Beth's Advice for Interview Attire
1. Wear a business suit. It doesn't matter what sector of the profession you will be interviewing for; you must wear a suit. You are joining a profession that prides itself on a level of formality. Wearing a suit for your interview will give your interviewer a first impression that you RESPECT the profession and respect that level of formality. Also, make sure that your outfit FITS appropriately. If you are having trouble breathing or you are constantly squirming around to pull something down or shift something around...it's too tight. If you are constantly feeling the need to roll up your sleeves or are stepping on your pants...it's too big. Employers notice this and get distracted by it during an interview. Also, get your suit tailored to get the best fit.
2. Don't add anything obnoxious to your suit. I am talking about ties, bright colored shirts, jewelry, and perfume/cologne. Keep things simple. You should allow your personality to be the only thing shining through during the interview. Keep those cartoon ties handy for a theme party, not an interview. Do not let your perfume/cologne overpower the room. Keep your color selection fairly neutral (browns, blacks, grey, tan). And keep your jewelry to a minimum.
My best suggestion is if you question whether you should or should not wear something...don't.
3. You better be clean. Hygiene is extremely important to any employer. Prior to the interview please do the following: (1) Take a shower. (2) Brush your teeth. (3) Wear deodorant. (4) Brush your hair. (5) Make sure your hands/nails are clean. If you don't do these things, you have automatically placed yourself in the "DO NOT HIRE" list. You have also started a reputation for yourself which will get passed from employer to employer that you were not clean and, therefore, inappropriate to hire for any firm/governmental agency/company/etc...
Here is a link to another blog posting on how to "look like a lawyer." You will notice this blog goes into more detail than I have, but I agree with the post in it's entirety:
http://looklikealawyer.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/the-job-interview/
