Job Interview Advice Please!
Hi all
I have managed, somehow, to get an interview for a top London law firm for a PA role next week. I'm doing the same job right now but in a very small, rather quiet law firm in Guildford.
My query is about what to wear. Obviously, I know it has to be smart - I'm not a total doofus, but the firm is full of young professionals who are all dripping in designer clothes. I know the firm well and know the staff who work there (but not well enough to speak to about this sort of thing!).
Now, I'm not a designer label girl - I'm high street through and through, due mainly to my rather meagre bank account!
So, do I wear something from Topshop/New Look etc and just hope they don't look down on me or do you think I am over-thinking this and as long as it's smart, it really won't matter?
I know it's a silly thing to worry about but it's the one thing that I'm not confident about. I've never really been one to follow the latest fashions etc but now I'm having a mild panic attack.
What do you all think?
I have managed, somehow, to get an interview for a top London law firm for a PA role next week. I'm doing the same job right now but in a very small, rather quiet law firm in Guildford.
My query is about what to wear. Obviously, I know it has to be smart - I'm not a total doofus, but the firm is full of young professionals who are all dripping in designer clothes. I know the firm well and know the staff who work there (but not well enough to speak to about this sort of thing!).
Now, I'm not a designer label girl - I'm high street through and through, due mainly to my rather meagre bank account!
So, do I wear something from Topshop/New Look etc and just hope they don't look down on me or do you think I am over-thinking this and as long as it's smart, it really won't matter?
I know it's a silly thing to worry about but it's the one thing that I'm not confident about. I've never really been one to follow the latest fashions etc but now I'm having a mild panic attack.
What do you all think?
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Comments
The bit in bold.
Focus more on the job, the company and how you feel you can add value.
It's boring, but its inoffensive to most people, looks smart and shows you have made an effort to look neat and respectable, which employers will appreciate.
I have such an outfit in my wardrobe for such occasions, but I wouldn't be seen dead wearing it at any other time
also avoid synthetic materials if possible. Natural materials look more expensive even if they are not
- Sound positive
- Dress appropriately (I'd say always smart even if they are not smart smart, but casual smart).
- Take a list of questions to ask
I have done of all the above and got the jobs I have applied for.
But for what it is worth I will give one tip, from a bloke who has interviewed hundreds.
If women dress smart, they look a thousand billion million times better in a straight skirt than in very smart trousers, which are all yuk.
Free up the evening before the interview so you are well rested and with a clear head
Turn up presentable - smart, clean and with a good mood/vibe going on
So long as you get your other prep (research, interview questions etc) in the rest does not matter
Best of luck!
Trousers are vastly preferable to skirts - in my opinion - particularly if people with inappropriate opinions about their suitability and stated preference for skirts are around. If you like wearing trousers, they are an obvious choice because they do away with the skirt length decision, you don't have to worry about perfect tights or stockings, they can be warmer than skirts if you don't have a car for travelling to and from work...
The only thing I would say, OP, is don't wear a navy coloured suit. At the end of one round of interviews for a marketing executive, we all assembled to agree a short list and the opening remark was: which navy suit shall we discuss first. It had been a bland sea of navyness. But in the end, what really matters, is how well you interview and how good your (perceived) fit and experience is. So preparation is key. Research the firm, their history and current specialisations, and think about questions you are likely to be asked and prepare for them. Also have a couple of questions ready for the "is there anything you'd like to ask us" moment.
OP, if you want to wear smart trousers - and of course, you might hate trousers! - wear them. The dinosaurs will die out one day.
Thanks for your advice - I've decided to go with a black trouser suit and a white floaty blouse thing. The suit is slightly tailored and I got it from Next so it's not uber posh, but it's not my manky old one either!
My interview is at 4pm today so I'm getting nervous now! I got an early night last night and made sure I did some swotting about the firm and the role etc. Fingers crossed it was enough!
Keep me in your thoughts! I need all the luck I can get - if I get this job, it would really change my life for the better! I will keep you all posted (if you care, of course!)
The job's as good as yours.
Ha - if only it were that simple! The three people interviewing me are women so I don't think I could use my raw sex appeal on this occasion...
Good luck, whatever you decide to wear
I've always worn a skirt for interviews and when in the office. Never trousers.
Yves Saint Laurent has a lot to answer for.
Your comment about being interviewed by 3 women interested me, my friend had an interview at one of these firms by 3 people and they all sat in different places in the room, forcing her to constantly move herself so she could address all of them throughout!