It’s 8 p.m.
Your job interview takes place tomorrow at 10 a.m. and, standing in front of your dressing room, you don't know what to wear.
There's that navy blue suit, but the start-up you're applying to calls itself "young and casual."
You want to appear comfortable, but serious, and when in doubt, opt for this ensemble with a tie.
The next day, your potential manager welcomes you in a t-shirt... with sneakers.
You just look like a penguin.
It was not a question of arriving in sports jogging suits and, conversely, Will Ferrell's bow tie in the American comedy
Step Brothers
(2008) would have been too much.
The stress of the big day sometimes causes a few missteps.
“
I welcomed people in
suits and ties
, more appropriate for a funeral or a wedding,”
confides Jérôme, 49, director of a digital agency in Paris.
We must not forget that clothing must reflect the world of the company and that appropriate attire is just as required in videoconferencing.
I remember being surprised by the boxers drying in a candidate's living room in the background!
»
Also read: Can I keep my Birkenstocks to return to the office?
The rule applies in all sectors.
Valérie, 54, manager of a high-end hair salon, remembers this young woman with “
bad hair
”, who presented herself in a crop top and low-rise jeans, showing off her navel.
“
I didn't recruit her because of her looks and her unkempt hairstyle.
And as the saying goes: 'You don't get two chances to make a good first impression'."
This famous “good impression” intensifies the fear of not pleasing your recruiter.
Because we could spend hours ironing a shirt, adjusting our jacket or polishing our shoes.
“I remember putting on a shirt that I had to run in to get to my interview on time.
I had sweated so much that marks had formed under my armpits,
remembers Élise, a 23-year-old communications manager.
Not to mention those heels that were too high for me, which didn't help me go any faster!
»
A lack of naturalness and an unexplained need to try something new to impress, as with Marine, 25, when she tried to draw, for the first time in her life, an eyeliner line for a exhibition assistant position.
“
Totally failed.
I had droopy eyes and a tired look.
This disturbed me throughout the interview.
And besides, wasn't it
too much
?
»
The lack of taste sometimes lies in a detail.
For Jérôme, a “
very strong and sweet”
perfume can be eliminatory.
But he happily accepts Birkenstocks, these German sandals worn by Steve Jobs and popularized in the office in recent years.
“
I recruited men wearing makeup, which may be surprising at first, but if the result is light, why not.
On the other hand, a sexy outfit is prohibitive for me and can be misinterpreted.
»
Like Laurent, 58, director of a leisure center, who remembers his new recruit
arriving “in a miniskirt and heels for his first day, hardly compatible for chasing children.
She who had nevertheless presented herself in classic clothes during the job interview.
»
Also read Men's fashion: how to dress when you have a belly?
Because beyond the first meeting, there are indeed the following days.
“
I had recruited a candidate who wore an old brown suit that was too large, unclassy but acceptable, during the job interview.
Until I saw him arrive the other days in a green jacket and an orange tie with old-fashioned patterns
, laments Marie, a 50-year-old IT salesperson.
Shame in front of our customers!
» It must be said that some candidates do not always reveal their personality during this famous D-day.