Dress to Impress for Recruiting Success

First impressions matter. Whether it's a first round interview or an informal networking opportunity, you want your grooming and attire to clearly communicate that you're ready to make the transition from student to working professional.

Interview Attire

Most employers expect you to wear professional attire to interviews, even if the organization has a business casual dress code in the office. Unless you are invited to wear business casual attire to an interview, you should plan to wear conservative, professional attire.
Professional Attire for Women:

• A business suit in a classic style. Pant suits and skirt suits are acceptable, but pant suits are considered more casual, so wear a skirt suit if interviewing for more conservative organizations. A "suit" means that the jacket and skirt or pants are made from the same material. Women have more flexibility with suit color, but avoid colors that are very trendy; stick to a more classic color.
• Under your suit jacket, wear a collared blouse or conservative shell, in a color that complements your suit.
• Shoes should be black or brown, whichever complements your suit color. Wear shoes with closed toes; avoid wearing a shoe that could be considered a sandal. Boots are fine with a pant suit, especially when interviewing in cool weather.
• Wear nylons that match your skin color.

Professional Attire for Men:

• Invest in a business suit in a classic two-button or three-button style. Stick with classic colors like dark grey. Many suits will have pinstripes according to current fashion and subtle pinstripes are fine for interviews, but avoid bold pinstripes.
• Wear a white shirt or light solid colored shirt.
• Wear a conservative tie that complements your shirt and suit.
• Shoes should be black or brown, with some shine. Leather that doesn't have a shine is considered more casual. Choose a belt that matches the color of your shoes
• Wear dark socks. White socks are completely inappropriate

Many organizations will invite you to wear business casual attire to an interview. This can be tricky because business casual essentially runs the gamut from cotton khakis to slacks, and from polo shirts to collared shirts with a tie. If you plan to dress business casual for an interview, stick to the more formal side of business casual, in other words, "professional casual."
Professional Casual for Women:

• Wool or synthetic fiber slacks or knee-length skirt
• A collared blouse, sweater set, or conservative sweater
• Consider wearing a stylish jacket over your top
• Black or brown shoes with closed toes or boots.

Professional Casual for Men:

• Wool or blended fiber slacks
• A collared, buttoned shirt with a tie, or a conservative business-like sweater
• Black or brown shoes with a matching belt
• Dark socks

Networking Events

Very few networking events call for professional attire.You are almost always invited to wear business casual or campus casual attire. But if you are trying to convey that you are ready for the working world, you should consider avoiding wearing campus casual attire to career fairs, employer information sessions, employer panels, or any other events where you will be interacting with potential employers. Business casual makes a better impression.
Business Casual for Women:

• Cotton or synthetic fiber blended pants or a knee-length skirt
• A top or sweater that is fashionable yet not trendy and can't be considered a t-shirt
• Shoes or sandals that are fashionable, but no flip-flops or sneakers

Business Casual for Men:

• Cotton pants
• Collared shirt
• No sandals, flip-flops or sneakers

Fashionable, But Not Trendy or Sexy

Unless you are interviewing for an organization in the fashion or entertainment industry, you should avoid wearing trendy clothes when trying to make a good impression on employers. Today's fashions also trend toward sexiness, but potential employers don't want to see your cleavage, your belly button, or your lingerie. Save those styles for your social life, they're not appropriate for your work life.

Good grooming is almost always more important than what you wear. To make a good impression in this department:

• Keep your hair out of your face and don't play with it during your interview.
• Minimize jewelry, and remove visible piercings (other than one earring per ear for women).
• Remove any scuffs from your shoes - have them polished or repaired if necessary.
• Make sure your hands and fingernails are clean, they will be noticed.
• Minimize fragrances - some people are allergic to perfumes and colognes.
• Make sure your body and breath odor is nonexistent or at least pleasant. Be sure to shower before your interview, and avoid foods that make your breath smell, such as dairy foods, sugary foods, or spicy foods.