Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
When coaching presentations, I’m often asked about what team members should wear to the interview. It sounds like a minor decision compared to the numerous other decisions we make in our professional lives. But, it is a critical one and we do need to spend time thinking about and strategizing our presentation wardrobe.
First impressions make a real difference. If we make a bad first impression, we can spend the next 20-30 minutes of the interview working hard to change a negative impression of our intelligence, our professionalism, or our diligence. And, like it or not, much of that first impression is made based on what we look like – our dress, our overall presentation of self, and how we carry ourselves.
As many of you know, I come from the Pacific Northwest – the place that brought us grunge. My husband has only worn a tie twice in the past ten years, both times under duress. And, I’ll confess to wearing sandals with socks – to work. But, even for us devoted Northwesterners, our militantly casual style needs to stop at the interview. At any interview, in fact, any professional presentation – we need to take care with our appearance and overall self presentation.
I work with a woman who is a contractor for one of our clients. She’s very intelligent and has years of experience. But, she comes to work wearing incredibly inappropriate clothing – lingerie type tops and garage cleaning jeans. And, I believe this hurts her when she makes a presentation about her work. It took me over a week of working with her to believe she was indeed the professional I’d been assured she was. The way she presents herself contrasts sharply with the talent she brings to the work. Unfortunately, I know I’m not the only one who thinks this. What we wear and how we present ourselves do make a profound and immediate impact on how others perceive us, and, in fact, how able others are to hear our message.
The Three ‘C’s of Dress will serve you well for the interview and at work in general: conservative, clean, and comfortable. Presenting yourself at work is not the time to assert your outrageous sense of style. In my humble opinion, others should notice our work, not our dress. In dressing for presentations, we should take active steps to avoid calling attention to what we wear so listeners can focus on what we say and mean.
Conservative dress means muted colors, classic lines, and quality fabrics. Conservative need not mean staid or old-fashioned. Think classic, not dowdy. Men and women should own one pair of well-fitted, tailored black pants (or for women, a skirt if they so desire) and a jacket. Find a good tailor – or personal shopper – and get one outfit that fits well. Choose good fabrics that last, natural fibers that breathe, and colors and fabrics that cross seasons.
Clothing should always be clean, well-pressed, and in good shape. While grunge works in some circles, it doesn’t work in an interview. At the risk of sounding like Emily Post, a clothing brush is an essential tool for any professional. If you have a hairy pet (I do – thanks, Rosie!), use it right before you leave the house. Or, choose clothing the same color as the dog.
Finally, in any interview, comfort is critical. Natural fibers breath and minimize the tell tale signs of stress. An undershirt can be essential to comfort and appearance. And, make sure the clothing fits in a non-constraining way. I need to be able to move in my clothing; when I’m presenting, I don’t want to think about what I’m wearing and whether what I’m wearing will continue to be decent in spite of how I might move around the space.
A good rule of thumb for any speaking team is to dress one step above how you think the selection committee will be dressed. This communicates professionalism and that you’ve taken the event seriously. I also believe – though I don’t have any hard proof – that when we dress the part, we have an easier time speaking and projecting an image.
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