Avoid Fashion Faux Pas - Wear the Right Clothes for Summer Interviews

Going for a job interview is a nerve-wracking ordeal for most people. During an interview you will not only be judged by your skills and knowledge, but also by the way you present yourself. First impressions are crucial for a potential employer. What you wear to an interview is just as important as what's on your resume.

Career coaches and veteran publicists Jessica Kleiman and Meryl Weinsaft Cooper are the authors of "Be Your Own Best Publicist: How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed, Hired, and Rewarded at Work" and they discuss the do's and don'ts of how to dress for a job interview.

Arriving for a job interview hot and bothered, red-faced and sweating is the last thing you want a potential employer to see. It is important to dress for a summertime job interview in a way that will keep you cool but appropriately formal.

Here are some fashion faux pas to avoid this summer while on a job interview:


1) FLIP FLOPS ARE A FLOP: While flip flops are still among the most popular summer footwear, there is never a case where they should be worn to work and certainly not to a job interview. If you're a woman who needs to walk to the interview in flip flops and change into your heels before you enter the building, that's fine but make sure you store them in your bag and are wearing appropriate shoes when you walk in the door.

2) STAVE OFF SWEAT: Whether you're sweaty from humidity or nerves, we recommend stashing some blotting papers for your face and antiperspirant in your bag to help get rid of/prevent beads of sweat from ruining your appearance. Also, you should pick fabrics that won't show sweat stains (i.e. silk or acrylic) and that breath in warm weather (i.e. cotton, linen). Always plan to arrive at least 15 mins ahead of your appointment so you can duck into the restroom before your interview to calm down and cool down.

3) GO FOR THE LAYERED LOOK: You may be coming from a 90-degree day outside to an office where the A/C is blasted at full power so you want to dress in layers to accommodate the change in temperature. Ladies: If you are wearing short sleeves or a sleeveless shell or dress, bring a blazer or cardigan to throw on when you arrive. For men who must wear a suit to an interview, try to pick one in a lightweight fabric and wear a cotton dress shirt. To avoid getting overheated, carry your jacket to the interview, then put it on when you walk in the building. This will also help cover up any perspiration stains on what you're wearing underneath.