A friend of mine was excited by the prospect of a job in an art gallery. She went to apply on a hot and humid day, wearing a short skirt, a cute tank top, and a pair of slides. Although she was an art history major with solid credentials, she was dressed as if she was going to the beach rather than to a job interview. She didn’t get the job. The real reason for dressing up a notch is that you want the interviewer to focus on you, not your clothes. If the interviewer’s attention turns to your clothes, you’re probably wearing the wrong thing. Try to scope out the place before you go to apply for an interview and check out the way employees dress for work. If you live too far away to visit, simply call the human resource department or ask a receptionist. You don’t even have to identify yourself: “Hi, I’m interviewing with your company, and just wanted to know what your dress policy is.”
