Why It’s Important to Dress Up for a Phone Interview

You may be excited that you don’t have to get out of your pajamas, however I’m here to explain why it’s important to dress up for a phone interview.

I recently wrote about how clothing affects communication, and this is especially true during an interview, whether it is in person or on the phone.

Clothing affects more than just your appearance; it affects your mindset and your ability to highlight your skills and qualifications. I use this saying a lot, but there’s a reason I keep repeating that you need to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Clothing helps you command respect, and it differentiates your environment. It also creates a self confidence that you just can’t get while sitting in your pajamas.

Because the interviewer can’t see you and see your body language, your voice and the language you use holds more weight than it would in a standard in-person interview. By taking a call in your pajamas, (whether it’s subconscious or not) your mind will have a hard time differentiating between relaxing time and work time. You will most likely also have a harder time picking up on verbal cues and showing your strongest potential to the interviewer. By taking a phone interview in clothing in which you sleep and relax, your mind will have a harder time leaving that state and entering work mode.

When you’re wondering why it’s important to dress up for a phone interview, think about why dress codes were enacted at the office in the first place. They establish a sense of formality, they command respect, and they differentiate settings of work and play.

It might sound easy and normal to take a phone interview in your regular clothes, however dressing up as if you were going to an in-person interview will help you think clearer, speak more professionally, and better develop your answers. When you accept the invitation, remember why it’s important to dress up for a phone interview. Look your best to be your best!