Bank on Banking

“First impressions are the only impressions,” and “you never get a second chance to make a good first impression,” are little phrases created as a result of people realizing just how important a first impression can be – especially when referring to an interview that only lasts 30-60 minutes. We’ve run through some of the interviewing basics (and more are on their way), but there is much to be said for the IMMEDIATE first impression – your interview outfit.

The second you walk into someone’s office, they will inevitably look you over and make a snap judgment – is your shirt wrinkly, is your jacket or tie stained, are your dressed appropriately for banking, hell, even your shoes and your hair will be noticed. What this will tell the interviewer, in his/her mind, is whether you care about the opportunity before you, whether you care about yourself (because if you don’t care enough to put yourself together properly, then how can they expect you to care about the job), whether you are even trying to make a good impression, and whether your attention to the little (and in some cases, big – such as a stained tie) details is spot on. In all honesty, you can absolutely land the job without looking your best, with a stain on your tie, or your hair disheveled. Why, however, especially in a market as competitive as this, would you want to overlook some simple details and nuances, that, when put together in a neat package, will surely help to keep you from making a bad first [moment] impression (considering your appearance is judged both once you walk through the door, and then throughout the interview). So let’s jump right in and uncover some simple do’s and don’ts of the investment banking interview (assuming, of course, that business attire is required).

The Don’ts

Solid black suits

I know people have argued that black suits are fine before, but honestly, they’re not. Again, nothing here will result in an automatic ding, but why go against the herd. Stay away from solid black suits unless you don’t have any other suit. In this case, yes, the solid black suit would be preferable (but only to no suit at all). Think of it this way; black is drab and stark, and the last thing you want to do when making your first impression is walk through that door and remind the interviewer of a funeral.

Brown shoes

I know that I may catch hell for this one, but, in general, stay away from brown shoes on the interview (especially if you are wearing a navy suit, as a navy suit should only be worn with black shoes). I have always felt that brown shoes are just a bit more casual than black shoes, and, as such, I think that you are better off sticking with black shoes regardless of suit color.

Disclaimer: this is probably the least “don’t” that I would enforce, as many brown shoes are acceptable for interviews (only with gray suits), but, in general, brown shoes would be more casual than black (style to style), therefore to avoid people wearing brown shoes that are a bit too casual, I always recommend black shoes.

Cufflinks (therefore, French cuff shirts)

Please stay away from cufflinks. I know you want to flash your new snazzy cufflinks, but save it for the job. For the interview, there is no reason to sport a French cuff shirt and cufflinks. I have seen way too many interviewees sporting outlandish gold, or bulging cufflinks that only act to distract the interviewer. While you may have a few very nice pairs of cufflinks, the interview is not the time to show off your accessory sense, it is the time to look conservative, look good, and sell yourself, not flash your bling.

Belts with big name logo buckles

I have seen a lot of people flashing their Prada or Ferragamo logo belts, which in general is fine (if that’s your thing), but not wise for the interview. Keep it simple and keep is conservative, please. Leave the flashy and fancy belt buckles/belts at home, and just use a simple, classy black belt. Considering many employers will frown on your wearing Ferragamo shoes pre-bonus, I doubt many of them will be pleased when they are blinded by a $200 flashy Ferragamo belt staring them in the face while trying to conduct an interview.

No V neck or tank top undershirt

Keep it conservative; if you are wearing a tie, stay away from the V neck undershirt, and always stay away from the tank top undershirt as a general rule of thumb. There is nothing wrong with a V neck undershirt in general, but when wearing a tie, stick with the crew neck t-shirt; there is no reason to see any renegade chest hairs sticking out of the V underneath your white button down.

Disclaimer: Outside of the button down with tie outfit, I prefer wearing V necks, as I don’t like seeing the undershirt popping out of the top of the button down when the top button isn’t buttoned.

No white socks (I have seen it before)

I cannot stress this one enough, and I know many of you are going to say “who the hell would do that,” but trust me, I have seen it before, and I have even been asked “what if my pants are really long, then it’ll be fine right?” Answer: No, AND get your pants tailored properly. Please, match your socks to your pants – gray suit, gray socks; Navy suit, navy socks. Whatever you do, do not wear white socks on your interview – I don’t care if you have to stop off at a store and buy a pair of dress socks, then change on the train, and put your white socks in your bag – just don’t wear white socks on your interview, please.

The Do’s

Suit

As mentioned before, I always stick with either the navy or charcoal suit, in a simple pinstripe, a simple pattern (windowpane, for example) or a solid. Please, regardless of color or pattern, make sure that you get the suit pressed and cleaned before your interview. I have seen way too many applicants walking around with blazers and/or pants that are wrinkled, or even stained. This makes a terrible impression, and looks sloppy, uninterested and lazy – three qualities that you are definitely not trying to convey during the interview.

The shirt

Pretty standard stuff here – what you would normally wear to work is what you are targeting here. Stay with blue or white shirts, and either solids or simple grid/stripe patterns; you don’t want anything too bold or too wild, as you will be wearing the shirt with a tie, and you want to retain the conservative look.

The Tie

For the tie, burgundy, yellow or blue (depending on shirt color and pattern as well) and either simple stripes or a casual pattern (something out of vineyard vines or Brooks Brothers) will work just fine. I prefer striped ties with solid shirts, rather than opposing stripes on striped shirts (you don’t want horizontal stripes on your tie and shirt, for example) – but as long as the colors go well together, and the tie is tasteful, you should be fine. As a rule of thumb, I like to go with yellow or burgundy for blue shirts, and blue or yellow with white shirts (with a navy suit, a burgundy tie can work with a white shirt as well). Again, people will have different opinions, but in my experience, these combinations yield an attractive, yet professional look that is sure to tie (pardon the pun) an outfit together very well.

Socks

As mentioned before, the socks should match the pants – gray with gray, navy with navy. A solid pattern is not necessary, as long as the pattern is simple, tasteful, and, if possible, compliments the rest of the outfit (for example, if you are wearing a charcoal suit with a blue shirt and yellow tie, gray socks with a simple blue pattern would tie things together very nicely – is this necessary, absolutely not, but if you happen to think of it when getting dressed in the morning, it can’t hurt).

Shoes

I prefer black shoes with laces, although loafers are perfectly acceptable. The key point here is in the appearance of the shoe. Before going for the interview, either day of or earlier, make sure to take your shoes for a shoe shine. You want your shoes to be polished, ding free, and shining. An applicant that attends to the subtleties of his appearance is sure to bring that same attention to detail to his job. In fact, I have spoken with a number of senior bankers across a few banks, and all of them have admitted that they always notice an applicant’s shoes at some point in the interview, and even a cheap pair of black shoes that are shined can be more impressive than a $500 pair of loafers that are scuffed and haven’t been shined in months, if ever. In other words, cheap shoes, expensive shoes, old shoes, new shoes – take $6 and 10 minutes, and go get them shined.

A Few Extras

Resume

Bring a few copies of your resume – usually 2 or 3 more than you think you’ll need – example, 1 person, bring 2 or 3, superday with 6 people, bring 8 – in a black document holder WITH a pen. Regarding a briefcase (for a newspaper, technical notes, etc), it is optional, but not required. If, however, you are carrying a lot of paperwork, etc, then I would recommend bringing a briefcase as it will offer a much neater appearance.

Face

This should be a no-brainer, but make sure your hair is neat, and that you are freshly shaved. It shouldn’t take you too long to handle either of these tasks, but the result is a much neater and professional look that is sure to impress your interviewer more than the bed hair and 5 o’clock (circa last Tuesday) shadow.

Watch

It is perfectly acceptable to wear a nice watch, but it is not necessary.

Finger nails

Always make sure your finger nails and cuticles are at least in decent shape with your finger nails trimmed and filed. A firm handshake often kicks off an interview, and you want to make sure you’re not stabbing the interviewer with a hang nail, or giving him front row seats to nails that are chewed up. Remember, biting your nails is a sign of weakness and insecurity, so even if you do it, make sure to disguise it by filing your nails before the interview.

Cologne/Perfume

With cologne/perfume you have two options: a little or none at all. The old phrase, “too much of a good thing is bad,” has never rang so true. Too much cologne can choke your interviewer, smell up a room, and generally appear rude. Not to mention the fact that the interviewer could be allergic to the fragrance, or have a very sensitive nose, in which case those hearty sprays of cologne could result in much worse than an annoyed glare. It is for all of these reasons, and others that I generally recommended to either go light on the cologne, or just don’t wear any at all. A squirt or two is fine, but as usual, moderation is key.

Keys

The last thing you want in an interview is a bulge coming out of the side of your pants – no, I mean bulky key chains, a bunch of papers, etc in your pants pockets. Keep the articles in your pants pockets to a minimum, and if you need more room, bring that briefcase.

Is all of this necessary, not at all, but it absolutely helps to know these things and work towards presenting yourself in the best possible “first-impression” light. A good first impression is definitely at least a few parts physical appearance, so rather than overlook some subtle and not-so-subtle details, follow at least some of these simple rules and interview with style.