Recently I sat down with image consultant and career professional Ilona Vanderwoude to hear her recommendations for dress for men during an interview.
Clothing. “Men should wear a suit in a neutral color (navy, gray, or black). For second and third interviews, you can wear the same suit (provided it’s not a pin-stripe) and just wear a different shirt and tie.”
Shoes. “Wear loafers or tie shoes. And always make sure your shoes are polished, well-kept, and with an intact sole-it should not be lopsided from extensive wear. Have it fixed in time!”
Hair. “Unless you are interviewing in an industry where having a 5 o’clock shadow is the latest thing that you absolutely must sport (please let me know if you identify such an industry!), make sure you are clean shaven. This comes down to respect. Even a full-grown beard can be seen as casual as it has this more laid-back outdoorsy image. Anyone serious about climbing the corporate ladder should be clean-shaven, or at the very least, have a short, neatly trimmed beard. But preferably none at all.”
“As for those weird-looking goatees, half-beards, and facial stripes you see sported by some-these will not fly for the vast majority of “serious” jobs. So, as I always advise: check the industry or company you are applying with. If it’s a very creative environment, you could get away with this. Otherwise you need to decide what’s more important to you: expressing yourself in these ways or this job you are applying for.”
Accessories. “When interviewing, men should remove any visible body piercings and cover any tatoos. Jewelry (other than a wedding band) is not recommended. A brief case is a recommended accessory and this simple touch can truly lift your entire look.”
Exceptions. “Design firms, creative firms, PR, and advertising companies tend to “allow” a more trendy look-and often even encourage or expect it. However, unless you are very familiar with the company you are interviewing with, I recommend playing it safe with a classic suit, finished off with some trendier touches at most. Silicon Valley tech firms are another exception to the rule and tend to have very casual dress codes. To be safe, you could ask the company receptionist what the dress code is or check out who is in the employee parking lot to see how employees are dressed. As I suggested for women, dress up two levels during your interview. So even if the dress code is khakis and a sport shirt, wear a sport jacket with or without a tie. If everyone seems to wear jeans and a golf shirt or t-shirt, you can wear khakis and a long-sleeved sport shirt or dress shirt, or maybe a sweater.”
Ilona also recommends the book “Dress Smart Men” from the Chic Simple series by Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone. The book includes many pictures to clarify these dress concepts and breaks down the differences between corporate, business appropriate, and business casual.