First impressions matter. When meeting a potential employer for your dream Boston Job, you should strive to present yourself as a polished professional because before you open your mouth, your appearance will speak for you.  For an interview, you should dress conservatively, and your clothing should be impeccably clean, tailored, and well pressed.

General Rule: Dress Your Best
You cannot go wrong wearing a classic suit or a simple business dress with a jacket or sweater. Your clothing should be solid colors or conservative prints. Bold patterns are distracting.

If the company you’re interviewing with has a casual work environment
If you know that the company you’re interviewing with has a casual dress code, you can choose to leave your suit at home for another occasion. Regardless of the dress code, you should still dress one or two clicks above what employees at the company wear on a daily basis. If you’re unsure how casual or professional a company’s work environment is, do your research! Visit the company’s Web site or Facebook fan page to see if there are pictures of the office. Or, you can speak to your recruiter. If you are still unsure what to wear, you should dress more formally than you think might be necessary.

An interview is not a time to dress provocatively
Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight or revealing. Do not wear sky high, peep toe shoes. Your high heels should be 1 to 2 inches and closed toe.

It’s all in the Details
Your fingernails should be trimmed and your nail polish should be a neutral color. Your hair should be neatly done. Your accessories should not be distracting. (You should remove or cover up body piercings and tattoos). Your perfume should be very subtle. Avoid carrying big purses. Instead, carry a portfolio with copies of your resume inside and a small purse if necessary for your keys and wallet.

Remember, the image you present to potential employers for your Boston Job Opportunity is as important as what you say in your interview and your body language. All of these ingredients impact an interviewer’s impression of you.

Women’s Fashion writer, Lauren Flanagan, explains, “The most important thing to remember is that you are representing a business or company as well as yourself.”