How to Dress for a Lunch Interview
If you have never been asked to attend a lunch interview before or have been unsuccessful with previous lunch interviews you have attended, then being asked to attend a lunch interview can be quite a daunting proposition. While attending any type of interview can be a stressful experience, one of the biggest worries faced by those attending a lunch interview is how they should dress. Therefore to help, here are some simple tips on how to dress appropriately for a lunch interview.Tip 1: Dress professionallyAlthough lunch interviews take place in a more informal setting, this does not mean you should arrive at your interview casually dressed. One of the biggest misconceptions that many people make when attending a lunch interview is that they allow informality in the dress code. However, just because you are enjoying lunch does not mean you shouldn’t dress as if you were not attending an interview.Therefore one of the best tips to dress appropriately for a lunch interview is to ensure you dress smart and professionally. For men, wearing a suit and tie like you would for a regular interview is often the best option. For women wearing a suit with a coordinating blouse or shirt is also advisable for a lunch interview.Tip 2: Dress conservativelyAnother tip when attending a lunch interview is to dress conservatively. This ensures wearing clothes that are not too tight or revealing. For women, it also means not wearing too much make-up. While many women often feel dressing provocatively and wearing lots of make-up boosts their confidence, lunch interviews are about showing you have the right skills needed for a particular job, not about showing off your perfect figure or looks.Also, for both men and women, avoiding suits in bright colours which are distracting to the eye, and opting instead for a suit in a dark, solid colour with either a simple white or blue shirt or blouse, will ensure that it is you and not your clothes that do the talking at your lunch interview.Tip 3: Wear the right shoesWhile it is often easy to neglect your shoes when dressing for an interview, you would probably be surprised by how many people judge a person by the shoes they wear. For a lunch interview formal leather shoes which coordinate well with your choice of suit are a must. While you might not think a few scuffs will make a difference, turning up to your lunch interview in shoes that look clean and shiny will not only give you a smart and professional look, but also demonstrate you take pride in your appearance, something which most interviewers look for in a potential candidate.For women, try to keep your heel height conservative. Wearing high stiletto heels might make you feel tall, powerful and sleek, but interviews are more about presenting an image of yourself as being smart and presentable, in order for you to be able to communicate to the interviewer why you are perfect for the job.Tip 4: Remember your hair and nailsFinally, once you have dressed the part for your lunch interview you must not forget that how you present your hair and nails is also important. For men, keeping your face clean and shaved often gives the best impression at an interview. Your hair should also be well presented, with clean and combed short hair styles being preferred by many employers. However, if you do have long hair then combing and tying your hair back will give you a more presentable look than just leaving it hanging around your shoulders.For women, tying your hair in a bun or ponytail is often best when attending any type of interview. If you have a short hair style then this is not necessary. But the main point for both men and women is to make sure the hair is clean and tidy so that you look as presentable as possible.As you will be attending lunch the cleanliness of your nails will also be an important consideration so it is well worth giving your finger nails a manicure before you attend your lunch interview. Short clean nails often give the best impression at an interview. If you are a woman and decide you want to paint your nails then try to stick with neutral colours, as bright nails could potentially cause a distraction in conversation which would be disastrous at an interview.Overall as you can see, dressing for a lunch interview is really not that much different than dressing for any other type of interview. However, rather than testing you on how you dress, lunch interviews are designed to see how you cope in this type of situation in case you are ever required to attend lunch business meetings with potential clients. But by dressing smart and professionally you will be presenting an image of yourself as someone who takes pride in their appearance and as someone who will potentially take pride in their job. Therefore how you dress for your lunch interview can have a huge impact on whether you actually get the job or not.
