Do you have a big interview coming up for a new teaching job? Whether you are a new teacher or an experienced teacher, what to wear to a job interview would be relatively the same.
Of course, everyone will have their own dress attire style, but all job candidates need to dress correctly, meaning appropriately.
Make sure to take more than a few minutes to decide what to wear to your next teacher job interview.
Sometimes, the interview outfit and how you dress can be as important as what you say.
Like it or not, we are a very visual society, and first impressions are made primarily based on our appearance. What you wear says a lot about who you are and how well you will fit into the school community.
Making a mistake with your appearance is much more noticeable than when you dress appropriately. For instance, school principals or superintendents will notice if a candidate enters the room while chewing gum, showing piercings, using excessive hairspray or perfume, or if they showed up wearing a tracksuit, jeans, or spike heels.
These may seem like obvious mistakes to you. Still, according to recruiters, candidates show up to job interviews committing these terrible errors all the time, which costs them employment opportunities.
Here the Run Down on Dressing for the Job Interview
In a teacher job interview situation, you want to put your best foot forward in everything you do during your job search. Making an excellent impression on the job interviewing includes your attire. Looking your best for an interview doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money. Smell great without perfume and look clean, crisp, and professional.
Research the School Culture
Just as you researched the school to answer interview questions, better study it to determine its dress code. One way to find this out is to ask the person who gives you the job interview about the school dress code. Their answer will give you a starting point for organizing your interview wardrobe.
Whatever the school dress code is, you will want to wear an interview outfit to match that formally, if not a tiny bit more. Some schools of thought (no pun intended) suggest anything less formal than a suit is unacceptable.
Experienced or new teachers should dress as they would dress for the classroom or a little more formal than that type of attire. You are not going to a social event or dinner party with friends, so play it safe when choosing what to wear to a teaching interview.
Researching the school before an interview is helpful in many ways.
Neat, Tidy, and Comfortable
Clothing should always be neat and clean; iron your clothes the night before or the week before so you are ready to dress. Dress professionally and modestly: dress pants, a suit jacket and tie for men, dress pants, knee-length skirt, or pantsuit for women. Make sure your clothing is appropriately tailored and fits properly – and check for any loose buttons.
Take the time to hem your pants, and shine your shoes. Avoid wearing bright colors, distracting watches/jewelry, or clothes that show too much skin.
Eliminate Any Scents
It’s a good idea to use little or no perfume or cologne. Don’t risk your smell being overpowering on your interviewer. On the other hand, always ensure you have put on deodorant, and your clothes smell fresh and clean. Also, ensure you’ve brushed your teeth and used mouthwash so you have fresh breath.
Any new experience such as going to an interview requires extra care and attention to detail. One wrong, little detail could cost you a job offer.
Leave Time to Freshen Up
If you get to the interview venue early (which you should), make sure you take a few minutes to stop by the restroom and handle any “business” before entering the interview. You don’t want to have to pause it to go to the bathroom. Be sure you don’t have any hair or wardrobe emergencies before going in. Check your teeth and your shirt collar… recheck everything.
One job seeker told us about a situation where they had to walk a few blocks to their interview in 95-degree heat — in a full suit. By the time they arrived, they were drenched in sweat. Had they not gotten there 25 minutes early, they wouldn’t have had time to pat down and run their jacket under the washroom dryer.
What a horror story that would be, but it could happen to anyone!
I would imagine job interview anxiety would have been at its highest level at that point.
When it comes to dressing, you want to convey your professionalism. Arrive in neat and appropriate attire to you will always make a good impression on your interviewer.
If you have any questions about dressing or preparing for an interview, reach out to me.