May 30, 2002 09:17 AM
6735 Views
(Updated May 30, 2002 09:17 AM)
More often than not, people are judged by their appearance, by the way they dress and carry themselves. First impression, they say, is the last impression and nowhere is this maxim more important than in front of an interview panel. The way a person dresses for the interview plays as important as a role as his/her qualifications and experience.
Disclaimer – I’ll be covering the dress protocol only from the men’s point of view, for obvious reasons of course!
Selection of clothes
The basic criteria for selecting what to wear for the interview is a factor of two things – comfort and the impression that they convey about oneself. Remember that this is not going to be a fashion show. Loud and flashy dresses are a strict no-no. Since he would be spending not less than a minimum of 15-30 minutes before the interview panel, a person should select something that makes him feel comfortable. The dress should be of a good fit and allow for good ventilation.
Shirts – Wear something that’s sober and not too colourful. It should be a long sleeved shirt with the cuffs reaching all the way upto the wrists, neither more nor less. There are a lot of varieties of shirts in the market these days and some of them even have the concept of double cuffs. That’s more a variation of the basic style but doesn’t make too much of a difference.
I might be a huge fan of film star Govinda and take him to be my role model but I can’t take that as an excuse to wear something as garish as a yellow, pink or velvet colour shirt, right? The shirt should ideally be either white/blue in colour or in a shade that is close to these two colours. The collar should not be too broad (we’re not in the 1970’s) but must be pointed in shape (at the ends) and ideally buttoned to the shirt. It’s advised not to wear shirts with checks and stripes…just a plain one will do very well.
Trousers – I follow one simple funda of wearing a light colour shirt on a dark coloured trouser and the rest of the attire automatically depends on these two. This can be bypassed if one intends to wear a business suit, in which case, only the selection of the shirt is a formality. In other cases, the trouser selection should be such that it matches (or contrasts) with the colour of the shirt.
Black trousers are the preferred majority because they afford one the luxury of wearing almost a shirt of any colour on them. Make sure that the shirt and trouser are both well-washed and neatly pressed prior to the interview. The trouser should fall right upto the ankles so as to cover the “mouth” of the shoes. No Michael Jackson style please!
Neckties – The tie should not be too eye-catching or gaudy. Wear something that has a conservative pattern on it. Another traditional diktat is that one of the colours in the tie should be the dominant colour of the trouser as well. Don’t ask me why, I was told that in a lecture on “Dressing and Grooming” many years ago. Avoid wearing ties that have wild animals like tigers and lions printed on them. They make look good to those who see them but the intention in the interview is not to scare away the panelists.
Business Suit – Wearing a business suit is purely a question of whether one can afford it and more importantly whether one is comfortable with wearing it. Here again, darker shades are preferred by a majority of people, mostly either shades of black or grey. Don’t purchase a brand new suit unless you’ve specifically been asked to do so or if you’re appearing for a job in a senior position, in which case, it’s a must.
Shoes – Wear shoes that speak of a contemporary design, avoid those rugged Woodland mountain climbing shoes with 5-6 inch thick soles, I’m sure you don’t want to be stepping on too many people’s toes! Shoes with laces are preferred, slip-on’s, moccasins and shoes with straps are taboo. Make sure that the shoes (strictly black or brown, nothing else!) are in good condition and the soles are not sticking out.
Socks – Again, don’t go for the “Govinda” variety here. Shades of black, blue and grey are recommended. They should be long enough to cover the ankle and shin/calf from being visible. Please ensure that the socks have been washed well and do not stink like dead mice.
General appearance and grooming – These cover the general things like hair style, manicuring of nails and shaving. The hair ought to be moderate and combed well into place. Some people are in the habit of applying about 100 gms of oil every day because it gives a glaring shine. On the flipside, their faces leak with oil for the rest of the day. The fingernails should be manicured well and kept reasonably short in length.
The “Prannoy Roy style” of maintaining a beard may not suit everyone. Don’t go with a bumper crop of hair on your cheeks and chin unless you’ve been growing a beard for a long time and people are used to seeing you with it. For the others, a real close shave is a must. Positively no one-day stubble and no 5 o’ clock shadows either! All Salman Khan fans may please note that studs and earrings do not form a part of the formal attire in a corporate environment. Use of a deo spray is recommended because it helps in controlling “discretionary body odour”.
What ultimately counts is how well groomed you appear before the interview panel. Clothes are more than just accessories to cover ourselves. They speak a lot of the individuality and personality of a person and make him feel more confident of himself.
