Ask HR: Is It A Must For Men To Wear Suits In An Interview?

By Susan Gitonga

Do men have to wear suits in an interview? This is a question many male job seekers would like to know. In this article you will find out that Companies vary, recruiters are different and the positions you interview for will determine whether or not you should wear a suit on the day of the interview. Here, you will also find some useful tips on how to look sharp in your suit.

HR Advice On Whether Or Not Men Should Wear Suits In An Interview

1.It depends with the Company

Miss Caroline Kariuki, a HR Manager says that whether or not you should wear a suit depends on the Company.

Some companies such as creative or a marketing companies where people wear jeans and t-shirts will not necessarily require you to be suited up.

Ms. Caroline advices that it’s very important for you to first research on the Company before attending the interview.

Find out their house style. What do the people who work there wear?

Are they always in suits Monday to Friday? Do they go to work in casual clothes?

Research is very important. You don’t want to go to a job interview to find your employer wearing jeans and sneakers whereas you are fully suited up.

Some companies like Equity Bank expect you to be suited up from Monday to Friday once you get a job with them. It is therefore expected that you should be suit up if you are attending an interview with them.

Find out about the company culture and dress code first..

2.It depends with the Position

Some positions are considered more senior than others. For example, a Management role is more superior than an entry level job.

With a higher position comes a higher expectation for the role you’re interviewing for.

A big position will require you to show a great  level of seriousness and professionalism.

Wearing a suit is simply a must.

Related Article >>> 4 Secret Tips For Dressing To Impress & Win An Job Interview

It’s safer to wear a suit….

If you are uncertain about whether or not you should buy a great looking for the d-day, it’s safer to buy one.

You will not regret wearing one either way. A suit makes you look sharp and very smart. You will not loose anything by wearing a suit.

Tips When Wearing A Suit…

1.Avoid wearing very tight suits

Ms. Caroline notes that there’s a trend among men these days to wear very tight suits. So tight that they can hardly raise their arms comfortably.

She expresses her concern and says that men should wear suits that fit them appropriately, avoid very tight suits that do not allow any movement.

“What if they come for an interview and are told that they will have to make a presentation?” she asks.

The last thing you want is your clothes being in the way of you standing a chance to get the job.

You should be worried about answering the questions right and having a good lasting impression than you should be thinking about how tight your clothes are.

Read Also >>> Dressing For Casual Friday..4 Types of Clothing Kenyans Must Avoid

2.Keep the colours neutral

Even if you love fashion, wear a neutral coloured suit. Wearing a brightly coloured suit will shift the attention and focus from your face to the clothes during the interview and it might be very distracting to the person interviewing you.

Stick to black, navy blue, blue and grey suits. They are the standard colours for the corporate job market.

So the simple answer to the question about whether or not men should wear suits can be summed up to be yes!

It’s safer, but again it depends with the factors we have discussed above.

All the best in your interviews.

Click here to speak  to a HR Professional  to help you step up your game in your the upcoming interviews.

Susan is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. For any questions please Email: susan@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke