Employers notice what people look like when they show up for job interviews. Is the candidate clean and well-groomed? How do they present themselves and how are they dressed? These observations factor into their hiring decision as much as qualifications and experience. Read below to find out how to dress for success in your next job interview.

Make a Good First Impression

The interview is your chance to shine and to make a good first impression on your prospective employer. It’s important to be clean, to smell nice and to have fresh breath. Make sure your clothes are ironed and free of pet hair. Comb your hair and don’t overdue it with makeup and perfume.

Always Dress Up, Never Down

The general rule is that a person should always dress up and never dress down for a job interview. So how do you know what to wear? One suggestion is to investigate what someone in the position that you’re interviewing for wears to work, and dress one level above. So, if it’s a warehouse job, then jeans or work pants would be normal work wear. In that case, wearing a nice pair of pants and a button-down shirt with a tie is appropriate.

Suit or No Suit?

While wearing a suit to a manufacturing interview may be overdressed, its expected if the position you’re interviewing for is in management. A suit makes you look serious about your intentions and might get you taken more seriously too. You can always ask your recruiters what they recommend before you go out and purchase a new suit when its unnecessary.

A wise person once said, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” Make sure you walk into the interview looking to impress, with fresh, clean clothes and an attitude to match.

For more tips and suggestions about getting a job, especially in manufacturing or the auto industry, talk to the experts at HCR Personnel Solutions.