How to Dress for Your Interview With Long Hair Work

| Job Interviews

| Conducting Interviews

Whether someone applies for a job, internship, scholarship, apprenticeship or other formal career program, an interviewer judges appearance as much background and words. Certain clothes and hairstyles create a professional look, while others make a person look severely unprofessional. Interviewers often expect applicants to wear conservative professional attire. An applicant with long hair must make sure that her hairstyle complements her clothing and doesn't have qualities that interviewers typically dislike.

1 Select an outfit consisting of a two-piece suit -- jacket and pants or jacket and knee- or calf-length skirt -- in a conservative color, such as black, navy blue, brown or gray. Pair the suit with a button-up blouse or shirt in a solid or subtly patterned accent color, such as white, cream, red, blue or pastel shades.

2 Wear conservative close-toed slip-on or lace-up dress shoes with matching hosiery. For example, if you’re a man, you might select a black or brown loafer with matching dress socks. If you’re a woman, you might select a solid-colored or patterned low-heeled pump with nude or matching stockings. If you’re wearing a belt, match it to your shoes.

3 Arrange your long hair into different styles while wearing your planned attire to determine which style matches your outfit, face and hair color, and makes you look your best. For example, you might wear your hair straight or curly hanging down or pulled back into a low ponytail or chignon near the neck.

4 See a stylist or barber several days before the interview for a trim to remove dead ends and improve your look. For example, if you have a long, layered style, you might ask your stylist to add layers so your hair doesn’t fall limp after blow drying and styling. If you’ve recently colored your hair an extreme shade, or need a root touch-up, also ask your stylist to recolor it.

5 Use a moisture treatment on your hair a day or two before the interview so it doesn’t appear too dry. On the day of the interview, style your hair on your own or have it professionally styled. Touch up the style with hairspray or styling gel or cream to prevent hair flyaways and a frizzy appearance.

Warnings Never style your hair to hang over your face, or in a way that allows it to slip down over your face while speaking, as your hair can cause unwanted shadows and block facial expressions from the interviewer. Additionally, the interviewer might think you're nervous if you're repeatedly pushing your hair away from your face.

Always inspect your clothes for long hairs sticking to the fabric, as they can make you appear unkempt. Remove the hair by hand or with a lint brush.

Tips If you wear a ponytail, select a basic band that matches your hair color instead of a scrunchy.

If you wear jewelry, select non-reflective or dangling pieces that match your attire and hairstyle and won’t distract the interviewer.

If you’re uncertain about how to dress, or you're applying for a job in a conservative industry where an employer might frown on certain clothing or hairstyles, such as the legal industry, contact the employer’s human resources department for guidance.

Photo Credits Noel Hendrickson/Photodisc/Getty Images