You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression
. . . It’s not just about dandruff (allusion to old Head and Shoulders
commercial) anymore.

In an interview, as in life, the first few seconds of a
meeting are the most important.

Your appearance and how you dress will influence how
the panel views you and your personality. (We
appreciate that this is a sad comment on the state of
humanity, but it’s true.)

It seems like common sense, but you’d be surprised by
how many errors in judgment (aka “wardrobe
malfunctions”) people have.

When in doubt, remember to play it safe and GO
CONSERVATIVE.
For the Ladies: The Bottom Half

If you choose pants:
○ Wear dress pants or slacks. The pants need to fit around your
waist, not hug your hips.
○ Capri pants are not appropriate for an interview; although
cute, they appear too casual.
○ You may not, under any circumstances, wear jeans; regardless
of how nice you think they look, they are not appropriate
interview attire.

If you choose a dress/skirt:
○ Your skirt should hit mid thigh. This means that you should
have no more than the width of your palm between the top of
your knee and the bottom of your skirt.
○ Check yourself out in the mirror walking, sitting, etc. If the skirt
rides up above mid-thigh when you move, it is too short.
Take a Look . . .
Cute dress, but not
appropriate for an
interview.
Capris, even if
tailored, look
too casual.
“Mini” should
not be a word
you employ in
the quest for an
interview outfit.
Any pant that
shows your
stomach or may
show your
stomach should
stay in the
closet.
Much Better
These pants aren’t up around her ears,
but keep everything covered that
should be. They are neither too tight,
nor too loose. Goldilocks would say
they’re “Just right!”
Each of these options is a nice length.
Easy to sit down in, nothing too
exposing, but neither looks like a nun
either.
For The Gentlemen: The Bottom Half

You may only choose pants:
○ Without the skirt or pants dilemma the ladies face, it
seems like it might be easier for you guys . . . but
some of you will be tempted to make this an overly
complicated decision.
○ You must wear dress pants or slacks. Jeans (even
black jeans) are not acceptable.
 Your pants must fit at the waist . . . not the hips, and certainly
not below!
 Your pants should break across the tops of your shoes; they
should not pool on the floor.
 Your pants may not be skin tight, nor may it appear as though
they could house two of you.
Take a Look . . .
So many problems,
where to begin? Let’s
focus on the pants,
wait, jeans.
No go!
How many
freshmen are
you hiding in
there?
Obviously these pants
aren’t hiding anyone or
anything. Give yourself
some breathing room
and leave these pants in
the drawer for a day.
Much Better
Not skin tight. Not too
loose. Sits on the waist.
Looks good!
Ditto for these pants.
For the Ladies: Up Top

This can be a troublesome issue for many, but
here are some basic guidelines to follow:
 No tank tops – rather than risk exposing something you
shouldn’t, keep them (the tank tops) in the closet.
 If you wear a v-neck, there should be absolutely no
cleavage exposed. If this is an issue for you, a v-neck is
not a good choice.
 Shirts must cover the waistband of your pants to avoid
showing the midriff and/or lower back.
 Shirts must be solid. No one should be able to see
through your shirt, even if all they see is a tank top.
 Avoid anything too flashy. Stay away from large logos,
sparkles, flashy patterns, etc.
Take a Look . . .
There’s a difference
between a Friday night and
a Wednesday or Thursday
morning. This top is cute,
but it’s a Friday night.
Too many distractions
here.
What do you want
from the panel?
This is not the kind
of attention you
want to be calling
to yourself. EVER.
Much Better
You can’t go wrong
with a classic, and the
button-up blouse is
certainly a classic.
Follow the same ideas for a skirt or
dress, and you’ll be sitting pretty.
For the Gentlemen: Up Top

Guys, this is your area to shine (not literally,
please).
 You must wear a collared shirt (long sleeved
preferred, unless you’re going for the Dwight
Schrute look) and tie.
 Shirts must be tucked in. Really tucked in, not
bloused (so as to “avoid wrinkles” you claim). If
your shirt is too short to be tucked in, you’ve
chosen the wrong shirt for the interview.
 Shirts and ties should match. This is not an
appropriate time to show how creatively you can
mix patterns.
Take a Look . . .
Like the ladies,
gentlemen, avoid a
too tight shirt. Even if
it means the guns
must be covered for a
day.
Dwight Schrute . . . just in
case you aren’t familiar with
his personal style.
Two issues: first, the
polo shirt. Nice any
other day, not today.
Second, the large
graphic. It’s
distracting. Keep it
simple.
Much Better
The Classic Look
The Creative Look
The Modern Look
Footwear

Ladies
 No tennis shoes
 No flip flops (even dressier styles)
 If you choose to wear a sandal, your foot must be
secure – front and back.
 No canvas/straw wedges – they’re cute, but a little
too casual for a professional interview.
 No sky-high heels. Remember, there is a difference
between Friday night and Wednesday morning.
 Keep your shabby shoes at home. This is a time to
look polished.

Gentlemen:
 No tennis shoes
 No athletic shoes
 Nice, polished dress shoes only.
Take a Look . . .
Going to an interview or
getting a pedicure? This is
far too casual.
Don’t let your interviewer
be distracted by the
wildlife on your shoes.
Keep it simple.
Cute shoe. But with a 4” heel,
you might appear confused
about the difference between
a Friday night and a Thursday
morning.
Just because a sandal is
gold doesn’t mean it’s a
winner in an interview.
Take a Look . . .
Wedges that are not
appropriate (though
super cute!)
Wedges that are
appropriate
Much Better
Flats always work for
interviews. Just make sure
they look clean and polished.
Sandals are
appropriate just as
long as your toes and
heel are secure.
You can’t go wrong with a
traditional pump. Just keep
the heel under 3”. This
means that chances are your
sky-high, spiked heels from
prom aren’t going to work.
Accessories

For the Ladies and Gentlemen:
 No excessive jewelry. One earring per ear, one
ring per hand. One bracelet per wrist. One
necklace . . . you get the idea – moderation is key!
 Absolutely NO facial piercings (nose, lip, eye). This
includes anything you use to “keep it open”
during school hours . . . no foreign objects may be
attached to the skin of your face.
 Absolutely NO tongue rings . . . even if you think
no one knows, trust me, we all know.
Grooming

Gentlemen:
 Remember moderation. Keep your hair style simple. No
modified faux-hawks.
 Your hair should be freshly trimmed and may NOT be
covering your eyes.

Ladies:
 Make sure your hair, whatever its style, does not cover your
eyes.
 Your makeup, manicure, etc., should be fresh and
appropriate for day time. Makeup should not be excessively
heavy, and nail polish should be subdued and NOT CHIPPED!

Ladies and Gentlemen:
 Use any fragrance sparingly. You do not want to aggravate a
panel member’s allergies or offend their sense of smell.
You Never Get a Second Chance to
Make a First Impression
As you’ll remember from Episode I, attire matters
during an interview, but so do manners and body
language.
 The panel members are regular people just like you
(or at the very least, like us). They are impressed by
good behavior and easily offended by inappropriate
behavior.
 More than likely you will be interviewed by people
you do not already know. They only have three
pieces of information from which to judge your
character:

○ Attire
○ Manners and Behavior
○ Senior Project Presentation & Portfolio
Advanced Preparation

The best way to maintain your cool during an interview is to come
prepared.

Review the questions the interviewers may ask as well as your
answers. Don’t just do this 10 minutes before the interview;
review them enough so you are comfortable with answering ANY
question.

Know your Senior Project Presentation. Rehearse your
presentation multiple times and be sure to stay within the time
frame (4-6 minutes)

Be sure to make a backup copy of your presentation (i.e flashdrive
or CD) in the event that the internet isn’t working during your
scheduled time.
Diagram Courtesy of Stephanie Gerdes!
Presentation



First things first. Walk into the room smiling, extend
your hand for a firm (the death grip is not necessary,
but show you have confidence) handshake and
introduce yourself. MAKE EYE CONTACT.
Be sure to listen to the names of the panel members
and refer to them as “Mr.” or “Ms.” (Since you may
not know if they are married or not.) MAKE EYE
CONTACT.
After introductions, begin your presentation. Do NOT
read word for word off your powerpoint slides. Make
eye contact with the panel members. Keep track of
your timing; do not exceed 6 minutes.
Answering the Interview Questions
As you answer each question, keep in mind that the panel
members want you do to well. They expect you to be
nervous, and want to give you the benefit of the doubt.
 You’ve had time to review all of the possible questions
and answers. When you speak, avoid “ums,” “uhs,”
“likes” and “I don’t knows.” You want to sound
articulate, and “like” fillers are not the way to accomplish
that goal.
 Give detailed responses to each question – elaborating
on specific information. Avoid cliché-style responses.
 Remember to make eye contact!

What Not to Do
Do not shrug your shoulders, grunt, or simply nod
in response to a question. Each question is openended and cannot be sufficiently addressed with
such a reply.
 You may know one of your panel members. If you
do, avoid being overly familiar. Still explain things
clearly to maintain the integrity of the interview
and keep other panel members involved.
 The panel members are volunteering their time to
come and participate in the interview process.
Under no circumstances are you to take out any
negative feelings you have about this requirement
on them.

Ending the Interview
The interview is not over until the panel
members say it is over. They, not you, end the
interview.
 Be sure to shake the hand of each member of
the panel and thank him/her for his/her time
while—all together now—making eye contact!
 As you leave maintain your good posture,
manners, and behavior. This is the last
impression they will have of you before filling
out their evaluation.
 Don’t forget to smile. Don’t “breathe a sigh of
relief,” say “I’m glad this is over,” etc. Save that
for later.

Follow these simple guidelines and . . .