Dressing for an interview

Submitted by WikiJob on 22 June 2009 - 8:05pm

Think. What do your clothes say about you?

Someone once said that an interviewer knows within the first minute of meeting the candidate whether or not they will be suitable for the vacancy. Whether this is true or not does not matter, because is it really worth the risk? The employer should know immediately that you are taking the interview process seriously and should recognise your effort in wanting to be employed. Dressing in a well-fitting suit tells this to the employer, before any words have even been spoken.

What else should your suit say about you? Are you creative? Are you organised? Are you a confident person? All of your positive attributes should be reflected in your suit. I would always suggest that you arrive to an interview in a conventional coloured suit a navy or dark grey, however you should maybe consider some individual detailing to really make the suit yours, as well as making you stand out from the other candidates. Why not have an interesting lining of the suit as this will add to your individuality? Something contrasting, something fun. I would advise wearing a plain white shirt, but individualise your look with bold tie and matching cuff links and possibly a matching pocket square. Remember you want to look the part, but you don't want your look to steal the limelight, they are interviewing you.... not your suit.

Always make sure that your suit is a good fit. Trousers should end at the wood of your shoes and the sleeves of your shirt should end where you thumb bone meets the wrist, with your jacket sleeve ending approximately half an inch above this. Bespoke suits ensure a perfect fit, and are specifically tailored to your body so are the preferred choice for an interview suit. The better the fit, the more comfortable you will feel and the more comfortable you feel the more confident you will come across. The last thing you want to be doing in an interview is fidgeting because your suit is a bad fit.

Lastly, make sure that your suit is neat and pressed, and that your shoes are clean and polished. If you wear a suit and shirt that is scruffy and dirty, it will appear that you don't care about the role you are going for. The interviewer may not recognise the extra effort you have taken to get your suit looking perfect, however they will notice your lack of effort if the suit looks dirty, creased and slovenly.

Visit www.aSuitThatFits.com to customise everything from the lining, to the stitching and design your perfect interview suit, with prices starting at £150.

Michael Pegrum - asuitthefits.com

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