It’s ten minutes before interview number three begins. Tired rings are starting to form around the eyes, and beads of sweat are visibly gathering along one’s collar. There are two ways to appear for an interview: Put together and not.
When it comes to nailing an interview, the prospective boss looks at more than just one’s résumé. They’re looking at your appearance, in every sense of the word. For men, it isn’t just a matter of putting on a nice button-down shirt, and maybe a sports jacket. If just below the borrowed tie is a dirty pair of sneakers and sweatpants, that’s all the interviewer needs to see to know something isn’t right.
Women, however, may have
more criteria to think about. Depending on the job, some women are expected to be able to have professional make up on, and dress fashionably. Wearing a mini- skirt, spaghetti straps or otherwise, won’t cut it when it comes to an interview.
Lacen Kinkel, a graduate assistant for the University Career Center, explained, “First impressions mean everything.” From the moment one walks in, to the final handshake, the interviewer is always observing. One’s appearance can say a lot about one’s character, be it lazy and incompetent or that “[you’re] taking your job seriously.”
It isn’t just oneself that is being observed; it’s all the organizations and companies represented on that resume. Be it a student applying
for a first time, real world job or searching for that killer internship, when one walks into an interview Longwood’s name is also being represented. “You’re here to represent your school.” Longwood can be a name that gets one places, but it could be tarnished if one’s professionalism isn’t put forward.
When choosing the right outfit for an interview, don’t just roll out of bed. Leah Utz, also a graduate assistant for the University Career Center, said, “You want to come in as a person they want to hire.” That means taking time before hand and deciding to put one’s best suit forward, and making an attempt to look professional. Also keep in mind sizing. “Things that are too tight or too loose could make you uncomfortable,” she explained. If
one comes off as uncomfortable, not only could the interview take a wrong turn, but if the interviewer can only keep looking at one’s bad outfit, they may not even remember the reasons they should say yes. “They’ll remember that,” she noted, any interviewer will remember whether one looks professional, or not. Some may even mark it on the application.
Always consider what to wear before heading out to an interview. It doesn’t have to be an expensive suit jacket, or dress, it just needs to look professional. Look ready to take on that job and represent that boss’ company.
