Knowing what to wear on a job interview is half the battle of the interview itself. The old adage could never be so true, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That is why you must always have a strategy to prepare for your interview.

When you’re going on a job interview, your appearance is extremely important. Whether or not you look professional or sloppy could play a huge role on if you get hired.

When first deciding what to wear on a job interview, you should first take into consideration the culture of the company you are interviewing with, and dress accordingly. Are you interviewing with a company where the employees wear suits everyday or do they wear t-shirts and jeans?

A suit is not always the best choice for what to wear on a job interview. If you show up wearing a suit and tie and all the employees are wearing shorts and flip-flops, you will look out of place, feel uncomfortable and give off the wrong energy. The same is true of the opposite. If you show up wearing shorts and flip-flops to a company that wears professional attire, you will be just confirming that you don’t fit into the company.

If you want to ace the interview to get the job, your choice of what to wear on a job interview should match or be slightly dressier than the normal work attire of the company. For example, if the normal work attire of the company is business casual, it’s ok to wear a suit to impress. If the normal work attire is casual, it’s ok to wear a business casual outfit to impress as well. Appropriateness is the most important factor on what to wear on a job interview.

After you decide whether a professional, business casual, or casual outfit the most appropriate for your interview, here are some guidelines you will want to stay with in when deciding what to wear on a job interview. The key is to wear clothing that you feel comfortable and look great in, while at the same time matching the corresponding dress code of the company. That way you’ll give off great energy and your true personality shine through.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Make sure your clothes that are neatly ironed and press. Nothing gives away the lack of attention to detail than wrinkled clothing.

2. Make sure your clothing fits properly. If your pants or sleeves are too long or something is too loose or too tight you’ll look and probably feel awkward.

3. Don’t wear flashy jewelry. You’ll want the interviewer to pay attention to you, not your bling.

4. Dress according to the season. Don’t wear a stuffy turtleneck sweater in the middle of the summer.

5. Don’t wear perfume or aftershave. You never know if your interviewer is allergic and this isn’t a good way to find out.

6. Make sure you have a nice, clean haircut that makes you look well groomed.

7. For men, make sure you shave and keep facial hair to a minimum.

8. For women, don’t wear anything that is too revealing. It’s best to keep your body parts inside your clothing and not be too exposed.

9. Avoid articles of clothing with loud, busy prints. It’s best to wear solid colors that flatter your skin tone.

10. For women, make you wear appropriate lingerie and/or pantyhose underneath your clothing. This will give you smooth lines and assure you don’t have visible panty lines on your backside.

11. For women, don’t overdo your makeup. Wear natural colors and avoid heavy eyeshadow, eyeliner and bright colored lipstick.

12. For pants outfits, make sure you wear a belt that matches the color of your shoes.

So, congratulations on getting the interview. Now, know you know exactly what to wear on a job interview so you can get the job.