Make sure you wear a smile.
Job interview tomorrow: Jacket or no jacket?
- Thread starter BurlyShirley
- Start date
I interviewed this past week, I wore a nice pair of dress pants, button up and a tie. The guys interviewing me had jeans, hats and GT shirts on... Needless to say dress up to how you feel. Don't want to be over the top but you don't want to underplay it neither.
I'd say go with a semi-jacketed round.
This is the only option, period.
Taking the interview seriously enough to wear a suit is the only way you will be taken seriously enough to get the job.
At least in IT, I wouldn't WANT to work at a company that dismissed me because I didn't have a suit/tie/jacket/whatever on.
Way back in the mid-90's I interviewed at an oil company at a high rise downtown... they asked me in the interview if I'd be willing to cut my hair for the job. I made my best effort not to jump over the table and throttle them (both of which were in suits) right then and there.
YMMV.
Way back in the mid-90's I interviewed at an oil company at a high rise downtown... they asked me in the interview if I'd be willing to cut my hair for the job. I made my best effort not to jump over the table and throttle them (both of which were in suits) right then and there.
YMMV.
I would hate to work in whatever industry you work in. I bought a suit in 1997 just because I wanted to look nice at the company holiday party (it was a big deal downtown). I've worn it a total of 4 times since.
I wear jeans and a polo shirt daily. I used to wear tshirt and shorts, but my wife says I'm too old to pull that off, so I dress a little nicer now, for her.
I don't feel comfortable in a tie and being comfortable in an interview is important to me. If I feel uncomfortable, I won't be relaxed. I've worn a tie twice to an interview and didn't get either job. I took that as a sign.
They hired me.
Pretty sweet gig that I can even continue part time should I find something better. Basically Im doing a total biological inventory of some public land. Some of this will entail looking through a bunch of historical records. Some will require field collections, IDs, etc.
Im sort of uniquely qualified because I know how to ID algae, aquatic fly larvae and some other weird stuff outside of fish and your typical stream bugs. Kind of took the gig hoping I can turn it into something bigger, but for now Im happy. Wont actually get to start til may though.
Pretty sweet gig that I can even continue part time should I find something better. Basically Im doing a total biological inventory of some public land. Some of this will entail looking through a bunch of historical records. Some will require field collections, IDs, etc.
Im sort of uniquely qualified because I know how to ID algae, aquatic fly larvae and some other weird stuff outside of fish and your typical stream bugs. Kind of took the gig hoping I can turn it into something bigger, but for now Im happy. Wont actually get to start til may though.
Congrats!
"I know how to ID algae"... 
Congrats, BS. You really *are* growing up.
Congrats, BS. You really *are* growing up.
Good job! It was the suit, wasn't it?
I wouldn't want to work at a place that hired hippies.
I actually ended up not wearing the jacket, but went with the tie. Just seemed right. As I expected it was entirely informal, but Im sure it didnt hurt.
Now you have to wear that EVERY DAY from now on. Smooth move.
I have 10 and wear them daily. So much to the point that I stopped buying nice suits. I buy cheap suits when I know I won't be seeing clients, just so I don't beat my nice suits.
I've *never* owned a suit.
I work in professional placement, I wear a short sleeve golf or polo shirt to work daily.
If a candidate of mine shows up to interview and is not in a suit and tie they clearly have not taken the opportunity I have afforded them seriously.
Rarely do any of my candidates have to wear a suit and tie daily, but they damn well better interview in one and put their best foot forward.
I don't hate my industry, it pays my bills and pays for my hobbies quite well. I have no complaints.
This may be one of the reasons I've never used my Finance degree professionally.
It never hurts to be dressed better than the interviewer, it only hurts when you look like garbage.
Congrats on the new job
I like my suits and sportcoats. I only wear suits to the office when I have important meetings (like, 2-3 times a year). The sportcoats are part of my regular office attire. 
Hospital management = professional attire.
Hospital management = professional attire.
Definitely illustrates the differences in industries. When I'm interviewing a candidate for a position on the team a suit makes it appear as if he/she is trying a little TOO hard. I won't hold it against them, but as long as they're not in tattered jeans and a ripped up t-shirt I don't care what they're wearing.
It can agree and see where you are coming from, I recruit engineering/manufacturing, from hourly supervisors on up to VP of engineering. I tell all candidates to suit up, I have never spoke to a manager who did not appreciate it.
I will have to ask out IT group, but for the most part most of their candidates wear suits to interviews from what I have seen as well.
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May be regional as well. Probably another reason I left that hellhole.
could very well be.May be regional as well. Probably another reason I left that hellhole.
Sorry, but this is why I don't use "professional" screeners when hiring. "The opportunity I have afforded them"?
Get off your throne.
imagine if they had asked how you felt on the application of soap/water to your body daily.....
Burly scores!
Congo-rats!
Healthcare (even for software engineers) is "business casual" and tshirts are frowned on, even though I have never met or seen a client in person. What a messed up world we live in.
If I were in front of clients, I could understand the need to look presentable. But I don't see how wearing pants makes me write better code.
For interviews, I usually have a fresh 'do, shave, look presentable. But they are hiring me for my skills, not my fashion sense (or lack of).
Our IT department all wear polo shirts and khakis. They are not considered management.
ftfy.
My throne?Sorry, but this is why I don't use "professional" screeners when hiring. "The opportunity I have afforded them"?
I have access to positions that the general public doesn't for a reason.
Most hiring managers that use our services do so because they don't have time to sift through hundreds of resumes for every opening, and most candidates that I find are not the nimrods just splattering their resume all over the place, they are highly qualified people who may not even know they are looking.
My throne says that I have scored over 25 people a good paying engineering job already in the calendar year of 2011.
Which is nothing but money in my pocket, so If those people can not take the interview seriously enough and are willing to tarnish my reputation (of providing excellent talent to my hiring managers who are currently begging me for more qualified people) then I will send them home before the manager even sees them.
My customers hire my people for a reason, and they like me for a reason, because I will not send anything sub par.
Hey, man... I *did* take a shower beforehand.
On a side note, are you all done with school, BS? Is this your first "real" job with your degree outside of school?
Congrats on the gig, sounds like you'll enjoy yourself (important in my view)
Congrats on the gig, sounds like you'll enjoy yourself (important in my view)
And my resume doesn't mention fashion, so I get interviews based on my skills and abilities. I don't show up looking like a slob.
I have never had a company pass me up based on interview attire, or have ever had anyone even mention what it was wearing for it. Guess Portland is just that way, though.
I have been working for the last couple years and going to school. Kind of interesting how it works. I get paid as a researcher, but some of the research I do counts as my masters thesis work. Im funded by the govt. to do the work, and the university waives any tuition for grad classes. So basically Im on a contract that syncs up with my grad degree program, which ends in may. Im in the final edits of my masters thesis now, and I'll have to defend that this spring, but so far it's all been good.
So technically, this will be my first job post grad school, but not my first job since graduating with a BS.
All hail the mighty Fish Tickler.
Congrats
Congrats