Interviews are an important part of the application process. Interviews are often the first chance you’ll get to make an in-person impression. In addition to how you hold yourself and how you present yourself through language and diction, how you dress is a major part of the impression you’ll leave. How you choose to dress in a professional interview tells employers a lot about the assumptions you make about the position you’re applying for, what you know of social cues and cultural context, and how highly you value putting in the effort to put your best foot forward. Read on to learn the do’s and do not’s of dress code for an interview:

Appropriate Attire When Interviewing

• Solid-color conservative suit

• 
Coordinating blouse or tie

• Limited jewelry

• Neat, conservative hairstyle

• Manicured or neatly trimmed nails •

• Light makeup for females

• Portfolio or briefcase

• Little or no perfume or cologne

What Not to Wear to an Interview

• Sunglasses on top of your head

• A backpack or unprofessional bag

• Above-the-knee skirts

• “Loud” clothing

• Heavy makeup on women

• Earrings on men or more than one pair on women

• Nonmatching socks or shoes

Don’t let a teaching position slip away from you because you chose the wrong outfit. Interview attire should be a step up from your normal work wear. Wear crisp, clean clothes that say you’re a put-together, reliable professional. You want your interviewer to be able to imagine you as immediately ready for work in the classroom. Dirty socks and crumpled shirt don’t exactly say “classroom-ready.” While getting dressed, ask yourself, “Do I look ready to work? Do I look like I think today is important, or do I look like I’m treating today like any other? Does my appearance say that I value myself?” Put extra effort into looking like you want to be taken seriously, and you will be!