First Impressions Still Matter

The interview outfit.

It's something college seniors save up for, young professionals actually hang up and older workers can't seem to part with even when it's too small or out of style.

For generations, buying a conservative suit for job interviews was a rite of passage. But times have changed, even if your wardrobe hasn't.

Yahoo! HotJobs teamed with Banana Republic to conduct a survey about workplace fashion, and some of the most interesting results were about the interview.

More than 25 percent of the 900 human resource recruiters, representing all 50 states, said wearing a business suit to an interview at their company could be too formal.

"What we found is that there's a new generation of companies that understand that comfort equals productivity. They're fostering a casual environment to generate great business results," says Susan Vobejda, HotJobs' career expert and vice president of marketing.

But that doesn't mean the interview outfit
should be an afterthought. Sixty percent of the recruiters suggested
that candidates spend at least 30 minutes choosing their clothes for
the interview. Hitting the balance between professional and casual
takes effort, Vobejda says. "One thing to understand is that casual
doesn't equal sloppy. You want to avoid sloppy or sexy at all costs."

If you're unsure about the dress code of a company, ask your human
resources contact before you head in for the interview, Vobejda
advises.

In this regard, candidates do seem to be doing their homework:
34 percent of the 2,000 job seekers polled said they spent more time
picking out their outfit the night before their interview than anything
else.

Once you do get the job, one-third of recruiters believe
dressing like the boss is a good way to advance in the company, and 73
percent think employees would be more respected by their bosses if they
dressed in a similar fashion.

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