How
to Dress for an Interview
Why
do you come to our website to learn how to tie a tie? Often it is
because you have to go to a job interview. In this article, we will
provide you some advice on how to dress for an interview, with the
focus on the tie.
The
Importance of Understanding What to Wear on an Interview
Understanding
what to wear on an interview is important to your success. The first
impression of the interviewer on you can have a deep influence on
his/her final hiring decision. If you dress casually, the interviewer
may think that you do not take the job interview seriously and are
not eager to get the job.
In
some business fields where you have to get in touch with clients or
customers frequently, your appearance will be more important since it
will have an impact on the clients' or customers' impression on the
company you are in. Wearing appropriate attire in job interviews can
demonstrate that you understand the nature of the business and you
are familiar with the dress code of that field, thus increase your
chance in getting the job.
Spend
some time to find out the culture of the organization before going to
the job interview. For example, visit the organization's website,
read its brochures or look at what its employees wear. In general,
business fields such as accounting, banking, consulting and law
require more formal attire, whereas creative industries like
advertising and technology are more flexible concerning the attire.
Sometimes
you may notice that the employees of a company dress casually in the
office. Note that, unless the company states explicitly, you should
still dress formally to the job interview.
Some
general advice on how to dress for an interview is provided below,
beginning with the tie. Note that there is no single job interview
attire that fits all situations. So, you may need to make some
changes on your own based on the actual situation.
Job
Interview Attire -- the Tie
The
tie is a standard component of men's job interview attire. The rule
for choosing the right tie to an interview is simple -- Find one with
a conservative look. Ties with fancy patterns should be avoided. Here
are the details:
Tie
Knot
The
four most commonly used tie knots are the four-in-hand knot, the
half-Windsor knot, the Windsor knot and the Pratt knot. All of them
are suitable to wear to job interviews. However,
a larger and more symmetric tie knot is preferred. A larger tie knot
can give you a more confident look while a symmetric one looks
elegant. As the four-in-hand is a small and asymmetric tie knot, it
is less preferred. Choose
a tie knot that fits the collar opening of the shirt. For example, a
small tie knot like the four-in-hand suits shirts with a narrow
collar opening, while a large tie knot like the Windsor suits shirts
with a wide collar opening. Practise
tying a tie beforehand, especially for more complicated tie knots
like the Windsor. Regarding
the ideal length of your tie, the tip of the wider end should be at
the same level as the bottom of your belt buckle.
Tie
Color and Pattern
Tie
color and pattern should be conservative and non-distracting. Ties
with dark colors are preferred. For example, dark blue and dark red. Ties
with solid colors or subtle patterns such as stripes and dots are
preferred. Stay away from fashion extremes such as ties with
pictures.
Tie
Fabric
Tie
Accessories
Tie
accessories like tie bars and tie clips might be worn to keep the
tie in place. However, you should make sure that its color and shape
are conservative and non-distracting. For example, a rectangular tie
bar is more appropriate than a pen-shape one.
Job
Interview Attire -- Other Aspects
The
tie is an important part of your job interview attire. However,
paying attention to the tie only is not enough. To obtain an
excellent overall appearance, you have to pay attention to other
aspects as well. Here is our advice on how to dress for a job
interview:
Suit
Shirt
Wear
a shirt that is in white or pale blue color to job interviews. The
sleeves of the suit jacket should not cover that of the shirt
completely. About half an inch of the shirt's sleeves should be
seen.
Belt
The
belt should be in a dark color. For example, black. The
belt should match the color of the shoes.
Shoes
Wear
conservative shoes in a dark color, such as black or brown, to job
interviews. Lace-up
shoes are recommended. The
shoes should be polished.
Socks
Briefcase
Take
a briefcase with you to hold items such as pens (you may need to
fill in forms), a few pieces of blank paper, your resume,
transcripts and certificates. Avoid
taking backpacks to job interviews.
Hair
Mustache
and Beard
If
possible, shave off your mustache and beard before going to job
interviews. If
you do not shave them off, make sure they are well groomed and look
neat.
Fingernails
Cologne
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