For a professional interviewer, making your talent comfortable is job one. If you make your subject’s comfort a priority, it’ll be much easier for you to conduct an interview where everyone knocks it out of the park. And how do we make the talent comfortable? One way is by instilling confidence that they’ll look amazing.
That confidence is in your hands, at least to a point. This is why part of your pre-interview prep with the subject should stress that they bring multiple wardrobe options. There are a few reasons for this:
1. Standing out in the crowd
You don’t want multiple people to accidentally wear similar outfits. But even with billions of outfit and color combos available, inevitably two people will show up in the same color scheme, if not the exact same shirt. It’s like a sign that you should never expect things to be easy! This possibility can be mitigated pretty easily if everyone brings a few options.
2. Background check
You do not want your subject to literally fade into the background. They need to pop off the screen, so colors and patterns that contrast with the background are a must. This matters for solid-color backgrounds, but it can be even more important for more complicated backgrounds, like outdoor settings, walk-and-talks, etc. You can usually plan ahead and instruct them what to bring, but backup options certainly help.
3. First choice isn’t always the best choice
Here’s the thing. Sometimes, what a person thinks they look good in isn’t exactly the case. Looking good to yourself in the mirror does not always translate to looking good on camera. Maybe a loose-fitting shirt comes across as frumpy. Maybe that checkered pattern just looks weird through the lens. Maybe those boots…ugh. You get the idea. Having better options that your subject also chose can help ease some awkward conversation. Which brings us to…
4. Remind them what your job one is
If the talent knows that your primary goal is making them look good on camera, they’ll be more than happy doing what you say. Your interests align; if they look good, you look good, so use that to put them at ease. We’re all on the same team here, after all. Once you have them dressed the way you need them to be dressed, talk them up! Celebrate how good they look, so they’ll ooze confidence on camera.
5. Bringing a Steamer Can Be a Lifesaver
Obviously, it’s not only the talent that has to come prepared. You’re already planning to bring snacks, coffee, makeup, and anything else you need to make them comfortable, so bring a steamer with you, too. Sometimes, people simply don’t notice how wrinkled their “best” outfit might be, so having the option to steam a shirt might be better than asking them to change into something they’re not comfortable wearing. I’m speaking from experience, here. Our traveling steamer has rescued more than a few interviews!
6. Offer suggestions
Like I said at the beginning, your talent just wants to look and sound good. So in the days leading up to the interview, offer gentle suggestions on what they should consider bringing, but more direct suggestions about what to avoid. In most cases, they’ll listen. And if they don’t, well, that’s what the backup clothes are for.
