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Best Interview Attire for Men

types of job interviews
By MegaInterview Company Career Coach

So, you applied for a job, and your application has been accepted. Job interviews and the preparation process for them can feel stressful, especially since you need to focus on several points to show yourself in the best possible light. Think of saying and doing the right things during and after the interview, but you also have to think about your job interview attire and what you will wear to the interview.

Your qualifications and cover letter got you the invite. Now, it’s up to you to show up dressed appropriately for the occasion. The first couple of seconds that you’re introduced at a company make up a big part of an overall impression. So, what should you wear to your job interview? Great question! Read all about it in this blog.

How you dress during a job interview reflects your personality, and if you dress the right way, it shows that you understand the company culture. Irrespective of whether the interview is a business casual or corporate one, you need to dress the part and show up as is expected of you. If you really want that job position that you applied for; dress like you got it already.

This means you need to show up in the clothes you would wear while performing the job. If you’re not sure about how formal you should go, always go conservative. So, what should you wear? Should you wear a suit? Which tie matches your shirt? Is your attire the right one for this job interview?

What’s the best interview attire for men? That all depends on the company where you applied for a position. Below are some tips and tricks to make sure you make the best impression possible during your job interview.

Tips for interview attire for men 

  1. General Interview Attire Preparation Tips

Do your research

It’s up to you to find out which interview attire is appropriate for the job you applied for. So, if you don’t know much about the organization, do your homework and find out what their company culture is like. Look up the company website and social media accounts to see if there are any photos or videos of employees. By doing so, you can get insight into the overall vibe of the company. Another option is to ask a friend or acquaintance who might work at the company or has worked there. It’s your responsibility to know upfront what is expected of you in terms of interview attire and show up as a professional that will fit right into the organization. Don’t overdress, but if you’re not sure, stay on the conservative side.

Pay attention to details

A non-ironed shirt, a wrinkled jacket or pants, and worn down shoes are not what you want to wear on the big day of your job interview. Paying attention to details is very important. Therefore, make sure that you, for instance, have your suit dry cleaned and shirts ironed well before you have the job interview. Furthermore, get a haircut if needed, make sure your hands and nails look clean and shave/trim your beard to make the right impression.

Keep it simple

The goal of the job interview is not to draw attention to your attire, but to the skills that qualify you for the job that you applied for. A simple approach towards your job interview attire can get you a long way. Take it easy on the makeup (if applicable), hair, clothing, and jewelry. Bright colors and patterns should be avoided at all costs. This does not mean you should dress boring, just go for classic attire.

Dress rehearse

In addition to paying attention to details, make sure you do a dress rehearsal. Make sure that all your clothes fit you right so that you will make a professional appearance at your job interview. Also, check for any other malfunctions in your wardrobe; you want to look sharp!

Accessories

Bring your briefcase or envelope bag to carry your documents like a professional. Other possible accessories are cuff links and a watch.

  1. Dressing for a Corporate Interview

Corporate interviews are usually conducted at companies such as banks, and consultancy, and law firms. The way you dress is an important factor in the hiring process. Below we will set out what you should wear and why.

Wear a suit

Suits for job interviews have never been outdated, except the suit styles have been upgraded to make men look more elegant in them. Suits are still the trend for business interviews. Get you a two-piece suit (jacket + pants); it is perfect for corporate job interviews. It portrays simplicity and neatness and exudes professionalism. However, don’t go for a too bright color or pattern. In other words, keep it simple.

A suit in a dark color is a great choice. Therefore, just go for a basic color such as navy, charcoal, or grey. If you need a new suit you may try on several types before you find the one that matches you perfectly. Make sure you do this weeks in advance so that you can get some tailoring done if needed. A suit needs to fit your body right in order to get that professional look and modern fit.

Shirt: stick to the classics rather than trendy

If you choose a darker colored suit it’s wise to go for a lighter-toned shirt underneath. Furthermore, these types of shirts always work well in a professional context. Again, stick to the classics if you’re not 100% sure of what’s expected. A white or light/sky blue shirt will go well with your suit. Make sure the fit is right for you (avoid sloppy or too tight shirts) and iron the shirt the night before your interview. If your shirt does not fit you right; get it to the tailor to get it fixed.

Tie

Skip the slim or extra wide ties and choose a standard width tie in a classic color or pattern. Your tie should be clean and conservative because it should not draw any attention. Colors such as navy, emerald green, burgundy, and similar are all safe to go with. If you want to go for a pattern go with traditional as well. Also, needless to say, make sure you know how to tie your tie before you go to the interview.

Shoes

Shoes are an important part of your outfit and should not be underestimated. Don’t wear worn-down shoes, but make sure you wear a round-toe leather dress shoe that is shined. A good set of shoes will complete your look and will give a signal that you pay attention to details.

Socks

Play it safe for your job interview and go for a pair of dark-colored socks of medium height. Make sure they are not too short! A traditional motif or pattern is always an option, but keep it subtle.

  1. Dressing for a Business Casual Job Interview

Business casual attire just means wearing something that is less formal than a suit and a tie. In short, show up casual, yet polished and professional. It’s better to go a little bit on the safe side than to come across as messy.

Go stylish with a jacket or a blazer

Wearing a jacket or blazer gives you that classy and casual professional look. Go for traditional colors such as black, charcoal, grey, or navy blue. Furthermore,

In addition, it’s always good to bring a blazer for more formality. When you arrive at the interview location you can feel the vibe a bit better and decide if you want to wear it or not.

Pants

Wear color-coordinated pants if you decide to wear a jacket or blazer on top. Make sure your pants are freshly pressed and fit you well. If you decide to just wear a shirt, another option is to wear pressed khaki pants.

Shirts

If you are not sure about the dress code and culture of the company you are applying to work for, you could find a middle ground with either of these. Consider adding some texture to your outfit by wearing a textured blazer or a corduroy blazer. You can pair your slightly bright colored or khaki blazer with dark-colored pants.

Tie

A tie is a possibility, and to play it safe, you can wear one. Go for a simple, not too distracting, tie to finish that business casual look. If you know from your research that a tie is not a part of the attire worn at the office you could leave it. If you’re not sure, go conservative and wear one.

Sweater or tie with a button-down

To get a business casual look, you can wear a sweater with a button-down. Sweaters are a good match for shirts in different colors. For a less formal environment, this layered top can be paired with chinos, khakis, or dark wash jeans. To get a more formal and sophisticated look, however, you could coordinate the button-downs with a classic-colored tie.

Wear shoes that complete your look

Shoes speak volumes. In fact, that is the next thing people see after your suit jacket. Why do you think people look you from head to toe? It is not to check out if you have long legs or the shape of your legs. It is more to find out the footwear you have underneath or beneath the awesome clothing. For your interviews, however, opt for conserved leather shoes with matching colors to your clothing.

Don’t work into the interview venue wearing torn and spoilt shoes. Get them mended if they are spoilt. If their condition is too bad then, by all means, do get a new one or borrow if you must. The bottom line is don’t appear with good clothing up and tattered shoes down. Also, don’t forget to give them a good shining.

Diversify your interview dress code

If you are applying for a job in a company where you have to attend multiple interviews before you would be hired, then there is a need for you to diversify your interview wardrobe. You should not go to different interviews in the same company wearing the same dress or the same dressing style repeatedly. Add some style to it. If it is a casual interview, you can choose to wear a sweater with a button-down.

Solid colors like black, brown, or grey would be perfect, as they can be easily combined with almost any shirt color. You can pair the button-down with jeans, khakis, or chinos. Bold button-downs also look amazing. They go well with your tie and give you a sophisticated look. If you want to look more formal though, you should go for classic colors that have less glaring prints.

In all, you can always try out new dress codes. To find the right interview attire for men, figure out what works for you and strike a balance between that and what the company wants, and then you are good to go.

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