Throughout school, I’ve experienced quite a few job interviews and informational interview meetings. In fact, I am excited because this whole week I am preparing for several interviews (fingers crossed!).
Between doing research, practicing responses, and identifying the “one and only greatest weakness,” I have to pay attention at how I present myself. While interviews are somewhat stressful, I always feel more confident when I know I’m not guilty of any style faux-pas.
Prospective employers do pay attention to every little detail and expect a candidate with an impeccable presentation and excellent skills. Just as an anecdote, one of my supervisors was definitely not impressed when an interviewee showed up sporting green nail polish and when another was wearing acrylic purple nails.
For this post, I picked the top five colors that I find are appropriate for a conservative interview. I’m also including some “do’s” and “don’ts” based on my experience and feedback from employers.
Interview Nail Polish – Advice Do’s and Don’ts
1. Neutral Nude
Do wear clean cut nails and don’t have a distracting nail shape or overly long nails (pointy talons look better in editorials anyway).
Do try different colors to see what best suits your skin tone.
2. Light Pink
Don’t pick bright colors that distract from your actual interview and your responses – nails should look put together without saying “look, I did my nails!”
Don’t wear an accent nail or nail art of any kind. Keep it plain and simple.
3. Sheer White
Do pick a sheer nail polish where you can built opacity with no streaks – sheers also help with application because you can never make a mistake (the polishes in this post are easy to apply for anyone and will look neat).
Do choose a nail polish that is of high quality and will not chip (we know how crazy interview time can get) – also, don’t go to an interview with chipped nail polish.
4. Power Red
Do wear a classic statement red color that is not too bright, too dark, or too orange (has to be just right!). You may want to save this color for an informational interview – if in doubt, opt for neutral or lighter polish.
Do pick the most neutral and natural shade if you have any doubt on what color to choose.
Don’t wear textured nail polish or nail polish with a glitter or pearl finish (trends are best displayed outside the interview room).
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5. Clear Top Coat
Do wear a long lasting clear top coat if you are not comfortable wearing a nail polish color – the top coat will make your nails look shiny and clean (and put together).
Do be confident during your interview! Good luck!
Readers’ Recommendation: Just like every font and line arrangement on a resume, paying attention to small details can help you look more presentable or just make you feel more relaxed.
