| CAREER
GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 20, 2005
Make Your Statement
Men, women should stick to interview-attire
norms
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| Photo Illustration: Sara Bookout |
| The standard for women for job
interviews is a skirted suit or pantsuit in dark
colors with a conservative blouse and a closed-toe low
heel. The standard for men is a conservative dark navy
or gray two-piece business suit, a white long-sleeved
button-down dress shirt and a conservative tie with polished
dress shoes. |
|
By Elizabeth
Borrego
Special to The Shorthorn
Raul Garnier rolls out of bed 20 minutes before class. He wipes
the sleep from his eyes, picks up a pair of jeans from the floor,
grabs whatever shirt reaches the tips of his fingers first, brushes
his teeth, puts a cap on and heads out the door. All the while he
realizes that things will not be this easy for long. Garnier, a
business and Spanish senior, said he will soon start interviewing
for jobs and eventually enter the corporate world.
A time comes in almost every student’s life when pajama pants
and flip flops must be traded in for nicely pressed pants and shiny
shoes. And, let’s face it, the “just rolled out of bed”
look has to stop sometime.
In the increasingly competitive job market, first impressions are
crucial.
“What you wear and how you carry yourself says a lot,”
Career Services Coordinator Wesley Ragle said.
He often advises students on the standards of dress for interviews.
Companies and industries have varying norms regarding business attire,
but there are standards.
“Stay simple, clean and conservative, and use your common
sense,” said Sarah Meza, a student worker at Student Employment
Services. “Even when a student is going out for a part-time
job, I always advise them to dress professionally, regardless of
the atmosphere,” she said.
The standard for men for interviews is well-established and simple.
For a formal interview, a conservative dark navy or gray two-piece
business suit, a white long-sleeved button-down dress shirt, a conservative
tie and polished dress shoes are the norm. For a more casual interview,
or if the company is a bit more informal, slacks are acceptable.
Belts should always match shoes. Men’s hair should be neatly
cut and combed. Facial hair should be avoided, but a neatly trimmed
beard or mustache is acceptable.
The standard for a professional interview for women is a skirted
suit or pantsuit in darker colors with a conservative blouse and
a closed-toe low heel. An interview is usually not an appropriate
time to make a fashion statement. Women should generally avoid loud
hairstyles, too much makeup, revealing clothing and too much jewelry.
Keep a look simple and successful until you become accustomed to
the environment and learn about the company’s dress code.
Jeans, hats and flip flops should never be worn to an interview.
Piercings, other than on female earlobes, should be removed, and
tattoos should be covered.
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