Top 6 Things You Should Never Wear to a Job Interview
November 10, 2009 
31 Comments
It has been said that “Clothes make the man (or woman)”. This is especially important when trying to find a job.
You have only one opportunity to make a first impression, and how you are dressed contributes to that impression. It is critical, particularly in this competitive job market, to understand the importance of choosing the appropriate dress for an interview, and understanding that what we choose to wear on that interview can often impact the outcome of that interview before you even open your mouth.
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. How you dress is not only a personal expression, but reflects how you feel about the occasion. The first impression of the hiring manager should be reflecting your dedication to landing the job. It is vital to present a professional look which will demonstrate a serious attitude and show that you put some thought and care into your first impression. In the same way, displaying a disrespectful appearance will show hiring managers that you don’t care about the interview, and probably won’t care about the job.
Sometimes people are unsure about what to wear and how to dress appropriately to an interview, and often the final result will do more harm then good. We recently surveyed 100 human resource professionals and selected some pointers which will help you learn what NOT to wear on your next job interview.
1. Short Skirts
NEVER wear a tight, short skirt on a job interview! Always try on your clothes before the interview. Never assume that something will fit, or not be too tight. Tight shirts and short skirts are inappropriate for the work place, and will keep people from taking you seriously. If being sexy is important to you, try a form fitting, yet not too tight – knee length, high-waisted skirt. It will create a clean, slimming look, and it will also imply that you care about your appearance, but want to be professional at the same time.
2. Short Sleeved Shirts with a Tie
Short sleeved shirts and ties do not go well together. Short sleeved business shirts in men are too casual, and adding a tie will often create a conflicting image. Steer clear – the informal look will make you look unprofessional. Try a button down, long sleeved shirt with a complementary tie instead. If you must wear a short sleeved shirt, add a matching blazer to your look so no one can tell the difference.
3. Sun Glasses and Bulky Accessories
Let’s face it, wearing sunglasses indoors is at best, pretentious, and at worst, suspicious. Eye contact is very important in any conversation. Sunglasses hinder eye contact , and thus can create the illusion that you are not paying attention, or are not serious about the interview. Other accessories like jewelry also need to be work-appropriate. Large, garish costume jewelry can also make you look irresponsible. Avoid cheap costume jewelry, and pick smaller, flattering pieces instead which dress up your look and draw it together, rather than make you look disorganized.
4. Underwear as Outer Wear
Nobody wants to see your boxers, or bra straps. See-through clothing isn’t sexy, it’s trashy. Always remember your business wardrobe is a look into your character, and you will not be taken seriously if you look as though you want to to be treated like a sex object. Your business wardrobe needs to reflect your attitude, and should always be respectful to the workplace, and yourself.
5. Work Out Clothes
As with underwear, spandex and muscle gear is for the gym, and NEVER the office. Workout gear is often provocative – neither look is what you want to display to a potential employer. Keep gym clothes in the bag, and respectful, work-appropriate attire at the work place.
6. Soiled, Stained or Wrinkled Clothing
You don’t want to look like you just got out of bed. It is better to wear a cheap new shirt and pair of pants that are neatly pressed clean, stain and wrinkle free, and fresh – than designer brands that are soiled or wrinkled. Second hand stores, thrift stores and garage sales are great places to look for career wear if budget is a factor. Lower end department stores and mass merchandisers are also good places to find work-appropriate attire. Also remember to keep your work clothes clean, and fresh. In addition, pressing business attire creates the appearance of an outfit being crisp and new. Looking your best will make you feel your best, and will boost your confidence during your interview.
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Wow, if this is valuable news to you, then you’ll never get the job anyway.
All you forgot was Chubaka slippers.
Took the words right out of my mouth!!!!
Chris recently posted..Who are you?
Amazing that this rates an article – it’s common sense! I agree with Cheryl Gray’s comment.
Clearly you are both over 25. You would be astounded what some young people think is appropriate – and then they are indignant if you call them on it! This isn’t your father’s job market. We wouldn’t even have dreamed of wearing anything like this for any serious purpose.
Isn’t this the truth, Susan! A lot of surprising things pass as work appropriate by Gen Y’s. I was just reading about interns working with politicians in Washington DC having to be told not to wear rubber flip flops to work!
Sarah Says recently posted..Four Economic Tools for Deciding on Your Next Internship
Do you really think this article is helping many people? Perhaps this should have been published in a high school newspaper.
This is common sense.
Please tell me you didn’t actually interview 100 HR manager to come up with this “great” list.
Nothing surprises me. I recently attended a wedding ceremony where the bride wore a wedding gown and the groom wore a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flop shoes.
the younger generation???
As a writer I know how much a labor of love an article can be, so generally I comment on the topic and not the article. But for this to have been written, and posted as if it would be useful for general audiences, is an annoying waste of time. Hence, i agree with Cheryl, Betty and Paul.
if the writer got paid for writing this, we should get paid for having had to read this well-written non-sense. If the primary target audience is idiots with no common sense when applying for a job, then the article should preface it with that. Sorry, you write well, but this was of no use.
Imran
as a writer, you should probably be aware that it’s nonsense not non-sense.
Another article on how not to conduct yourself on a job interview,if this stuff happens I can understand why the unemployment rate is 10% and maybe we need another two years of unemplyment benefits.
You can be overdressed or underdressed; but you can never be overly prepared with what really matters… your job skills, abilities and genuine enthusiasm for the position.
Many male and female professionals who are serious about their careers normally discuss their style of dress with other professionals before they go on a job interview solely because they want to make a good impression. However, from reading this article on ResumeBear, I guess many job applicants do not, and many good applicants could be rejected because of the way they dress.
Many male and female professionals who are serious about their careers normally discuss their style of dress with other professionals before they go on a job interview solely because they want to make a good impression. However, from reading this article on ResumeBear, I guess many 1job applicants do not prepare properly. Sad!
All great tips. I would add DO NOT wear anything that identifies your political or religious affiliation. It’s just not appropriate in an interview.
you should add:
“don’t go naked (even if you wear a tie!)”
“don’t put yourself on fire and go burning”
“don’t eat Soup with your Hands while u get interviewed”
“don’t wear hats, especially not more than one.”
“don’t wear weapons. A good sword might have brought you in that last job as a barbarian slayer for your warlord, but not everybody is happy about Killing-Tools.”
“Don’t come in a cake”
This made my day!! I wanna work where *you* work
Women often ask me if they need to wear hose and my advice is to err on the side of caution. Being overdressed for an interview is forgive-able… being underdressed is not.
Hose?! Who evens owns hose anymore? I’ve worked in very large companies for a long time and have not seen hose in years. I mean unless you’re trying to cover varicose veins or scars, hose is completely outdated.
If women should not wear hose, then men should be able to wear shorts. Legs and arms should be covered for an interview. Office attire is often determined by HR and company policy. Do you think a woman should show more skin than a man at his interview?
Great list Bob! And…can I add one?
Dental plaque. Uh huh. It’s a turn-off.
Get your teeth professionally cleaned when you start your job search. Then be sure to floss and brush as soon as possible before your interview.
I’m a little surprised at the level of disdain from some of the comments here… as someone who as interviewed thousands of people, I assure you this list is necessary (and agree with Donna – brush your teeth, please). The two most notable interview wardrobes in my history would have failed this completely.
In one, the girl looked amazing… if we were going clubbing. Sheer dress with sheer undergarments. She was a nice enough young lady in other respects, but when you challenge your interviewer to maintain eye contact by putting all your other assets on display, you’re not getting the job. Later, my HR staff admitted they had a great time picking which leader they called in to conduct the interview – and said they would have had no mercy if I had come back with a “recommend to hire.”
Another candidate that same year came in wearing overalls and a t-shirt. Both splattered with a dozen shades of paint. Messy hair. Dirty shoes. You name it… it was a mess. On this one, HR argued with my “do not hire” assessment, saying she was a great candidate in every other way, and that she had to come from her temp job as a painter straight to the office. I stuck to my guns, saying that anyone who can’t be bothered to bring a clean change of clothing to an interview is going to leave a lot of other important details aside when they are performing the job.
Both of these candidates were not today’s youth. Granted, mid-twenties, but these stories are now fifteen years old. The need for these types of tips is not new at all.
James recently posted..Pedal Power
I have worked at Job Fairs at a local college and I am amazed at the clothing people choose to wear. Yes, even the twenty somethings. I think women truly believe a tight skirt is key to landing a job. It’s laughable. I realize it’s not an interview but these people are meeting potential employers. Many people are never coached about what is appropriate to wear. Many think it’s not important. Many can’t afford new clothes so pick what they feel is best from their closet. The interview do’s and dont’s is a skill that should be taught at the high school level. The other issue is that many companies have become very relaxed about their dress codes. Job seekers see this everyday and assume it’s ok to interview in casual wear. May not be an article for us. It’s too bad the people who really need it are not reading it.
Wow, unreal.
I am a contractor and interview a lot. My projects are typically 3 to 6 months long. I’m female. I’ve ALWAYS won every interview I go to….and being totally honest, it’s not only due to my level of knowledge of what I’m interviewing for, but it’s also greatly due to the sexy clothes I wear. Seriously, most of these guys that interview me, in the Information Technology field, are nerds, with rather poor social skills. When they get to sit down and have a conversation with a hot chick in a hot skirt, they drool, and can’t get enough of me. I’m a shoe-in. Lighten up people. We all love flirting, and it certainly makes the work day go faster when there’s some eye candy around.
Please alter the previous post. my name is Jamie Dent, not Jim dent.
It might be common sense for people with college degrees, but when we interview for some of our non-exempt positions, people wear flip flips, jeans, etc. Also, so many companies now have a relaxed job code that some of my friends ask if “business professional” attire is still necessary… I always tell them it’s better to over dress than under dress! Great advice!
I feel like the people who visit this site and read it’s articles already know better…
Well, it depends on what kind of a job you are applying. Coming to a job interview for a gym instructor or stripper in a suit won’t help you!