What to Wear for A Zoom Interview?

Each of us will inevitably go through many interviews in our lives. Whether it is applying for a campus or a job opportunity, an interview is usually one of the necessary steps. And with the development of technology, many interviews are now conducted online through Zoom, without the need to travel far to the corresponding campus or company for the interview.

Indeed, the online interviews through Zoom have brought great convenience to us. However, due to the differences between the online environment and the offline environment, your attire for Zoom interviews may be slightly different. If you have never participated in a zoom interview, then this blog is prepared for you to introduce some precautions of the Zoom interview attire to you.

Even if you have not participated in a Zoom interview, you have probably attended an offline interview. Even if you have not attended any interview, you must have seen other people’s attires for an interview. To sum up the interview dressing code in one word, it would definitely be “formality”. Next we will further explain this word in this section.

Lapel. On most occasions, clothes with lapel are considered as formal. We can see that suits , shirts and blazers that often appear in business occasions are always with lapels. But in fact, in many cases, there is no explicit rule to wear a lapel shirt or a blazer. So you do not have to stick to wearing lapel clothes. But several shapes of neck including deep V-neck and asymmetrical neck should be absolutely avoided. For these necklines are too informal and would leave a bad impression to the interviewer.

Deep color. The first impression you leave on others is also closely related to the color of the clothes you are wearing at the time. Generally speaking, light colors will leave the impression of tenderness to others, while deep colors make you look more reliable. Warm colors make people look more energetic, but when applying for a job, What you need to show most is your reliability, while gentleness and vitality are not that important in comparison. This is why clothing in deep colors is preferred for job interviews.

Simple patterns. Another important principle is not to wear too fancy clothes for your interview. Some classic patterns such as plaids and stripes are the maximum for your choice. In particular, avoid wearing clothes with cartoon characters, as this will greatly reduce your credibility in the eyes of the interviewer because such clothes are too childish.

Suitable length. Never wear overly revealing clothing for an interview. Indeed, mini dresses are beautiful, but for an interview, you need to choose a dress or skirt which reaches at least your knees. A skirt of the right length will definitely make you look more professional.

In the previous section, we have mentioned that deep colors are more suitable for all kinds of interviews. So to speak more specifically, which deep colors can we choose? And for a Zoom interview, will it be different?

In general, the principle of wearing clothing in deep colors also goes for a Zoom interview. But at the same time, you should also pay attention to the color of your background. For example, if you will attend your zoom interview in front of a wall painted in khaki, then avoid wearing a khaki top or outerwear. Otherwise, you'll look like you blend into the background. And since your exposure part is limited, with only your upper body showing in the camera, tops or outerwear in bright colors will further distract the interviewer from your utterances.

Another reason not to wear brightly colored clothing for the Zoom is that in the video, too bright colors will make you look pale. But your complexion will look better in deep colored clothes in video.

Below, we'll provide a few examples of colors you can choose from.

🔵Black. There is no doubt that most suits we can see on formal or business occasions are in black. The reason is perhaps that black is a solemn color, which means the interviewee takes the interview very seriously. And the uniforms of many occupations are black, so wearing black to an interview will make you look more professional.

🔵Blue. Compared with black, blue seems to be a more friendly color. If you believe that black is too serious, you can also choose a blue shirt or jacket to attend the Zoom interview. When you wear blue, you appear more easy-going.

🔵Khaki. Khaki is also one of the most frequently used colors for suits. Especially for ladies’ business suits, khaki is elegant and classic.

🔵Grey. Grey symbolizes wisdom and calmness, and is a neutral color suitable for formal occasions. At the same time, compared with black, gray does not appear particularly rigid.

Maybe you feel that suits are boring and can not show your uniqueness. So, you may wonder, must I wear a suit for the Zoom interview? Can I wear something else? It should be said that it is better to wear a suit when applying for most schools and positions on Zoom, because what you need to show most in an interview is not your uniqueness, but your reliability and professionalism. But there are certain exceptions.

For example, if you are applying for a special position such as a fashion editor, then you should not wear a suit. You can choose clothes that can fully show your fashion sensitivity and taste. Ruffles, tassels, and even more exaggerated elements can appear on your interview outfits. In addition, some newly emerging industries may not be so strict about your dressing either. If you are applying for a position in an Internet company, then it is unnecessary to wear a set of suit. You can also wear a dress or a pullover as long as it is not too revealing or flashy. If you are applying for a university, it is also unnecessary to wear a set of suit. For students, just dress neatly. You can choose a white shirt and a knitted vest.

Even for an offline interview, there is no reason to force interviewees to wear a thin suit in the cold winter or a long-sleeved blazer in the hot summer. So your attire can also be adjusted according to the season and weather. Not to mention that you are attending a Zoom interview. You have more space to adjust your clothing, especially your bottom. If it is cold in your room, you can switch the blazer over your shirt to a cardigan of course. On the contrary, you can also wear a T-shirt in summer. But remember to iron it before the interview.

In addition, each company's culture is different. Even in traditional industries, there are some companies that do not mind how their employees dress. So, if possible, it's better to learn about the company's corporate culture and employee attire in advance. If the overall atmosphere is more casual, then you do not need to wear formal clothes during the interview.

In addition to clothing, there are also some things to pay attention to in other aspects such as makeup. Then in this section, we will further give you some other tips for creating your impressive outfits for a Zoom interview.

It is better to wear light makeup. Light makeup can not only make you look better, but also show that you take the interview seriously and respect the interviewer. You can use foundation, light pink lipsticks, blush and an eyebrow pencil to create your pretty makeup. But remember that do not wear too heavy makeup since it will reduce your professionalism.

You do not need to wear high-heels or leather shoes since the bottom will not appear in the video. But it is better not to wear a pair of slippers since it may create a sense of relaxation, which may do harm to your interview. It is better not to wear a pair of sneakers for your offline interview, but you can choose that for your Zoom interview.

Although the bottom will not appear in the video, it is not suggested wear your pajama pants to attend the Zoom interview. Otherwise, if the interviewer suddenly wants you to stand up, things will get worse. So in any case, wear a pair of pants that you can wear out.

Choose a well-lit room and angle for your Zoom interview. Otherwise, your face will be dark in the video. And keep your background tidy. It should be noticed that Not only will you appear in the video, but your interview environment and part of your room will also appear in the video. So if your background environment is messy, it will not leave a good impression on the interviewer.

Moreover, do not forget to debug your interview equipment in advance. It would be bad if you arrive at the interview and find that your microphone is broken and the interviewer can not hear you.