According to statistics, an interviewer makes a decision to hire a candidate in the first 30 seconds of their conversation. They can evaluate the manners and the appearance of the potential employee in such a short period of time. This means that an outfit plays a crucial role in this situation. Most people know that an employer won’t appreciate untidiness, bad taste in clothes, and an outfit that is too revealing. But sometimes things aren’t that simple.
We at The Elite Indian decided to find out what hiring managers think about candidates’ clothes and how the way we dress can influence their final decision.
1. The color of your clothes influences how other people perceive you.
The biggest career website, CareerBuilder, conducted a survey among recruiters to find out how they perceive the color of the clothes that potential employees choose for a job interview. It turned out that gray is associated with professionalism and logic. People who wore white clothes were seen as more organized, while the black was associated with leadership. Purple and green colors made recruiters perceive candidates as more confident and creative.
Orange was considered the most “unprofessional” color. Interviewers also tended to get tired of red and yellow quickly. Blue got good reviews: recruiters think that team players often choose to wear this color.
2. Clothes that are too bright may be seen as a warning.
Clothes that are too bright and extravagant may indicate a desire to attract attention at any cost and this can have a negative effect on the recruiter’s opinion. They may start having doubts about the true personality of a candidate. Even if you’re applying for a position and an employer appreciates your creativity, quick thinking, and ability to problem solve, it’s better to avoid looking too extravagant.
Hiring managers advise accentuating your best features with unusual accessories like a brooch, a watch, or interesting eyeglasses. But don’t overdo it! It’s better to not attract attention to more than 2 body parts at once. And don’t forget about a sense of style and good taste. For example, wearing your sunglasses on your forehead is considered ill-mannered.
3. An employer may quickly reject you in their head if they think that you won’t “fit in.”
Before your head to your job interview, try to figure out whether there’s a dress code and how the company’s employees usually dress. On the one hand, for many occupations, a strict dress code is the best option. But for example, wearing a business suit will look appropriate at a bank, but if you choose to wear it to a PR agency, you’ll look like a black sheep. Your appearance should make the interviewer feel like you share the same corporate values and will be able to fit in. If you’re too different from the rest of the employees, you subconsciously make an employer decide not to hire you.
If you’re a creative person like a photographer, a musician, a designer, an actor, or a journalist, it’s better to choose a more relaxed look that will accentuate your own style. The same goes for startups with young professionals who don’t like to abide by a strict dress code.
4. A hiring manager will always notice if you’re wearing new clothes.
If you have bought a new outfit especially for a job interview, it’s better to wear it at least once before you go on the interview. This way you’ll be able to understand whether you feel comfortable wearing these clothes and notice any possible flaws. Otherwise, wearing these brand new clothes may turn into a disaster. You may have forgotten to get rid of excessive threads or take off the tags.
The most common mistakes are the pockets and slots on a jacket or a coat that are sewn shut. The slot is usually intercepted crosswise with a thread of a matching color to preserve the shape of the jacket during its transportation. After the purchase, these threads need to be removed, but not all people do that.
5. When you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, a recruiter will be able to see it.
Of course, you should pay enough attention to your look. But if you decide to wear something completely unusual for you, the recruiter will notice this. This kind of outfit is likely to influence the way you carry yourself and your self-esteem.
Don’t choose clothes that are too tight or too loose. Pay attention to fabrics that don’t wrinkle too much. According to statistics, this problem with clothes influences our self-esteem the most. Don’t choose a hairstyle or makeup that you wouldn’t wear in your everyday life. Even if this advice contradicts something we mentioned in the previous points, your comfort should be a priority. If you feel like yourself, it’ll help you open up during an interview.
Do you follow these pieces of advice when you get ready for a job interview? Tell us about your pleasant and disappointing experience with HR specialists.
