So how was it? Your final paper, how was it? However it may have been, you must be feeling on top of the world. Last paper over, done with my uni life. It’s time for me to go get hired. I can bet the ridiculous amount I spent on drinks last night, that’s how you feel after your final paper.
Fast forward 2 weeks, the average time a grad takes for his/her graduation trip, and you might have a couple or so interviews lined up (if you are lucky, given the current market situation). That or you might be finding yourself attending some career fairs. It’s the morning of the career fair/interview and you look through your wardrobe and ask yourself the age-old question……”WHAT TO WEAR AH???”
Fret not, you aren’t the only one. Hordes of graduates before you including your peers and me have found ourselves in a similar predicament. So here is my advice to make sure your first impression (your appearance) wins a sizeable portion of the hiring battle.
GOLDEN RULE:
ALWAYS BE A LEVEL UP ON YOUR PROSPECTIVE HIRING MANAGER. A piece of advice given to me by my career coach. Here is a table to simplify things for you.
| Hiring Manager’s Outfit | What your outfit should be |
| Plain clothes ( Casual formal) | Formal attire (Tie optional) |
| Formal attire (Shirt and Trousers) | Formal Attire (Shirt and trousers AND TIE) |
| Formal Attire (Shirt, Trousers and Tie) | Formal Attire( Shirt, Trousers, Tie AND BLAZER) |
Being a level up is all about wearing a level up in terms of attire compared to your hiring manager. This not only gives a good first impression, but it also shows you bothered and that you take yourself seriously. You will also be not overdressing or intimidating the potential employer.
Sundram, this sounds all good, but what if I have no clue what the HR guy might be wearing or I am just attending a fair. Well, that’s a good point. My strong recommendation is to go with Formal Attire (Shirt and trousers AND TIE). Trust me, you can never go wrong with this dress code. So now let’s look at the dos and don’ts for each gender.
Ladies:
Ladies, I hope this set of guidelines, which I received from my school’s careers services, gives you more confidence on what to pick for wearing. You may wear some light perfume, but nothing too overpowering.
If you are looking to purchase some interview clothing, you might want to check out these links below. AD
Polka Dots Pencil Skirt
Gentlemen:
Here you go Gents! A little advice: iron your shirts on the morning or the night before your interview. Avoid coloured shirts. Your pants should preferably be of dark colours such as black or dark grey. Slim fit clothing is fine and is actually in trend. Wax/Gel your hair, keep to a classy trend look, not any funky Mohawks! Undercuts are cool! Check out these links for your clothing options.AD
Basic Long Sleeve Poplin Shirt
Cotton Long Pants
Keep to these guidelines and be confident in yourself. Dress to be confident and to impress. This is key to setting a good tone for your interview or conversation. Hiring managers today can tell a lot about you from your first impressions, so don’t give them a chance to fault you there. All the best with your job hunt. In this tough job market, never give up and stay positive. I wish you all the success in your career endeavours!