There are colors for interviewing?
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EmailThe color worn at an interview can send a message to future employers.
Interviewing for a job is more than showing up and answering the right questions. The appearance of a person is important in an interview. Proper attire is important, but did you also know that certain colors have meaning when it comes to interviewing?
For example, Gladys Stone and Fred Whelan from Monster state what some of the common colors convey for an interview:
- Blue projects an image of someone who is in control. From an interviewer’s perspective, it conveys a calm demeanor, stability, trust, truth, confidence and security.
- Gray signifies sophistication and is a common option for interviews.
- Black represents authority, but also signifies drama. It is important to be thoughtful when using black and use as an accent color rather than primary color.
- Red is noted as an extremely powerful color. It’s associated with energy, passion, desire, power and aggression. Limit your use of red for an interview.
- White sends the message of simplicity, cleanliness, precision and goodness, so white shirts and blouses are a good choice.
In a Business Insider article, “The Best and Worst Colors to Wear to a Job Interview” by Vivian Giang, results from a study of hiring managers by CareerBuilder state that blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview. The hiring professionals from the survey gave an explanation on how they portrayed the different colors the prospective employees wore:
- Black – Leadership
- Blue – Team player
- Gray – Logical/analytical
- White – Organized
- Brown – Dependable
- Red – Power
- Green, yellow, orange and purple – Creative
In the end, it is important for you to send the right message to interviewers as well as be comfortable in the clothes you are wearing.
As you are preparing for an interview, it is a good idea to research tips and strategies including best practices for interview attire. Michigan State University Extension’s 4-H Youth Development provides information for career preparation and assists youth in interviewing skills. Take advantage of the information that is available and learn about interviewing to help you in your future career endeavors.
