Mens Fashion Rules for Dressing for a Job Interview

How often do you hear the saying that the key to nailing a job interview is to dress for success? Just because that saying is sometimes overused doesn't mean it isn't true. When it comes to finding a job, there is nothing more important than someone's first impression of you. After all, you are selling yourself to the interview and hopefully soon to be boss. The first thing they will see when they look at you is what you are wearing.

While your job interview is not a fashion show, not following some basic rules on what to wear can seriously damage your chances of getting that job. The clothes you wear is just as important as your resume so use it to help get your talent and personality noticed. So to help you out, here are a few rule for all you guys out there to follow when getting ready for your next job interview:

* Clothes - Before you go on your interview, it is a wise decision to find out if the interview will be formal or not. If it is formal, then you have no choice but to wear a suit. You're best choice is to wear a basic black, dark gray or navy suit along with black leather shoes and a black belt, as well. Another popular choice for interviews are blue shirts since they compliment your skin tone and can be coordinated to match nearly all suit colors. You'll also find yourself on a few interviews that are not quite as formal and don't require a suit. That doesn't mean you can show up in jeans, however. The basic rule is wear something more dressier than what everyone in the office is wearing. You want to aim for dressy casual but not just woke up casual. You can't go wrong with wearing a pair of khakis along with a nice button-down shirt. Finish off this look with dress shoes and a matching belt.
* Your belts and shoes - Just as important as what clothes you wear, so is your choice of shoes and belt too. At all times, your shoes and belt should match colors as well as the overall shade of everything else you have on. For example, if you are wearing black or gray on your interview, you should opt for black dress shoes. You would go with brown shoes if you're wearing medium toned colors. There is nothing wrong with polishing up your shoes either. You don't want to take the chance of not getting that job because of scuffed up shoes.
* Cologne - While smelling nice for your interview sounds like a good idea in theory, it's actually something you may want to avoid. Try to not wear any cologne or aftershave for your interview. You run the risk of applying too much on and overwhelming the person interviewing you or they may simply not like the smell of what you are wearing. They'll quickly remember your cologne and not you when looking back at your resume.
* Other accessories - A good rule to follow is to keep your accessories to a minimum and always professional. Your resume and any other paperwork should be kept in a bound portfolio. Jewelry should only consist of a wristwatch and cuff links at the most. All earring and nose rings should be removed if you want to be taken seriously.