5 Job Interview Beauty Dos and Don’ts
As we get closer to the end of the school year, many of us are going on internship/summer job interviews- myself included. On College Fashion, we have already covered How to Dress for a Job Interview and How to Get the Internship of Your Dreams. However, in addition to dressing to impress, your makeup and hair needs to look natural and polished for interview success.
Interview beauty can be tricky because you want to make sure you’re making a good impression, while still looking natural and chic. This post will help you achieve the perfect interview look to help you score the job/internship of your dreams!
DO: Wear natural, light makeup!
Although makeup is a great way to your express yourself, no matter what type of interview you’re going on, it is best to remain conservative with your makeup. You want your natural beauty to shine through, so keep the makeup light as possible!
Need some product recommendations? Check out my picks below. I chose these products because (with the exception of the foundation and perhaps the lipstick), they are universally flattering for all skin tones and types. These are all gorgeous, natural colors that will help your true beauty shine!
Product information: Foundation: Clinique Soft Finish Foundation ($21.00), Eye Shadow: MAC Naked Lunch ($14.50), Nail Polish: OPI Dulce de Leche ($8.50), Lipstick: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Rosy Nude ($8.99), Blush: NYX Powder Blush in Angel ($5.00)
DON’T: Go all-out with makeup.
I know you want to look your best for your interview, but when it comes to beauty in the workplace, less truly is more. Here are some products I’d recommend you stay away from for a successful interview.
Avoid:
- Heavy eyeliner
- Bright colored eye shadow
- Heavy, caked-on foundation
- Overly glossed lips
- Brightly colored nails
- Anything with glitter in it
DO: Keep hair clean and out of your face.
You may not realize you’re doing it, but you’re probably guilty of this one: most people fiddle with their hair when they’re nervous. Although YOU might not think much of this behavior, for the interviewer, it can become incredibly distracting. So keep your hair swept away from your face during an interview to avoid playing with your strands.
If you have bangs, clip them back with a hair pin so they’re out of your face and you won’t have to worry about them getting in your way. I do not have bangs but I typically put my hair half-up, half-down because for me that feels the most comfortable. Some girls prefer to put their hair in a bun or a ponytail instead, but that is all up to you. Just make sure that your hair swept back and out of your way.
DON’T: Wear heavy perfume.
The tricky thing about wearing perfume is that you do not really know how strong your scent may be to other people. So always err on the side of “less”, if you aren’t sure how strong your scent is.
Also, I would advise that the day before your interview, douse yourself with the typical amount of perfume and ask a family member/close friend to tell you how strong it is. This way, you don’t want walk into your interview and overpower your interviewer with your perfume.
DO: Be passionate!
“The most beautiful make-up of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.” ~Yves Saint Laurent
No matter how great your outfit or how flawless your makeup is- what’s truly going to get you the job is your personality and your passion. When you go into your job interview, show them how passionate and confident you are. First impressions have a big impact indeed, but if you have no passion for your job, nobody is going to want to employ you.
In The Devil Wears Prada, for example, Anne Hathaway character may not have had the exact “look” Runway Magazine was looking for, but she was confident and fought her way through. And ultimately, that is what caught the attention of her boss, Miranda. Have confidence in yourself and show them that you are everything they want in an intern or employee.
Your thoughts?
What kind of beauty products do you wear to job interviews? What do you do to pump yourself for the nerve-racking interview? I would love to hear how all your interviews are going!
Posted on on April 21, 2010 / Filed Under: Beauty & Hair / Tags: Beauty, Career, Devil Wears Prada, Internships, Interviews, Jobs, MAC, OPI
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fashionista
Great advice!!! I’m having an interview next week… :$ I will wear something classic, some small accessories and a little perfume, natural makeup, and that’s it… For job interviews, less is more XD.
Isabelle
This is an excellent list, I wish more people would adhere by these guidelines
lisa
I just watched an episode of the hills with a jobinterview, and i dont reamember who said it (i only watch it while joggin, so im not that focused) but i reamember what she said…. after the question what are your more negative sides (dont you hate that question) and she answerd “people think im kind of a bitch, but… ” no matter what the “but” is, it does not make up for that sentence…. nice to know that i am not the only person who has said some stupid things at a job interview
Rachel
I’m still in high school so I’ve never had a job interview before, but I’ll be having college admission interviews in the fall, and I’ll be looking for a summer job. Is is a bad idea to wear black eyeliner only on the waterline?
Great post by the way :)
Tiara - NYU
Oh, I just loved the quote you used from YSL. “The most beautiful make-up on a woman is passion.” Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Heather
Concerning perfume I wouldn’t wear any, more and more offices are becoming scent-free. Many people around the age of most interviews are very sensitive to scent and something that might seem very subtle will feel like a brick hit them in the face.
Kath
Excellent tips. I’m almost a year out of school and while I finally have a job, it took me a lot of interviews to get there. Love what you said about hair. So many “experts” tell you that ponytails and buns are the only way to go, but anything that is clean and polished is fine. You’re going to be nervous at an interview and it’s important that you feel comfortable; the last thing you want is to be worrying about your hair.
Lalalina
Heather, I am right there with you on the whole perfume thing. You never want to offend someone with your scent. My mom told me to never wear perfume to an interview or work, in an office setting that is, and things have gone swimmingly for me. I have ridden an elevator too many times with people my age and wanted to get off early because they were wearing too much perfume. I think for the fashion industry the rules may be different, but for the traditional office setting, skip the perfume. The make up and hair tips were right on point! These were great tips!
np
I know this website is for college girls, but i will be in college (uni in australia) next year! Could you do something similar for college interviews??? Especially fashion wise?
Madeleine
I’ve never been in a job interview seeing as I’m still in high school but I’d probably wear very natural yet pretty makeup so I look put together but not like I’m trying too hard.
Sara
I agree with np, can you do a post on college interviews? i’ll be having them soon, and i want to go to a fashion school so i have no idea what they would expect me to wear
Nicole
Definitely agree with this article, i interviewed this girl a few months ago and she came in to the interview with badly chipped hooker red nail polish, and stretchy work out pants. I figured she was just out of college and was still trying to figure out the work world. Big Mistake. Against my better judgment i hired her and she turned out to be a total psycho who i had to fire last week….just shows that i should have gone with my gut and first impression of her. This article is on the money.
Emmy!
Loved your tips! This article gave me a huge confidence boost so that when I go into my interview (tomorrow!) I’ll be totally prepared.
P.S. Im not actually in college yet but this is my favorite fashion/beauty blog. All of these articles really resonate for all types of women, and that’s why I love them so much. Great Job!
Jenna
Definitely go scent-free and clean and fresh with makeup and hair. I would say it’s a good idea to add a nice waterproof lengthening/separating mascara (no thickening/volume clumpy mascara). This will frame eyes nicely and define them without looking overdone.
@ Rachel – I would not wear black liner on the waterline to an interview – unless I was going for a retail job and even then, it would depend on the style of the company. Skip it for sure for your college interviews.
xavs :)
hey there, i need help im 15 years old and i want a summer job to buy a bycicle please give me tips or maybe you could do an article that says: How to get a summer job if you are less than 18 years old
Cecily
This article was absolutely perfect for me, I have a job interview tomorrow morning at a department store and I was really nervous about interview appearance because I really need this job! Thankyou, you helped so much!