by Alanna Keane

Created on: August 07, 2009

Job interviews can be extremely nerve-wracking so it's important to remember to be comfortable and at ease. If you wobble into the interview in 8 inch heels and a body-con suit there is no way it will make your interview easier. Obviously different jobs require different types of work attire, but for most job interviews the same rules apply.

My one must for all interviews is a suit jacket. It adds a touch of sophistication to any outfit, no matter how casual. If you are going for a casual interview wear with jeans, a t-shirt and a nice necklace. For a more formal outfit, try a skirt suit with a feminine blouse. Or if you want to be daring, the new trend for this season is the shorts-suit.

Pearls are another way to prep up your outfit. A layered necklace, bracelet or stud earrings can really make an other wise casual outfit a lot more sophisticated.

Wear shoes that are comfortable. A boss is more than likely to decide whether they are going to hire you or not within the first two minutes of your interview so a confident entrance is a must. I find that heels give me a 'femme fatale' look but if you are uneasy in heels, wear a cute pump instead or try a small wedge heel.

Keep your outfit relatively neutral, you want the interview to pay attention to you, not your sequined skirt. Try to add at least one piece of your own style into your outfit, such as your favourite pair of earrings or a pretty handbag.

Make-up should be kept simple. You want to show that you made an effort and make the best of your features, but not that you are going to an under 17s disco. Foundation, blusher, eyeliner and mascara. No more! A trick I learned for every day wear is to use a small amount of blusher as eye shadow, it really brightens the eyes and reduces tired eyes.

There are also a few dressing DON'TS for interviews including:

Dirty clothes: Dirty clothes do not represent you well. The interview could take them as a sign of clumsiness or a 'I don't care' attitude to work. If you are doing more than one interview in a day or are a bit clumsy, carry an extra white shirt or t-shirt in your bag just in case.

Noisy jewellery: This could be the cause of a major distraction both to you and the interviewer. Overall, try to keep jewellery simple.

Fiddling: An absolute no-no. Fiddling makes it appear that you are nervous and basically just don't know your stuff. If you are prone to fiddling don't wear long scarves, rings or anything else that you might start playing with subconsciously.

Showing too much skin: The worst offence I have ever witnessed is the too small t-shirt with the exposed midriff. Even if you are perfectly toned, the interviewer does not want to see your new belly button piercing. In the line of shirts, no more than two buttons should be undone and needless to say, stay away from black bras under white shirts.

The most important rule is to be confident. Remember that you wouldn't be asked to come for an interview if you weren't being seriously considered for the job. Do your research, iron your clothes, pull your hair off your face and your ready!

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