Job Seekers Hub | Dressing for the interview [ladies edition]

A study of 2,000 women in the UK conducted by Simon Jersey found the average woman will spend more than 12 minutes of each weekday morning choosing what to wear to work that day. This means that on average, a woman will stare awkwardly at her closet wondering “what should I wear” for a whopping five months of her lifetime.

If you have an interview coming up and feel stuck on what to wear, don’t worry – we’ve got you, girl.

We’re strong believers of dressing corporate or “smart casual” to an interview for most cases. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. After all, you only get one first impression.

Here are our top 11 pointers on how to wear the perfect outfit to your next interview:

1. Dress the part. If you’re interviewing at a corporate office, you’ll definitely want to dress corporate. If you’re interviewing at a more relaxed company (such as a start-up), they may interview you in jeans and a t-shirt. However, you still need to show up looking professional but can probably get away with toning it down a notch.
2. Choose an outfit that is comfortable (so you aren’t tugging at it or causing distractions)
3. Clean and shine your shoes
4. Don’t wear heels that you can’t walk in
5. Bring a handbag that looks polished
6. Dress for the weather. If it’s pouring rain, they will understand if you rock up with a drenched umbrella. However, you’ll look silly if your outfit is soaked because you didn’t prepare for that rainstorm.
7. Don’t reveal too much – this means not showing too much leg, and please, put the ladies away up top.
8. Ensure your hair looks tidily groomed and in a style that won’t have you playing with it or touching it
9. Go easy on the makeup – a natural, professional look will look best
10. Light jewellery is a nice touch, but again it shouldn’t be too chunky and distracting (or makes dangling sounds)
11. Lastly, don’t be afraid to wear some colour or add some personality to your outfit!

If you need any inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to start.