If you’re wondering what is considered appropriate firefighter interview attire, you’re not alone. It’s a question I get all the time and it’s crucial to creating a great first impression.
The interview is a business/professional environment, and you will be expected to appear as such. For men, this means a navy or grey suit and tie. For women, this also means a suit/skirt (at least to the knee) with a blouse.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen and spoken with many candidates who have told me they wore jeans and a polo shirt to the interview.
Please, do not do this.
This will give the impression that you don’t take the job seriously, and do not respect the professionalism of the interview or members of the panel.
We’ll break this down for both men and women.
Firefighter Interview Attire For Men:
A suit and a tie is a must (not a tuxedo). Anything less than this will not be acceptable. Keep it simple, basic colors like navy
blue and grey work well along with a business professional tie. Don’t wear anything flashy or trendy. A simple but corny rule here is if James Bond wouldn’t wear it, you shouldn’t either.
If you have any kind of piercings that are visible, take them out.
If you have a beard or stubble, shave it. If hired, you will be expected to be clean shaven every day. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to have a beard while interviewing for a job where you must be clean shaven.
Get a haircut a couple days before the interview.
If you have tattoos, try to keep them covered. Most departments don’t care about visible tattoos, but it’s best to try and keep them covered during the interview.
Don’t overdo it on the cologne. Look good, feel good, smell good but don’t go crazy with it.
Female Firefighter Interview Attire:
Business professional suit/skirt (at least to the knee) with a blouse. Same rules apply here, stick to basic colors, navy blue and grey should work just fine.
Neat haircut, with visible piercings to a minimum. Earrings should be fine, but if you have any kind of facial piercings (nose, lip etc.) take them out.
Try to keep visible tattoos covered as best as possible.
Perfume is fine, but just like with the men try to not overdo it.
Most importantly, this is not the right place to show off a trendy or sexy outfit.
Unfortunately, this may offend some people, but women have to be particularly aware of what they are wearing. The wrong skirt and heels can send a message you do not want to portray, and it will ultimately reflect poorly on you.
The firefighter interview is one of the most important steps to getting you hired. Make sure you are dressed in the appropriate attire.
