the staff while interviewing trying to blend well with the environment of the company can also work in your favor.

Consider the Industry or Job Type

Another solution to determining what you should wear to an interview is to consider the industry you’re applying for or the type of job it is. A job that requires a great deal of handy work such as a warehouse worker or a janitor might not require that you dress like an executive. In this instance, preppy clothes like surf polo shirts and a pair of khakis could suffice. However, if you’re going for a position like a manager, executive, or accounting specialist, you may want to stick to the more traditional options, which would include corporate attire.

What Are You Most Comfortable In?

There’s no denying the fact that interviews can be stressful in nature. As such, it can actually work to your advantage to throw something on that makes you feel a bit more at ease. No, I’m certainly not recommending that you throw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and make your way to the office. However, if you feel a bit more comfortable in business casual than corporate attire, then go for it. When you feel good about what you have on it can somehow exude into your attitude which can help you in marketing yourself better and landing the job.

When All Else Fails

If you can’t find out anything on the company environment and are not sure about the style of dress for your particular industry, then it is probably best to stick with the traditional options for dressing for an interview. This would mean throwing on some nice slacks, a decent pair of shoes, and a dress shirt with a tie. If you want to throw in a blazer to finish off the look, by all means do so. It is always best to go with the “safest” bet when it comes to dressing for an interview. While you want your potential employers to know that you’re willing to take risks and stand out, coming to an interview in jeans and an old Hawaiian themed shirt is probably not the best way to accomplish this.

Hopefully these tips will help you in preparing yourself for the interview. Now I don’t recommend getting so caught up in the attire that you forget important things like updating your resume or rehearsing your pitch (answers to the questions), however, I do recommend spending a few moments putting your look together. At the end of the day it is important for guys to not only have on the perfect clothes, but you also want to make sure that you look neat and clean as you’re presenting yourself as a complete package to company execs.

Written by J. B.

J.B. is a freelance writer who like sharing tips and helping others to be successful.
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