What to wear if you’re a woman interviewing for a job at a tech company in 2023

If you're interviewing for a role at a tech company like Facebook, Google or Palantir, you want to look ready for the job. One of the goals will always be to look like you're a good cultural fit for the company.

And if you're coming straight out of university, you might assume that you should wear something similar to the women interviewing for investment banking jobs, but this couldn't be further from the truth.

What you should wear will depend on the country and city the company is located in and the type of role you're interviewing for. But one universal rule couldn't be clearer – don't show up in a suit.

Don't wear anything close to formal

Most people wear incredibly informal clothes at work in big tech companies. And while it matters what part of the company you are interviewing for, you should always go for something you're comfortable in – as long as it isn't too formal.

A nice, clean shirt and a cool pair of trousers would be a great starting point.
Pair them with loafers or flats and a bag that fits your needs and is comfortable to carry.

Jeans and sneakers can also be fine for a job interview, depending on the role and company.

More pressure on women's clothes

– For women in tech, it's tough, says a senior Google employee.
She shares that she rarely sees women wearing very floral or feminine clothes, and she doesn't often wear skirts or dresses herself.

– Once, I wore a floral skirt, and some random engineer told me I looked like a marketing person. I'm a Product Manager, so that's kind of annoying.

Engineering roles allow you to dress more casual

Engineers usually wear more casual clothing, and jeans are completely fine if you're interviewing for a spot as an engineer.

A lot of people interview for this type of role straight out of school, and you're not expected to wear something you wouldn't be comfortable in on campus.

The city you are interviewing in definitely matters for this role, and if you're unsure of what to wear, jeans or trousers is safer than leggings or shorts.

Salespeople dress up, but suits are still a no

For business development and sales roles, the dress codes are slightly different. The people there are often more senior and have had jobs in other industries with stricter dress codes, so they're used to being more dressed up.

A suit still isn't required, and trousers and a shirt are a very good option. Classic flat shoes like cute boots, flats or loafers are always a good idea, along with a neutral-coloured bag like black.

Designers often have iconic looks

People in designer roles tend to be more classical hipsters with a signature look that shows off some of their creativity. They're interviewing for more creative roles, so it's natural that this is also reflected in the way they dress.

A cool outfit for a woman interviewing for a designer role can, for example, be an all-black outfit from Theory, but with something that gives you a slightly edgy look. This can be anything from an iconic pair of glasses or an unusual hairstyle.

The city you work in matters

There are several big tech hubs spread around the world, and what people wear will differ based on where their company is located.

Think of more formal clothing in big cities. London is known for having people dress up more. The closeness to all the city's bankers is definitely influencing people.

While in the bay area, luxury athleisure is often a thing. This can be anything from Allbirds and Lululemon to a pair of Common Project sneakers with Rag & Bone jeans.

It's natural that the city or country you work in will impact your workwear style. You want to be comfortable at work but also when you go out for dinners or drinks with friends after.

And if all the people around you are wearing a certain style of clothing, that can easily influence what you choose to wear. Since everyone is impacted in the same way, it also ends up changing the company culture in that area.

What you bring to the table trumps anything you wear

While no one would particularly recommend you to wear a suit, you're not going to lose out on the job if you wear one because you got the dress code wrong. Tech isn't like Wall Street, and you're not going to be punished if you dress incorrectly.

There's a big difference between interviewing for a tech role and at a law firm or a bank. While bankers and lawyers are expected to wear a suit so they can show that they "get" the dress code and the signals they send to potential clients, this isn't expected when you work at a tech firm.

Everyone around you is going to wear what makes them feel comfortable, and very few people have ever said that they feel awesome if they sit and code for 12 hours straight wearing a tie and a suit.

What you say and what you know is the most important thing at a job interview in tech, so don't let a perceived error in dress code stress you out on the big day.