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Gray Slacks

Perfman HR - Dressing Right for Job Interviews

Neatness and cleanliness are the key considerations when dressing for job interviews. If you need a haircut, get  one. If your shoes are scuffed, shine them. Your clothes should be neat, clean, and wrinkle-free. Try to dress as you expect the interviewer to dress; when in doubt, err on the more formal side. Any jewelry you wear should be limited and conservative. (Men should wear none, except for a watch and a wedding ring, if applicable.)

How can you tell what people in the company will be wearing? You can talk with people who work there or who worked there recently. Or you can observe people as they enter the building from the parking lot. Bear in mind that Friday is casual day at many companies and so not a good day to observe typical dress. You won't go wrong if you dress according to the Monday through Thursday norm, even if you happen to be interviewed on a Friday. Your objective in dressing for an interview is to give people a favorable impression but to avoid having them focus on what you wore.

Dressing to Impress for Men

Casual You think the interviewer will be wearing slacks and a sport shirt or a blouse or sweater. Wear slacks and a sport shirt and sweater vest or open-necked dress shirt. Semiformal You think the interviewer would wear slacks and a shirt and tie, or a skirt and blouse or a pants suit. Match what the interviewer will wear—but make the slacks the bottom half of a suit, and bring along a jacket just in case. Conservative You think the interviewer will wear a suit, and if a woman, the bottom half will be a skirt rather than pants. Match what the interviewer will wear. Your suit should be traditional in cut and color (dark gray, navy).

Casual

You think the interviewer will be wearing slacks and a sport shirt or a blouse or sweater.

Wear slacks and a sport shirt and sweater vest or open-necked dress shirt.

Semiformal

You think the interviewer would wear slacks and a shirt and tie, or a skirt and blouse or a pants suit.

Match what the interviewer will wear—but make the slacks the bottom half of a suit, and bring along a jacket just in case.

Conservative

You think the interviewer will wear a suit, and if a woman, the bottom half will be a skirt rather than pants.

Match what the interviewer will wear. Your suit should be traditional in cut and color (dark gray, navy).

Dressing to Impress for Women

Casual

You think the interviewer will be wearing slacks and a sport shirt or a blouse or sweater.

Wear tailored pants and blouse or jacket.

Semiformal

You think the interviewer will wear slacks and a shirt and tie, or a skirt and blouse or a pants suit.

Match what the interviewer will wear — but in a fairly conservative style.

Conservative

You think the interviewer will wear a suit, and if a woman, the bottom half will be a skirt rather than pants.

Match what the interviewer will wear. Unless your jacket buttons to the neck, wear a blouse under it, and wear a mid-length skirt.

About the Author

Sonal Aurora is director and co-founder of Executive Search Firm India. Perfman HR is a premier HR Consulting Company Founded in Mumbai, India. We are an inventive and dynamic Human Resource Company specializing in Executive Search, Recruitments, Training, Learning & HR Solutions.

Is it ok to wear tall leather harness boots with gray cashmere slacks and a button down shirt?

They are knock-off Wesco boots I got in Korea at Dongdaemun.

I've always worn them underneath jeans. But I wear slacks a lot. However, with slacks, I'd have to wear the pant inside the boot, or else they would bulge a bit.

Sorry, no, not at all. The slacks will pull out of the boots as you walk, and you will look as if you are wearing jodhpurs which isn't good!

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