Articles From the Team

What to wear to an interview

It struck me recently, when we secure an interview our first instinct is to start preparing. We read up on the firm, we speak to people who may have worked there (or had them on the other side of a matter), we look at the LinkedIn profiles of the people who will interview us and try and pick up any salient references to points they have made or articles they may have written (just to casually drop in to conversation) – but how much thought do we give to our outfits?

Like it or not, first impressions count. From the moment that you walk through the door, every interaction could be a reason to (or not to) hire you. In the same way, your outfit speaks volumes. The firm may have a laid-back culture, but ultimately, for a first interview it is advisable to stick to standard office practice and go formal. For men – suit, (an ironed) shirt, tie and polished shoes. For women – again I would say a trouser suit, skirt and jacket or dress is the way to go. Ultimately, you don’t know who will be interviewing you – and I like to live my life by the adage “you can never be overdressed or overeducated” (Oscar Wilde).

Ultimately, your presentation of yourself is equally as important as your preparation for the interview. Most law firms will be looking at you and assessing how credible you will be in front of clients – essentially, are you going to be able to convince the client that they should be confident in your ability to represent them? There will always be some firms that have a more casual working environment (I remember my first role out of university and turning up in a suit only to find out that it was a dress-down office!) but I still think that it is better to err on the side of caution.

We at BCL Legal make a real effort to know our clients. When we put you forward for a role the likelihood is that we will have met with the firm or know enough about their culture to give you the lowdown on what the working environment is on day-to-day basis. So, once you have secured the interview, give us a call or meet us for a coffee – we will do our best to make sure you 100% prepared for the interview process (and yes – that does include the wardrobe advice if needed!).

For more information contact BCL Legal or email us at info@bcllegal.com.