What to Wear to your In-Person and Virtual MBA Interview
It’s February, so it’s MBA interview season. Around this time of year, we field a lot of queries from our clients about what to wear to an MBA interview, both in-person and virtual. Their anxiety is valid – you don’t want to stand out in your interview for all the wrong reasons. The way you present yourself says a lot about your professionalism, attention to detail, and situational awareness.
“But I want to show my authentic self!” While clothing is a big part of self-expression, you don’t want to have your interviewer focus on what you’re wearing more than what you’re saying. Save the bold looks for when you’re informally mixing with your peers later! In the MBA interview, you want to be memorable for your answers and personality.
So, what should you wear in your MBA interview? Here’s our advice:
In-person interviews
Dress for the context and venue of your interview.
If your interviewer is AdCom: For formal interviews where you will be interviewed by an AdCom member, like for Harvard or Oxford, stick to business formal wear. For men, that means a suit jacket. Your interviewer will be wearing a tie, so should you. For women, this means a pantsuit or a skirt suit. Go with darker, neutral colors like navy or charcoal for your suit. You can never go wrong with a crisp white/light colored plain shirt, and make sure your tie has a tasteful pattern.
If your interviewer is an alum: Dress appropriately for the venue of the interview. Your alum interviewer may even clue you in to what to wear. Do your due diligence; if you’re meeting them right after their investment banking work hours, chances are they’ll still be in work wear. In that case, wear a suit to match the context. If you’re meeting at a coffee shop near a Silicon Valley tech campus, business casual (like a collared shirt and pants for men, and tailored top and pants/skirt for women) might be a better fit.
If your interviewer is a current student: Again, base your outfit on the context and venue of your interview.
In all the above cases, make sure you’re comfortable in your outfit. It should be well-fitted and properly ironed. Don’t wear sheer or low-cut clothes; you don’t want to feel self-conscious about your appearance during the interview.
Online Interviews
When people think of online interviews, the pandemic-era Zoom “business on top, party in the bottom” outfits come to mind. But we don’t really recommend that for a virtual MBA interview! It might feel like you’re overdressing, but the way you dress can help boost your confidence and get you in the mood for the interview. That means putting on shoes and socks (yes, even in your living room).
If your interviewer is AdCom: Again, dress business formal. Suit jacket and tie, or a pantsuit or skirt suit. Pay special attention to how your outfit shows up on camera. Choose colors and styles that brighten your face and contrast well with your background.
If your interviewer is an alum: Business casual attire is a good choice. For men, that means a dress shirt. For women, a dress and jacket, or a professional top. Avoid anything low-cut, strappy, or showing bare arms – in an online interview where your interviewer can only see you from the shoulders up, certain styles may not look as appropriate as they would in person.
If your interviewer is a current student: It’s likely that your interviewer will be wearing business formal, so you should match this. For men, that means a suit jacket. A male interviewer will probably be wearing a tie, so should you. For women, this means a pantsuit or a skirt suit.
Staging: In a video interview, it’s not just your wardrobe you need to be mindful about. Your background, sound quality, lighting, network connection, and general presentation are more important. Make sure your background is tidy and professional. Put your Marvel Premium Format Collectible Figures elsewhere for the day. Ensure that you will not be interrupted and keep background noise to a minimum.
You’ll also be surprised by how much difference good lighting can make to your video quality! Face a window, or invest in a ring light to appear more professional. Even the best cameras will struggle if your lighting is poor.
Finally, make sure your internet connection is stable. Use an ethernet cable if you have to! Test your video beforehand to check if everything works well and that you’re centered in the frame.
Other tips
It shouldn’t have to be said, but groom yourself well before your interview! If you have facial hair, a clean shave is a safe bet, but if you really don’t want to, make sure it’s well-maintained. Avoid large accessories such as dangly earrings and noticeable piercings so that they don’t distract your interviewer or make little jingle noises during your interview. The same goes for nail polish or any other body art: choose neutral colors and err on the side of something more conservative.
We also don’t recommend wearing personal wear that sets you apart, like a traditional ceremonial/ethnic outfit, or a military uniform. You need to demonstrate that you can represent your school and program professionally and discern when it is appropriate for the context. This doesn’t apply to parts of your clothing like religious head coverings – obviously, your MBA program will not require you to take these off.
Want to practice your MBA interview skills with one of our expert consultants? Get in touch.
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