Dress Code for Interview

How you dress for an interview is almost as important as the way you prepare your resume. Dressing shows human attitude and behaviour. It shows whether the person is capable of the right conduct or not. A person who is shabby in appearance shows a sloppy personality, so you have to be decently dressed if you hope to crack that interview in your dream company. Dressing should match the situation/occasion.

For example, we can’t wear jeans or skirts on our wedding day or wear footwear in a temple or mosque. Many companies expect their employees or prospective employees to wear business formals and would like to see how you look in such clothes and also to assess whether you are serious about joining them.


Both, due to the cost and weather conditions, the Indian office formal wear for gentlemen need not be a suit. What you need to wear are well fitted, ironed clothes including a light coloured full sleeve shirt, dark trousers, shoes and socks. Remember to shave and have a decent haircut. And remove all your ear studs, bracelets and flashing necklaces. If wearing a tie ensure it is of a conservative type AND also ensure that you have worn a tie long enough to be comfortable wearing one.

Ladies, I think a saree/ salwar suit would do. Wear appropriate footwear which is sober and not distracting.

Western wear in the form of skirts or trousers can be left to students of management schools or those who are comfortable in them. Also, leave the bright, shining and fancy clothes and noisy/ flashy ornaments at home. Jewellery should be limited, smart and formal. Avoid distracting dresses when you are at interview; let people evaluate you on your professional attributes. Clothing that reveals too much of your back, chest, feet or stomach is NOT RIGHT for an interview.

The thing to remember is to be respectable, not cool. Though people know that they should present themselves in formal attire during interviews or at jobs, many of them today are not following it thinking that it is OK since many people are not doing that or because it is difficult to get the formal attire ready for the interview. Some people don’t even know what perfect formal business attire is.

At the cost of repeating myself, I would like to state that the first impression you make will go a long way in getting your dream job.