There are countless articles and youtube videos on specific things that you must do if you get an interview for a job. If you are new to the workforce and have just received the notification that they want to talk to you for your first interview, or if you have been doing this for decades, there are a few crucial things that you absolutely must do or you will probably remain unemployed. While we are not going to go over the specifics of getting a resume together and preparing for the questions that you think they will probably ask you (we assume that you are qualified for the job and thats why you got the call) we are going to talk about being the best dressed one in the room. No matter what job you are applying for there is a golden rule, there is nothing wrong with being overdressed, but there is something very wrong with being underdressed.
When that day for the interview comes and you are applying for a job that does not require you to wear a suit every day, should you wear a suit to the interview? Lets address this question from the standpoint of the person interviewing you. The person who you will be sitting down and talking to has a job ahead of them, which is essentially deciding which one of the candidates they talk to is best for this position. They have probably narrowed it down to a select few, and are going to make their decision based upon qualifications and how these candidates present themselves. If you make a bad impression for any reason, they will eliminate you from consideration. This is why you need to overcompensate on all levels, including the way you dress. Lets put it this way, if you are not sure if the person interviewing you will be insulted by you not dressing up for an interview, then you better dress up for that interview. If you think that the person will not care, then dressing up just shows that you want to make a good impression and are taking it seriously. Either way, dressing up is good and not dressing up is bad. So no matter what, wear the suit to the interview.
Get your suit dry cleaned before the interview. People do not realize how much different a dry cleaned suit presents you over a suit that is wrinkled and looks like it has not been worn before. Dry cleaning creates crisp edges and lines, and gets all of the imperfections out of the suit. This will give you a clean and respectful look, which is always going to impress. Even if you only have a cheap suit to wear, it will look far better if you dry clean it before hand than if you just try to wear it after it has been hanging a while. Take the time to show that you want the job, and you will have a far better chance of actually getting it. Don’t bother taking the time and you can’t expect them to hire you.
