How to Dress for an Interview: Don Draper vs. Magnum PI
by
FlyGirl-
How do you dress for an interview without looking too overdressed or underdressed?
Cheers, Sam
Hey Sam-
Fabulous question!
My answer is based on the following assumption- you pursued the scientific academic career because it mattered. Your curiosity, the pursuit of truth and the chance at bettering mankind mattered. So, too, does every one of your interviews. Treat every interview like a step in an experiment. If you overlook it, the experiment fails and you have to start over.
Whether it is for a post-doc position, in academia or in industry, dressing “fancier” than what you do on a daily basis is a MUST. That is not to suggest that you sport a ball gown or a tux. But a suit or a great black dress and a blazer will show the company/institution that you invest in and respect yourself. The message, therefore, is that they should invest in you. Despite being able to get away with often overly casual attire in the lab, you are not Magnum PI. In fact, not to sound harsh, but by virtue of this question, you are not a PI…not yet anyway. So avoid the mistake of thinking you can act like Magnum PI.
Instead, think of it like this. You are ultimately your own advertising campaign where you are the product and the company/institution is the client. You are there to sell yourself. Therefore you must ask yourself:
Ladies
Now is the time to find your perfect little black dress. I claim this not because your potential boss or PI is Don Draper (preferring a plunging neckline and short cut frock). I tell you this because this item will be one of the smartest investments in your future. (As we all know, the women in Don Draper’s world are leagues smarter than the man himself!) A black dress can go from day to night, casual to formal, or lab to meeting. It will act as a stable base on which you can express your personal style through accessories.
I love the following basic but elegant dress from J.Crew because it is stylishly serious. Or perhaps it is seriously stylish, you be the judge. The built in sleeves eliminate the need for a blazer or a cardigan (sleeveless on an interview is too casual) and the gathered waist flatters every shape. An heirloom locket at your neck or a diamond stud earrings will showcase your style without distracting from the true highlight of the show- your research. Nails should be manicured and hair well groomed. Be trendy in your work, not your fashion.
For shoes, keep it simple with a low, closed-toe heel or flat.
.
Gentlemen
You are not Mark Zuckerberg, nor Magnum PI. Thus, ditch the hoodie and Hawaiian shirt (which, frankly, are questionable even for them) and drape yourself in a blazer, pants and a shirt. Dressing up shows respect for yourself and respect for the place of employment. Make the combination a tad more casual by pairing a plaid shirt with a colored tie (left image). Or a pinstripe suit with a polka dot tie demonstrates risk-taking abilities coupled with a sense of style (right image). Both of these looks from Banana Republic are stately and sensible, two elements that when combined are the catalyst for a successful scientist. Mix in a fresh haircut and shave for a truly genius combination.
Make them talk about your swagger and smile, NOT your slacker style!
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Whether painting faces backstage at Victoria’s Secret, traveling the globe for her international clients or writing for magazines and style guides, our FlyGirl lends her hands to enhance beauty both inside and out. She thinks creatively and approaches practically to create unique yet easy styles. Send your questions to [email protected] and learn how to become your own artist!
[Disclaimer: FlyGirl nor BenchFly makes any money off of the products recommended in this column.]
Need some help from FlyGirl? Send questions to [email protected] and don’t miss her recent articles:
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Jorge
wrote on July 20, 2012 at 12:44 pm
So I shouldn't wear jeans for my post-doctoral interview?
alan@benchfly
wrote on July 20, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I think jeans should be avoided. I realize that academia tends to be more casual than-well, the rest of the world. However, I think FlyGirl is spot on with the respect issue. What you wear to an interview not only reflects on the respect you have for yourself, but also the respect you have for the people/lab where you'll be interviewing. Put yourself in the PI's shoes– if someone walked into your office interviewing for a job wearing jean shorts and a mesh tank top, you'd get a certain impression. And as a scientist, it may be even more important to present yourself well-put together and organized because your future employer will probably imprint those initial impressions of you onto your ability as a scientist. If you're a mess personally, why would anyone think your science would be any different?
Throw on a pair of khakis or suit pants. Nobody cares about the brand- it's about the effort.
Good luck on the interview!
FlyGirl
wrote on July 20, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Agreed. Avoid denim at all costs. Speaking of cost, stepping it up from your daily wear does not equal spending more money. There are plenty of cost-conscious alternatives such as khakis or twill that are appropriate for an interview. Worst-case scenario: you absolutely cannot spend another dime on new clothing. Solution: ask a friend to borrow something from his or her closet. Once you land the job, you can offer to repay the favor by buying the next round of drinks at happy hour.
Best of luck on the interview!
link wheel
wrote on August 22, 2012 at 4:19 am
Well i think specially for the interview the black suite is excellent.