Occasionally, we’re asked about appropriate OCIP interview attire.  We think our colleagues at the Yale Law School offer some good advice, which we’ve excerpted below.  Keep in mind that dressing appropriately is art, not science.  You should look at these simply as guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.    

Your attire should contribute to your professionalism.  Although employers may have different dress codes, err on the conservative side when interviewing.

Women

• Skirt suits are still considered the most conservative, although women wear pants suits as well.
• Black, navy and gray are the most conservative colors, but tans and other subtle shades are also acceptable.  Solids are preferable to patterns.
• The skirt should be no more than two inches above the knee.
• Wear a white or cream blouse (sometimes called a “shell”) with either short or long sleeves. Tank tops and camisoles are too casual. The blouse should either have a collar or a round neck. Avoid low-cut shirts.
• Wear a white or cream blouse (sometimes called a “shell”) with either short or long sleeves. Tank tops and camisoles are too casual. The blouse should either have a collar or a round neck. Avoid low-cut shirts.

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I recently came across this blog that purports to be written by the hiring partner of “an office of an AMLAW 200 firm.” Whoever writes it has some worthwhile advice [though it's a little "preachy"], so I added it to our blogroll.

Among his or her recent posts are:
On Campus interviewing: Don’t Screw It Up and
The Tide is Turning: the New Legal Market

Two employment lawyers writing in the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Journal talk about the increasing number of employers who use online social networks (like Facebook) to perform background checks on their potential employees. The article is entitled: “MySpace or Yours? How Can a Web Site Cost Someone a Job?” and you can read it here. Among other things, they conclude that, unlike screening information they obtain from outside companies, the information gleaned from these sites need not be disclosed to the prospective employee under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.