Look Sharp: Dressing for Business

With nearly half of the senior class going through the recruiting process each year, making a good impression in the interview is crucial to a successful job search. But interviewing isn't just about case questions and prepared answers--image and etiquette are equally key to landing that offer.

Though it may seem obvious, it is important to be on time to the interview. Unlike Harvard professors, most interviewers will not understand if you arrive seven minutes late.

This is particularly important during the first round of interviews at the Office of Career Services (OCS), when a firm might have 15 interviews, one right after the other. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to the interview site.

Remember that the interview begins when you walk in the door. Even before the interviewer asks the first question, he or she has already begun to assess you as a candidate.

"Appearance is very important," says Rosanne J. Thomas, president of Protocol Advisors, Inc., an image consulting firm that provides training in business etiquette, international protocol and executive dining skills. "Sixty percent of the message we convey to others is through nonverbal communication, and that includes your dress."

Both men and women should wear a suit in subdued or conservative colors, Thomas says.

Judith P. Bowman, president of Protocol Consultants International, agrees, adding that clothes should be of high quality, in good repair and made from natural fabrics, such as cotton and wool. Stay away from polyester and other synthetics, she warns.

Special rules apply for women in the recruiting game. Women should not wear a pantsuit, says Gloria J. Petersen, president of Global Protocol, Inc. Instead, she says they should wear a skirt that grazes the top of the knees and nude pantyhose.

"Everyone should have their classic navy blue interview suit but...if you're lucky enough to be invited back for a second interview, don't wear the same suit--they remember," Bowman says.

Both men and women should have had their hair cut recently, Thomas says, although neither men nor women should touch their hair during the interview. If women have long hair, they should pull it back or fasten it so it doesn't fall into their faces.

"You don't want [your hair] hanging in the front over your shoulder looking very sexy and alluring. It should be behind the shoulders," Petersen says.

Accessories should be of excellent quality and in the same good repair as one's clothing. Shoes need to be polished and should not show signs of wear, Petersen says. Bowman suggests staying away from loafers because they are too casual.

Jewelry should be tasteful and understated.

"Pearls and gold are classic; silver is a little funky," Bowman says. "Whatever you wear, let it be real. We all have costume jewelry, but for the interview let everything about you speak quality."

Watches should have leather or metal bands, according to Thomas. She also recommends bringing a high quality pen and either a leather briefcase or portfolio with extra copies of your resume.

And just when you thought you had all the details down, image consultants agree that nonverbal communication and business etiquette are just as important as appearance.

"You want to be very aware of your nonverbal communication, [including] your posture the position of your head, [and] what you do with your arms and hands," Thomas said.

A handshake contributes to an interviewer's judgment, so it should be strong and confident. To avoid clammy hands, Bowman recommends washing and drying your hands before the interview.

You should also sit up straight, Petersen says. A slight lean forward shows that you are listening.

"Both men and women should keep their feet on the floor...it's a more professional sitting posture," Thomas says. "When you cross your legs, you look a little more relaxed than perhaps you want to come across to your interviewer."

When you first walk into the room, you should wait for the interviewer to offer you a seat before you sit down. Don't touch anything on the interviewer's desk. Always address the interviewer with a title, either Mr. or Ms., unless you are invited to use his or her first name, Thomas says.

Of course, your nonverbal communication is not the only thing that matters. It is important to pay attention to the interviewer's behavior as well.

"If you're talking about something and they start to glance out the window or glance at their watch that's not a good sign," Thomas says. "You probably need to quickly regroup and decide what's not going well; perhaps you need to go off that topic."

And while the details of appearance and presentation may just seem like details, image consultants say that job applicants need a certain style before their substance can be judged.

If an inappropriate appearance or a late arrival distracts the interviewer, then your most important asset--your personality--cannot come through.

"These people that are interviewing you are going to assume that you have all the book knowledge," Bowman says. They're interviewing you...to see if you and your personality might fit into their firm."