How to Be an Annoying Interviewee- Part 1

Although common wisdom says that it is impossible to overdress for an interview, and that you should dress for the job you want rather than the job you have or are interviewing for, I think it is still possible to dress up too much. It is all about the context; if you are interviewing at Wal Mart, perhaps a suit and tie is a bit much. More and more of us are finding ourselves in the position of applying for jobs that we are overqualified for and the last thing we want to do is to highlight this fact. Here is where dressing for your audience comes in.

I found this comic at The Oatmeal, (a super funny comic site) and it perfectly illustrates my point.

Overdressing for an interview can make it look like you are trying too hard. Donning a three piece suit or a dress that would be appropriate for attending a wedding screams desperation. And we all know that nothing kills a job chance like being desperate. You want to leave the interviewer feeling positive about you and for them to be able to imagine you in the position. To that end, it is always a good rule of thumb to dress one step up from how you think the interviewer will be dressed. For example, if the place you are interviewing is casual, you should dress business casual; this would be maybe a nice polo and slacks for the guys and a skirt and sweater set for the ladies. If you are interviewing at a business casual office, take it a step up and go for a business look like a slacks, dress shirt and tie for guys and a conservative office outfit for girls. At a traditional office setting, just go with dressy office attire.

The overall look you want to portray is that you are professional, that you take the interview seriously by dressing for success but still would be a good fit for the company.

What do you think? Do you think it is possible to overdress for an interview? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on the subject.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of How to Be an Annoying Interviewee...

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.