Job interview tips – Dressing for success

10 Tips to Help Make a Great Fist Impression

Show me a person who wears jeans and a sweatshirt to an interview, and I’ll show you someone who won’t get the job. What you wear to a job interview matters. Period. Whether you’re applying for a job as a  cashier or as an account executive, you have one shot to make a good first impression and your clothing will be is judged first. We’ve listed 10 tips for dressing for a job interview below. Stand out from the crowd and look your best by dressing for success.

Confidence, confidence, confidence – The most important thing to take with you to any interview is your confidence. Regardless of what you’re wearing, you’ll make a positive first impression if it’s matched with the ability to feel sure of yourself and your abilities. Employers notice a confident applicant.

Get a sneak peak – Who says there’s anything wrong with cheating a little bit? The best way to know how to dress for a job interview is to see what the current staff is wearing. If the dress is casual, then you know not to go overboard when dressing for an interview with this particular company. However, don’t make the mistake of dressing too casual!

Set a mood with color – When dressing for an interview, give a lot of thought to the color of clothing you wear. After all, color says a lot about a person. Dark blue and gray are two of the most popular colors to wear to an interview, as they are sophisticated, professional, and give off a feeling of confidence.

The great ‘Ëœblack’ debate – Step into a room where job interviews are being conducted, and you will likely see a large number of applicants wearing black. People opt for the color black because it’s slimming and professional, and feel that it’Ëœs expected of them to wear it. The problem with wearing black is — .everyone else is wearing it too! If you really want to stand out from the crowd, use black as an accent color instead.

Iron and press – No one likes to iron their clothes, but when you’re dressing for an interview it’s very important. A clean pressed outfit will give you the upper hand over another applicant who didn’t care enough to make sure they looked nice for the interview.

Clean shoes – Most people sit face to face during a job interview, so your shoes will be visible. It’s easy to overlook cleaning your shoes, but you should take the time to wipe them clean and polish them. TIP – Ladies, when walking to the interview, make sure to stay off the grass! There’s nothing that will ruin your look faster than mud stuck to your high heels.

Ditch the cologne – Everyone wants to smell nice, but job interviews are likely to be the worst place to wear cologne or perfume. Some people are very sensitive to fragrance, and you certainly don’t want to be the person that set off your interviewer’s allergies.

Easy on the jewelry – Accessorizing is fashionable and stylish, but when dressing for an interview it’s best to keep it at a minimum. Avoid wearing bulky or flashy jewelry that may distract the interviewer, and don’t wear anything that makes noise.

Hair and makeup – A job interview isn’t the time to experiment with makeup or try out a new hairdo. Keep it very simple and natural so that people notice you and not your glittery eye shadow or polished lips.

‘ËœWho’ should you wear? – Deciding on ‘Ëœwho’ to wear to job interviews can be just as important as what to wear. Wearing a pricey designer label may send the wrong signal, or it can help you land the job, depending on the company you’re interviewing for. Again, this is why it’s important to do your homework and find out what others are wearing at the business. TIP – If you’re applying to a company that manufacturers or sells a specific clothing brand, you may get a few extra brownie points if you wear their line to the interview. –Jennifer Wagner, Yahoo! Contributor Network