Guides

Tie for a job interview: the safe choice

In an interview the tie should not stand out — it should stay out of the way. Which colours and patterns manage that.

The job is not to please

In a job interview clothing has one task: not to become a subject. Anyone thinking about the other person’s tie is not listening while they do it.

From that follows an unromantic but reliable rule: choose the less conspicuous option. After the interview nobody should remember your tie — they should remember your answers.

Colour

Mid to dark blue is the safest choice and, for good reason, the most common. It reads calm and factual and goes with practically any shirt.

Dark burgundy is the second reliable option — a little warmer, without the signalling of bright red.

To avoid: very light tones, strong red and anything glossy. Not because they are wrong, but because they hold attention that you need elsewhere that day.

Pattern

Solid colours and fine stripes are the most discreet designs. Grid and small dotted patterns work too, as long as the contrast stays low.

Large, high-contrast patterns are an additional distraction in video calls, because the camera makes them shimmer. If the interview is online, solid is the safest decision.

Consider the field

In banking, law, insurance and public administration a tie is still expected. In technology, design and the trades it can read as overly formal.

When in doubt: a tie you can take off is better than one you did not bring. Turning up too formal looks like effort; turning up too casual looks like indifference. The first is the smaller mistake.