Dressing up for phone interviews

The morning of a recent telephone interview with a candidate-church, I rose from bed, showered, shaved, and put on dress pants and a pressed, starched shirt. No, I didn't have any other appointments that day-- I was dressing for my phone interview.

I know: they can't see me when we're on the phone. (And no, the interview was not a Skype video call.) But how you dress doesn't just affect the way oter people see you; it affects how you see yourself.

By dressing up for my phone interview, I felt differently than I would have if I had worn jeans or sweats and a t-shirt. I admit I wasn't as comfortable (though I have grown to be quite comfortable in dressier clothes), but I didn't want to be too comfortable. I didn't want to feel too relaxed.

Instead, I wanted to feel a level of formality in my attitude and even my physical presence that was appropriate for the situation. "Dressing up" for my interview helped that.

I don't know if this is the right call for everyone. Some guys might be so nervous for their first interview that they need every means available to make them more comfortable. But I would at least encourage you to give it a thought when you're approaching a telephone interview.

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