You’ve got your heart set on the perfect position with a brand new company.
Your resume kicked butt and now they want to meet you, but this begs the dreaded question: “What should I do with my hair?”
Every woman knows how daunting this question can be. We have enough trouble figuring out what to wear, now we have to decide how to style our hair (as if that makes us better at our job). Whether it’s for a new job or an after-college internship, the stress is real.
Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for. We’ve come up with the best job interview hairstyles and put them in a short list for you.
Read on to get styling.
Always Keep It Professional
There are a million different ways to style your hair, but for this interview, it needs to be perfect.
The key is to stay professional. No matter what style you choose, always keep it polished and pretty.
Of the many styles, you can choose anything from funky to traditional. You’ll want to keep a good balance between your choice of attire and your makeup. Everything should balance out.
Think of it this way, if you’re wearing pink eyeshadow, you might want to consider toning down the hairstyle, so your entire image isn’t funky.
The overall goal is to keep the focus on you and not your hairstyle.
Pro Tip #1: Don’t wear pink eyeshadow.
Keep It Low Maintenance
Employers are looking for strong, independent employees. You don’t want to give them the impression that you’re any sort of high maintenance. In other words, they want to make sure your focus will be on them and the job.
Even if you are high maintenance, the secret is to not show it. And your hair can be a dead give away. Try keeping it sleek and unfuzzy.
Avoid fancy updos, save those for a night out.
Pro Tip #2: Try not to put so much hairspray in your hair that you stick to the walls.
Trendy Isn’t Always Best
We know that it’s fun to keep up with the latest trends. Who wants to be boring and traditional anyway, right?
Employers typically want that.
In the same way that employers don’t like exposed piercings and tattoos, they don’t like crazy hairstyles.
Ladies, we think your flaming pink streaks are fabulous, but your employers might not.
Unless you’re interviewing for an artist position, we recommend skipping on the spiky hair and going a bit more traditional.
Pro Tip #3: If you love your pink streaks and spiky hair, consider wearing a wig for your interview, but you can only do this if you’re applying for an at home job. You don’t want to be stuck wearing a wig every day to work.
Try On These Dos: The Perfect Interview Hairstyles
1. Ponytail
Don’t think a ponytail is formal enough for an interview? Think again.
A ponytail is simple, yet classy. Be sure to use plenty of anti-frizz serum to avoid looking like you just got electrocuted.
If you’re looking to dress it up just a bit, try adding a bit of bling to this do. A small, stylish hairpin could be just what you’re looking for to bring the whole image together. You can even take a piece of hair from the bottom of the ponytail and wrap it around the hair tie for an even more elegant look.
2. Sleek It
So you want to wear it down.
It’s always a great idea to wear your hair down, that is until it starts getting stuck to your lip gloss.
To avoid this, invest in some good sleek style creams. You’ll want to apply the cream to damp hair and then style it with a blow dryer. Be careful not to add too much cream or you’ll just end up looking like you haven’t showered in a week.
Pro Tip #4: If you opt-in to keep your hair down, you might find yourself playing with your hair — purely out of habit. This simple act can hint to employers that you aren’t confident with yourself, or just plain aren’t paying attention. Try to keep your hair behind you to avoid this big interview mistake.
3. Braid It Up
Professional doesn’t have to mean boring.
If you’re into something a bit more stylish, try giving your hair a good braid. There are tons of different braiding styles to choose from.
Here are a few styles to give you some ideas:
- Fishtail
- Side Braid
- French Braid
- Braid of Braids
Feel free to have some fun with it, just remember to keep it pretty and professional. You want to give the impression that you care, but not the impression that your hair is all you care about.
4. Pin It Back
Looking for a happy medium between an updo and keeping it down?
As simple as it sounds, just pin it back.
You can pull both sides around and pin them together with a pretty hair clip, or you could just pin one side. Either way, this style will keep your hair out of your face, and out of your way.
5. Try Loose Curls
If you want to seem cool and composed, try some loose curls.
You might even try pinning back your curls for a double do.
Pro Tip #5: If you don’t have a lot of time before your interview, this style is perfect. Take a shower the night before and tie your hair in a few braids overnight. When you wake up, take the braids out and spritz with a little bit of anti-frizz and hairspray. You’ll have soft, wavy curls all day.
6. Put It in a Bun
Buns are easy, elegant ways to get your hair off your neck and out of your face.
There are so many different ways to style your bun. If you’re in a hurry and want something quick, throw it up and hairspray the flyaways. If you have some time, though, try adding a pretty headband, a beret, or even throw a braid or two in there.
Buns are so multi-functional. You can wear a bun for sweatpants and have pizza sauce on your face, or you can style a fancy braided bun for a wedding.
7. Shorten It
When all else fails, cut it off.
If you’re brave enough, try experimenting with some shorter styles. Not only will the short style create a low maintenance look, but it actually is low maintenance.
A quick comb through and you’re interview-ready.
Just Be You
Above all else, just be yourself. At the end of the day, your interview hairstyle is only to accent your awesome skill set
Your new employer isn’t looking for you to pretend to be someone else. They want to see a clean, honest, you.
Remember, you got the interview. The hard part is over, now you just need to wow them with the killer personality we know you have.
You’re almost ready to be hired, now you just need to know what to negotiate, and what you could be missing out on.
