"The rule of thumb is that you dress one or two levels higher than the job that you're going for," explains Kate Wendleton, president and founder of the Five O'Clock Club, a national career counseling and outplacement firm. "If you were going for a job as a mechanic, you wouldn't go in there in dirty overalls, even though that's how you would dress for that kind of work. You would still go in there and show respect. You would go in with an open-collar shirt, clean pants and maybe a jacket."
As Wendleton puts it, by dressing a notch or two above what's standard apparel for the position you're interviewing for, "you're definitely showing that you care about this job, and that you know the game."
This is a very important tip as we have heard from recruiters who have interviewed for environmental service positions that some applicants have come dressed in jeans, hoodies and sneakers to the interview while others have come dressed in a suit. Part of the decision to hire the candidate in the suite was due to the fact that they took the time to truly prepare for the interview, which could lead one to believe that they value presentation; a skill needed in the job.
The other question that we get around dressing for an interview is; "how do I dress for an interview without giving up who I am?"
There are those who say it's pointless to dress for an interview in a way that you wouldn't once you're on the job. Why misrepresent yourself to a future employer or try to be someone you're not?
"If you want to have eight earrings and have your tongue pierced, that's fine," says Wendleton. "But you're showing you don't know how to play the game. If it's so important to you, go ahead and dress like you normally do, but realize that you may not get the job."
For more information on dressing for an interview, check out the following website http://www.totaljobs.com/Contents/Editorial/InterviewsDressing.html
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