Make a good impression
with the perfect outfit for your job interview

Have you just received an invitation to a job interview? Congratulations! Now it’s time to prepare – and this includes finding the perfect outfit. After all, you don’t just want to impress with your knowledge and personality, but also with your style – you want to look the part.

The dress code for your first meeting with your potential new employer can vary depending on position and sector.
Generally speaking, you should opt to wear something you feel good in, doesn’t cause any discomfort and reflects your personality – both in-person and online.

However, there are a couple of standards to remember in order to avoid making a fashion faux pas.

What’s important for your job interview

Is your blouse pinching or your shirt too loose? In both cases, it can be unpleasant if the clothes you choose to wear to an interview don’t fit well. Therefore, pay close attention to a good fit.

To avoid any ill-fitting clothing, you should leave plenty of time and try on your chosen interview outfit beforehand. This will ensure you still have time to rethink or adjust your outfit if necessary.

It goes without saying that you should pay attention to some basic rules of hygiene for your interview. Therefore, make sure your clothes are clean and ironed, your fingernails are neat and your overall appearance is well-groomed and tidy.

Keep in mind that an interview isn’t a fashion show you have to dress up for. Always choose an outfit that matches your style – this way you will feel good and be able to present yourself authentically.

Choosing the right clothes for your online interview

With the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, online interviews have gone from uncommon to now being the go-to interview format over classic on-site interviews. In general, the same outfit rules apply for both online and in-person interviews. Although the interviewer will only see your upper half, you may well stand up at some point during the meeting.

Always take the same amount of time to prepare for an online interview. Prepare well and make sure that your camera image is favourably cropped with sufficient light and an appropriate background. Position your device to ensure that your camera does not reveal too many personal insights.

The right outfit? It’s a question of sector and position!

In addition to your own comfort and well-being, however, the position you are applying for also plays a key role in what clothing to wear. In many cases, the sector of your potential future employer will also give you a rough idea of which fashion direction to choose.

Outfits for classic office jobs:

Not too formal, but still stylish. This is the best way to describe the ‘business casual’ style. Nicely dressed in a pair of trousers or skirt and matching shirt or blouse is usually sufficient.

Outfits for classic office jobs:

Not too formal, but still stylish. This is the best way to describe the ‘business casual’ style. Nicely dressed in a pair of trousers or skirt and matching shirt or blouse is usually sufficient.

Outfit for creative sectors or start-ups:

Advertising and creative agencies in particular appreciate a more dynamic look that radiates creativity. At work, employees like to wear comfortable, sporty clothes, although you should choose something a little more elegant for your interview. Jeans with a smart blouse or shirt and a clean pair of trainers will hit the mark.

Outfit for creative sectors or start-ups:

Advertising and creative agencies in particular appreciate a more dynamic look that radiates creativity. At work, employees like to wear comfortable, sporty clothes, although you should choose something a little more elegant for your interview. Jeans with a smart blouse or shirt and a clean pair of trainers will hit the mark.

Outfit for technical professions and engineers:

Especially in this sector, the chosen look heavily depends on the individual company. From suit to casual trousers, anything is possible. Large tech companies or corporate groups tend to go for a more conservative appearance than small, owner-managed companies or start-ups. Visit the relevant company’s website or social media profiles to get ideas about the type of clothes worn there. In general, it’s better to be too smart than too casual.

Outfit for technical professions and engineers:

Especially in this sector, the chosen look heavily depends on the individual company. From suit to casual trousers, anything is possible. Large tech companies or corporate groups tend to go for a more conservative appearance than small, owner-managed companies or start-ups. Visit the relevant company’s website or social media profiles to get ideas about the type of clothes worn there. In general, it’s better to be too smart than too casual.

Outfits for medical and manual professions:

Turning up for an interview in a lab coat or boiler suit? Not the best choice for these professions. In this sector, no one is expected to dress overly formally. A good choice is the business casual look with a pair of trousers or skirt with matching blouse or shirt.

Outfits for medical and manual professions:

Turning up for an interview in a lab coat or boiler suit? Not the best choice for these professions. In this sector, no one is expected to dress overly formally. A good choice is the business casual look with a pair of trousers or skirt with matching blouse or shirt.

Outfit for executive positions:

If you are applying for an executive position, you should opt for a classic outfit. A suit, business dress or skirt and jacket are appropriate choices. Your outfit should convey an air of authority in the interview.

Outfit for executive positions:

If you are applying for an executive position, you should opt for a classic outfit. A suit, business dress or skirt and jacket are appropriate choices. Your outfit should convey an air of authority in the interview.

Our tip: Find out (via the company website or social media) whether the company has a more conservative style or goes for more casual clothing. This way, you can avoid turning up over- or even under-dressed and will appear more confident in your interview.

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Interview outfits for men and women

Whether male, female or non-binary, your wardrobe is sure to house a couple of fashion mistakes. We explain which items are better off left in the closet.

The right interview
outfit

For Women
For Men

Especially when it comes to job interviews, there are certain things that women must consider when choosing their outfit. Usually, you can’t go wrong with an elegant dress. That doesn’t mean you have to turn up at every interview in a classic two-piece. Go for high-quality fabrics, good tailoring and coordinated colours. Make sure no more than one garment in your outfit is patterned.

Your chosen colours should also go well together. You can’t go wrong with garments within the same colour family.

As far as both hair and make-up are concerned, use them to highlight your personality and make you feel good without looking too overdone.

Your shoes should also be elegant, clean and neat. High heels are usually less appropriate. However, the same goes here: if you feel good, your interviewer will pick up on it, too.

Men should also go for an elegant style when choosing their interview outfit. If you want to wear a suit to an interview, we recommend going for a classic model in subtle, muted colours and worn with a light-coloured, ironed shirt.

You should also choose leather shoes to match your conservative or casual outfit. Choose a belt in a colour to match. This creates a harmonious and stylish overall impression.

Don’t forget to think about your socks or tights – they are often on show when you sit down. Here, too, you should make sure that the colours don’t clash.

Clothing for interviews in summer:

is your interview taking place at the height of the hot summer? You should adapt to the specific conditions in this case, too. But remember, even in hot weather, conservative companies like a formal dress code of suit or skirt and jacket and closed-toe shoes.

Many buildings will have air conditioning in summer, which will keep the interior temperature at a pleasant level. In order to avoid arriving for your interview visibly overheated, take off your jacket or blazer shortly before entering the building.

For women, choosing an outfit is often slightly easier in hot weather. For conservative companies, opt for an appropriate dress or 7/8 trousers.

TIP: If you choose white or light-coloured trousers, make sure they are opaque.

Clothing for interviews in winter

In winter, a layered look is a good option. Wearing several layers ensures you arrive for your interview warm and can still impress with an elegant outfit during the meeting.

In order to avoid turning up sweaty, however, you should plan in a little more time for your journey. Giving yourself some extra time will also give you the opportunity to take another look in the mirror just before the interview to adjust anything that might be out of place after taking off your layers.

TIP: Appropriate footwear is also important in winter. Chunky winter boots are a no-no; sleek and subtle boots, on the other hand, are absolutely acceptable.

The right outfit for online interviews

With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, online interviews are now commonplace. In general, the same outfit rules apply for both online and in-person interviews. Although the interviewer will only see your upper half, you may well stand up at some point during the meeting.

Always take the same amount of time to prepare yourself for an online interview as you would if you were going into the company. After all, it is still an interview and you want to show that you take the job seriously.