IT Job Interviews 101: What Not To Wear
Want respect? Make a good first impression by matching your IT interview attire with the corporate culture.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt1c809ae2be0fde87/64cb57ac153b75f6fa45ccd2/1-rodney_dangerfield.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
So you've got a job interview. Congratulations. Here comes the hard part. You've got to figure out what to wear to the interview. In IT it's harder than anywhere else. Show up in a suit to a company that's all tees and jeans and they might decide you are stuffy. Show up in jeans and another company might decide you aren't taking it seriously.
The stakes are high. First impressions are created in seven seconds, and they rely mostly on nonverbal cues like body language, and yes, clothes. People can make snap judgments about people based on clothes in as little as three seconds. Wear the wrong clothes, and you could be judged as less competent or intelligent before you even open your mouth.
Make a bad impression with what you're wearing and you could spend the rest of the interview simply trying to make up for it instead of sharing all the incredible talents that make you the one for the job.
Look, you know the basics. Don't wear roller skates or forget to wear pants. Your mama stopped dressing you when you went to college (or at least your senior year) and you've been around the block. But there are still some details that even the best of us might not be getting right.
Plus, the interview is probably one of the few places where you aren't tipped off to your own errors. Go to the club in the wrong pair of skinny jeans and your friends are going to let you have it, but wear the wrong suit to an interview and all you'll hear is "thanks for coming, but we're going in another direction." No manager can tell you that the real reason they didn't hire you was that your fish tie turned them off. They may not even know it themselves since many of these impressions are subconscious.
So we put together a slide show of some of the biggest fashion faux pas in the business, some subtle, some not so subtle, that will help you land the job. Or at least, it will help you get through the first seven seconds. What you do after that will be up to you.
Check out the list. Then tell us your go-to interview garb. And let us know if you've committed any crimes against fashion. Most importantly, managers, please sound off on all your interview horror stories, and tell us if someone lost a job because of what he or she was wearing.
Your "I went to Black Hat and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" shirt might go over well with your buddies in the cubicle farm, but it isn't going to work in an interview. It doesn't show you as hip or connected. It just makes you look like you don't care. Even at companies where those shirts are de rigueur, try some casual slacks and a button-down shirt. There's trying not to look stuffy and then there's dismissing how important this is to you. And unless the company is notorious for dissing the suit, put one on. Save the "Dear Algebra: Stop asking us to find your x. She's never coming back" shirt for the first day at your new job.
You took off the t-shirt. Good for you. Now make sure you don't look like you're trying to bring back the zoot suit … or worse. Studies show something as simple as a tailored suit instead of an off-the-rack one will make people think you are more successful and confident.
What kind of tie a man wears says a lot about him. Some people say certain colors (like pink) are weak and show you are needy, and other colors (like red) show power and authority. Whatever color you pick, make sure the tie doesn't distract. If it has flashing lights or cartoon characters or a singing fish, you're doomed. Don't wear the tie that got laughs at your cousin's wedding. No one will be drinking (we hope) at your job interview.
I pity the fool who is too young to know Mr. T. I also pity the fool who wears too much jewelry to a job interview. Male or female, you don't want to distract anyone from what you are saying. A nice, conservative watch or a wedding ring is fine, but if you're wearing a disco ball please re-think … unless you are interviewing for a job doing animation for Dancing with the Stars.
Unless you want to be judged more harshly than this man judges singers, don't wear anything you'd wear out on a Saturday night.
It might be great for the Easter Parade. It might be raining. You might be trying to overcome a bad hair day. You might be trying to cover gray hair or baldness to look younger. Don't do it unless you're trying out to be shortstop for the Yankees.
You obviously need something to carry a notebook and maybe a phone or laptop. But if you look like a Sherpa trying to get up to base camp or a magician with a bag full of tricks, you're going to look like someone who doesn't know how to prioritize or pick the right tool for the job. Bring just what you need for the interview and save the big bag for base camp.
Stick to wool and cotton. No leather. No spandex. Nothing made in a laboratory. If someone has to ask how many bunnies had to die to make your outfit, you're in the wrong one.
OK. I hope you know that one. But this is a guy in a centaur outfit. What is not to love?
It is tempting to try to stand out in a crowd. Managers interview dozens of people and they all run together. But you're more likely to look like a horse's rear end than a star.
What do you think? Are you guilty of any of these fashion fails? Are we getting too serious about this? How much does clothing matter, and are we forcing everyone to look exactly the same? Is there room for personal expression? Have you ever gotten a job (or lost one) because of what you wore to the interview? If you are a manager, how closely do you look at what someone is wearing? Tell us in the comments.
What do you think? Are you guilty of any of these fashion fails? Are we getting too serious about this? How much does clothing matter, and are we forcing everyone to look exactly the same? Is there room for personal expression? Have you ever gotten a job (or lost one) because of what you wore to the interview? If you are a manager, how closely do you look at what someone is wearing? Tell us in the comments.
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like