Appropriate Dress for Interview

[Blue Collar Guy]

OP, keep us posted if he got the job

[foxfirev5]

There is no easier way to show respect than show up dressed for success. Even if "overdressed" you're expressing desire and willingness. A concept not grasped by many applicants.

[SecondCor521]

Quote:

Originally Posted by panacea All interesting and helpful feedback. Thanks! Definitely some different opinions on the subject. Overall it seems like if you were to make a mistake as an interviewing intern, it would be better to err on the side of being a bit overdressed. That is unless, as a few people said, you could gather some good info ahead of time about the culture and whether it's better to dress down for that particular interview. If I were running the interview I think my focus would be on attitude, resume and the effort to present well... knowing that this is a first interview with a young individual with no real world experience. Does that seem like a generally reasonable approach if there's no intel to be had on appropriate interview attire? FYI we're in the midwest so not sure he's going to run into as many "flip flop" sort of companies around here. (which is good because the poor kid has my ugly feet).

Agreed. Most of the flip-flop places are probably in Silicon Valley or ex-urban Boston. Midwest is probably on the conservative side IMHO.

+1 to what rodi said a few posts up. Well said.

[timo2]

our office was casual, but for interviews, nearly everyone that was hired wore the traditional male/female fancy interview clothing.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi An interview is different attire than what people wear in the workplace. You want to show you care enough to dress up. At minimum slacks/sport coat, button down shirt (tie optional.) A suit is a good move. I was one of several "technical" interviewers (vs manager or HR) for interns and experienced job candidates. I did *not* dress up at work... I tended to wear capris and flip flops.... But I still noted how the interviewee was dressed. If they came in wearing a tshirt and shorts I'd think they were trying to tank the interview... I would never mark someone down for wearing a suit... even though I was in t-shirt and capris... It shows the candidate is interested in making a good first impression. (I already had the job and didn't need to make that impression anymore.)

Ding ding.....

I wore a t-shirt one day that was the "XYZ shirt" (XYZ wasn't what it said; proper etiquette would not suggest XYZ was appropriate language, or within forum rules to post). It had XYZ all over it. My manager, knowing how I was dressed, called me into a meeting with the ultra--conservative COO and a potential client!

The client was OK, apparently liked the message. My bonus and stock options were approved that year(I never wore that shirt again).

BUT that's not an interview.

Rodi's post is pure gold.��

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 our office was casual, but for interviews, nearly everyone that was hired wore the traditional male/female fancy interview clothing.

I know this is very different than the OPs situation, but: I was once called for a third interview for a blue collar union job(paper mill). There were single digit people left out of hundreds. I came dressed in a dress shirt, slacks, dress shoes. One of the other people wore jean shorts(it was 80+) and a non-dress shirt untucked. He got the job. Clothing is not usually high on the list of things that matter in deciding who gets a job.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 I know this is very different than the OPs situation, but: I was once called for a third interview for a blue collar union job(paper mill). There were single digit people left out of hundreds. I came dressed in a dress shirt, slacks, dress shoes. One of the other people wore jean shorts(it was 80+) and a non-dress shirt untucked. He got the job. Clothing is not usually high on the list of things that matter in deciding who gets a job.

My next interview after this I wore jeans and a basic button down shirt tucked in. I got the job working in a warehouse at a union paper converter.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 I know this is very different than the OPs situation, but: I was once called for a third interview for a blue collar union job(paper mill). There were single digit people left out of hundreds. I came dressed in a dress shirt, slacks, dress shoes. One of the other people wore jean shorts(it was 80+) and a non-dress shirt untucked. He got the job. Clothing is not usually high on the list of things that matter in deciding who gets a job.

Could it have been that the interviewers, looking at your attire, thought that you'd be constantly searching for something better, while the other guy'd be around for the long term?

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 Could it have been that the interviewers, looking at your attire, thought that you'd be constantly searching for something better, while the other guy'd be around for the long term?

That's what I would think. I worked in mills, perceived overdressing could be seen that way. Who would have thought?

[imoldernu]

Should I ever return to the workplace, my interview would find me in proper dress.

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 Could it have been that the interviewers, looking at your attire, thought that you'd be constantly searching for something better, while the other guy'd be around for the long term?

That's what I was thinking as well. Although that was a union paper mill. Anyone doing manual labor in my area knows it doesn't get better than that(paper mill) from a financial standpoint. I guess they could have thought I would be looking to move to an office job or something like that.

[Aerides]

Agree dress smart, regardless of the position. At very least nice shirt, slacks, tie.

In addition, be 5 mins early. Don't bring a coffee or any drink. And let him know to not have his phone in his hand, not to even put it down in front of him. If someone even so much as glanced at their phone when I was interviewing them they would be done.

(caption = dress for the job you want)

[timo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG That's what I would think. I worked in mills, perceived overdressing could be seen that way. Who would have thought?

Good point. I was previously describing my last place of IT work. In my own career of now obsolete professions, dressing for the position clearly was the way to go. one time at a mine in Wyoming where I was employed (in 1980), we had a 'secretary' position open. The most qualified person, who had just moved back home from Denver, showed up dressed like an urban job applicant. But she didn't get the job, because she was overdressed for the area (as per the hiring manager). Another time, I got a job wearing just a short sleeve collared shirt and slacks for a summer engineering job, rather than the ties and coats I usually wore and never got those summer jobs. So dressing for the position does count.

[CardsFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides If someone even so much as glanced at their phone when I was interviewing them they would be done.

+1000

When working I was irked by the idiots that would answer a call while I was in their office and talk for 5-10 minutes. Yes there are cases when an important call was expected and needed to be taken, but those were <1% of the time.

The person you are talking to face to face deserves 100% of your attention. And this goes for both the interviewee and the interviewer.

[Jerry1]

While my vote is for one step below a full on suit, I fully concur with all, that any error in over dressing is way better than under dressing. Further, OP said the company is in the mid-west. That's a pretty conservative dressing part of the country.

[Jerry1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides And let him know to not have his phone in his hand, not to even put it down in front of him. If someone even so much as glanced at their phone when I was interviewing them they would be done.

+1000 here also. In fact, I'd leave it in the car. Unless I had a dying family member, anything else can wait for the short time an interview takes.

I had an interview once and the interviewer took a call. Not only did I know right then that I didn't get the job, it was all I could do to maintain my professional composure and not walk right out.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardsFan +1000 When working I was irked by the idiots that would answer a call while I was in their office and talk for 5-10 minutes.

I had never seen a blue tooth before. Im sitting waiting for our assignments/roll call, and a new guy started talking to himself. I figured he was a psyco. I told one of the guys, Lets jump and disarm him till we figure out whats wrong with him. He had to explain to me the whole blue tooth thing. I brushed it off with telling my friend "well we arent supposed to carry personal phones when were working anyway".

[timo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Collar Guy I had never seen a blue tooth before. Im sitting waiting for our assignments/roll call, and a new guy started talking to himself. I figured he was a psyco. I told one of the guys, Lets jump and disarm him till we figure out whats wrong with him. He had to explain to me the whole blue tooth thing. I brushed it off with telling my friend "well we arent supposed to carry personal phones when were working anyway".

Off topic here, but I always contended that blue tooth headsets were the best thing that ever happened to people that talk to themselves on the street corners. It is impossible to tell a crazy person from a person talking on a blue tooth headset, so the crazy people get the benefit of any doubt.

[rodi]

The blue tooth ear pieces that glow remind me of the borg.

[CardsFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 off topic here, but i always contended that blue tooth headsets were the best thing that ever happened to people that talk to themselves on the street corners. It is impossible to tell a crazy person from a person talking on a blue tooth headset, so the crazy people get the benefit of any doubt.

Just because i'm paranoid doesn't mean they are not out there.