Crack your interview dress code

Colour
“What would you be thinking wearing a red jacket with an orange tie to an interview unless you applied for a job as the clown at a children’s park,” critically retorts Catherine Sawe, manager at a business start-up. “Very colourful clothes are appalling and be sure the first impression they would get of you would not be good,” Sawe says.

Choose grey, black, navy blue, white (for shirts), blue, brown and Khakis (jackets and trousers). These are neutral and majestic colours, so you won’t be overly draped like going for a party at a friend’s. Colours give composure and reflect mood.

Style
Some men find casual outfits comfortable. Patrick Kamara, says he went for his first interview dressed casually. “When I met the guy who was meant to give me the job he introduced me to the interviewer who felt, I was a talented young man,” he says.

Have a signature style, do not wear the unexplainable T-shirt, shorts or denim, unless it is an interview for a radio presenter,” says Sam Sebowa, a stylist.

James Citrin, leader of the CEO practice at Spencer reveals that he’s learned from 10,000 interviews that what one wears to the interview boosts their confidence. So you can do a button-up shirt, moccasins, khaki pants as long as you are confident.”

Size
Make sure your clothes are a perfect fit. If you were going without a jacket, make sure the shirt lays well on that chest and arms and when tucked in, it ought not to fold up too much above the belt. “The length of your trousers should not create folds at the top of your shoes.

It makes classy look cheap,” says Guy Zziwa at DEG, a male clothing and fashion brand. Length of the shirt’s arms is as relevant too, so find cufflinks or sleeve garters to hold the shirt up from the hand, allowing you customise the size.

Don’t forget...
Fragrance. A little cologne can be okay. Do not apply too much of it for an interviewer not to suffocate if in a small room, where you might be interviewed. It is still advised to use some neutral-smell deodorant after shower instead of cologne since it is hard to predict how a perspective interviewer feels about fragrances.

Manicure. Manicure is a detail that a male professional should pay meticulous attention to, it must never be overlooked. Make sure you nails are neatly cut and brushed so you they do not look like you have been plumbing or repairing trucks for a while before coming on an interview. Nails poorly cared of almost always loudly speak for a person’s overall untidiness.

Hair. A few days before the scheduled date of the interview, have your hair freshly cut or, at least, trimmed around the neck and ears. To make sure you have it done right and exactly as you like it, visit a barber that has been cutting your hair for a while already.