Am I out of date?

[thyme4change]

msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2469-Job-Search-Job-advice-that-was-true-20-years-ago-but-not-today/?sc_extcmp=JS_2469_advice&SiteId=cbmsn42469

I guess I think that most of this is true, but I work in a casual company and I interviewed a guy who came in "corporate casual" and I was a little annoyed. Granted, he didn't look that nice - as in, it wasn't wool pants and a pressed shirt, no tie. It was beat up khakis and a worn collared shirt. But, I expect people to wear a suit to an interview. I don't expect them to "do reaseach" and find out that everyone in the building, except me, dresses like a slob. I don't want to hire a slob, I want to hire someone that rises above.

Do you still wear or expect people to wear suits to an interview at a corporate casual company?

[frep]

Yes, I would wear a suit and would expect other people to wear a suit to an interview at a corporate casual company.

[Opti]

No. I always ask. When I interviewed at my last good techie job I was asked to wear just nice pants and a shirt. In this case, they would have been unhappy had I shown up in a suit.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...not really, anymore... while suits are nice, a dressy pants outfit or a dress would be fine... on the ladies...

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

The big thing I always remember is to wear long pants/tights under the skirt and closed toed shoes. I am often interviewed in a lab and dressing the way I would for a lab I hope shows that I know what I am doing. Showing up in peep toed pumps and a short skirt with no tights/nylons underneath would send the wrong message.

I generally wear a suit, but I've been interviewed by people in jeans and a tee shirt. If I am expected to dress professionally I'd really like it if the interviewer would show the same respect.

[The J]

For an interview, if the company attire is anything less than suit and tie, you should wear at least one step above it -- i.e., corporate casual culture, wear a suit and tie; jeans and polo culture, wear business casual; jeans and t-shirt culture, wear jeans and polo.

[thyme4change]

If someone asked, I wonder what my answer would be. Now that I have time to construct one, I think I will say something like "Although we have a corporate casual office, you will be presenting to seasoned professionals and the other applicants are likely to wear suits. Your appearance may influence people's opinion of you." If they can't read that code, great, I know not to hire them.

[Abby Normal]

Job advice that was true 20 years ago -- but not today

I can't help but thinking - DAMN I'm getting old!

I work for a manufacturer and a suit looks out of place. But it's a close knit industry and most people would already know that. But you still dress nice. Business casual is exceptable, casual is not.

[Sum Dum Gai]

I honestly don't care that much how they dress, unless it's something really horrible. The guy in the powder blue suit with his chest hair and gold chain... shudder. It was almost impossible to keep a straight face and actually interview the guy. It was bad enough that he was a couple decades out of date, but the open collar, chest hair poof, and gold chain... I honestly thought I was being punked or something for the first five minutes of the interview. I wonder how long the poor bastard had to look before he found something?

[thyme4change]

I will say that being in Finance lends me and our types to be slightly more formal. My current industry and location is pretty laid back, but finance exists in all companies, so I wear the standard uniform no matter where I go.

[Jake 48]

Maybe not a suit but definitely a jacket and tie, ironed shirt,slacks, polished shoes

[Opti]

I can see finance as being more formal. When I graduated from college it made sense to spend money on suits. Now it seems like a waste of money to buy something for interviews only.

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2011 14:24:31 GMT -5 Jake 48 said:

Maybe not a suit but definitely a jacket and tie, ironed shirt,slacks, polished shoes

This!

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2011 14:36:28 GMT -5 @tbird said:

well - we always were business suits when working with clients, so the interview is an interview....AND an audition. Show me the costume, show me the finesse.

I interviewed for a move within my company and wore a suit even though NOBODY wears suits in this office. The job, though, involved traveling to the branch offices, some of which are more formal, and gaining credibility with people in our HQ in Switzerland, where cuff links are not out of place. I wanted them to know that when I needed to look professional, I could. I got the job and I'm sure that was one of the factors.

If there's any possibility the interviewee will have to wear full business dress- for client meetings, travel to other branches, etc.- they ought to show that they know how to dress appropriately.

[ziyia]

Jan 13, 2011 14:16:28 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I always remember is to wear long pants/tights under the skirt and closed toed shoes. I am often interviewed in a lab and dressing the way I would for a lab I hope shows that I know what I am doing.

I'm reminded of the candiate who interviewed with our company wearing a short denim skirt, tank tops, and flip flops. This for a job in an analytical chemistry lab. Sigh.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I've seen girls wearing that stuff in labs quite often. I am waiting for one to lose a toe. I especially don't understand the flip flops. Peep toes are "open toed" and still against the rules, but at least there is still quite a bit of shoe between your foot and whatever is falling. Might as well be barefoot in the lab when you wear flip flops.

I hammered home to a couple students that worked in our lab that it doesn't matter that we don't generally work with things that would harm us you never know what someone ELSE could be walking by with. Wear closed toed shoes and long pants please.

Not to mention when OSHA fines our lab for violations I am going to be pointing the boss straight at your ass because he will not be happy.

[Deleted]

Teachers are probably corporate casual, but I can't imagine anyone not dressing "up" for an interview. It's like our observations. You don't get many chances to directly show how professional you are. Take the opportunity.

That being said, I wear sweaters or polo-type shirts, pants (not jeans), and athletic shoes to teach. The athletic shoes are because I have "bad" feet (bone spurs), and the podiatrist said if he had his way, that's what everyone would wear. That's all they wear in his office.

My kids' test scores are not proportional to my footwear.

[stantonjane]

I agree with Athena that if you think your position would be attending meetings, etc, then do show up in a suit and tie. Let them see you project the professional public image. Besides that, I would think common sense suggests that you dress at least as good as if not a step better than what you expect to dress for the position applyed for. If you're interviewing for stocking shelves, show up in pressed cotton slacks and a button down shirt. If you are applying for accounting, or even engineering, do the suit and tie.

I work for local government, and my office is just down from HR. I would be shocked at people who would show up in shorts and flip flops to pick up or even drop off an application. What if someone said, 'oh, my boss has a few minutes available, can you talk to him now?' or even if it was the potential interviewer you're handing the application to, don't you want to impress them from day one?

Now, of course, not many people show up without an appointment, since all the applications are submitted online.

[whoisjohngalt]

I guess I am either too old or too conservative or too something, bc to me, a job interview is a job interview and unless it's for a beach bunny/lifeguard or for Hooters, I can't see myself not wearing some kind of formal attire.

I've interviewed plenty of people who looked like they just stop by for a minute on their way to either a bar or beach or trash pick-up on the side of the road. Not only I had no interest in looking at their over exposed boobs or wonder if those pants are going to fall off any second, I seriously questioned their judgment. It made me a bit nervous letting them handle large financial transactions if they don't realize what's appropriate and what is not.

I could be wrong. I've been wrong before

Lena

[cronewitch]

I would only wear a suit to an office job interview since I expect to be paid really well. I can see entry level office workers like receptionist wearing something less formal. I worked in one office where even a high school kid hired to do filing in the basement needed to dress in accordance with the company dress code, men wore ties every day, women wore dresses or skirts and blouses. If someone had showed up for the interview in less than that they wouldn't have been hired. Things are more casual now even in nice offices with well dressed staff women can wear pants and some offices allow the staff to look like bums but it doesn't mean you won't stand a better chance if you show some standards.

Not all jobs are suited to dressing up even for the interview. My ex liked to wear jeans, flannel shirts and steel toed boots even when not working. He went to the unemployment office to look for work wearing that and on the way out a man in the parking lot offered him a job application. The man owned a company hiring steel workers, he thought my ex looked like a worker. He had a motor home in the parking lot and pick who he wanted to apply based on looks. He used to call and list the jobs but they sent him lazy people who didn't look like they would do anything that might mean sore muscles. Many were just getting enough interviews to collect unemployment so were a waste of time.

[cytoglycerine]

Jan 13, 2011 14:20:40 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

I honestly don't care that much how they dress, unless it's something really horrible. The guy in the powder blue suit with his chest hair and gold chain... shudder. It was almost impossible to keep a straight face and actually interview the guy. It was bad enough that he was a couple decades out of date, but the open collar, chest hair poof, and gold chain... I honestly thought I was being punked or something for the first five minutes of the interview. I wonder how long the poor bastard had to look before he found something?

All I can think of is Leisure Suit Larry!! Thanks for the laugh, I needed that! ;D

[muttleynfelix]

I doubt I would wear a suit for any interview I had any more. I might wear a jacket, but a suit, nope. I would make an effort to project a professional image, but I work in a casual town in a casual industry. A suit will not make or break the interview. I could see in some professions wear it would though.

[dragonfly7]

Since I look several years younger than my age, I still look like I'm playing dress up when I wear a suit no matter how well it fits, so I aim for the more professional end of what the current employees are wearing when I am at interviews in business casual workplaces. So far this job search, this has resulted in me being more dressed up than my interviewer(s) all but one time. Until I find a suit or some sort of unstructured blazer/skirt combination that actually works for me, I'll settle for looking like I belong there.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I would rather be overdressed for an event (including a job interview) than underdressed.

[tcu2003]

Depends on the company. At my current company, they specifically told me not to wear a suit (and no, I didn't ask). I wore dress pants and a sweater, and was way overdressed, but it didn't hurt my getting the job. At my previous company, the men wear shirts and ties every day but Friday (no tie or polos), so a suit was a must for the interview. I'm an engineer, so it just depends on the office. Regardless, though, I'd always dress at least a step above what the normal everyday wear is.

[thyme4change]

There are some cheap women's suits out there, so when I have an interview, I buy a new suit and after I settle into my new job, I just wear the bottom half of the suit. If it is cold, I'll throw the jacket on - but I try to get my monies worth from just the pants or skirt.

[telephus44]

I generally go for a skirt or dress with a jacket, but not a full blown suit. I'm normally a pants person, but being a woman, I never know what the interviewer is expecting, so I go more "feminine."

I didn't realize that peep toes were "too sexy" - almost all of my heel are peep toes - I'll remember that, since I'm hoping to have an interview sometime this month.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

When I say I wear no peep toes it is because OSHA states no open toed shoes in the lab. So I wear closed toed shoes when interviewing for lab positions along with slacks or a skirt with nylons so I am also covered from the waist down.

I hope that shows that I know what I am doing compared to the chick that shows up in flip flops and a mini skirt.

[kinetickid]

Hubby and I were dealing with this question just yesterday (he has a job interview today...keep your fingers crossed!).

The job he's applying for is a tenure-track professor gig. The guy on the phone said something to the effect that "corporate casual" would be fine for the interview (which consists of an hour-long presentation of his research, a.k.a., a colloquium, several meetings throughout the next two days, and dinner with much of the faculty tonight).

Now, in academia, even "corporate casual" is relatively formal. Profs nowadays are rarely dressed more formally than their students.

I encouraged Hubby to wear a suit without a tie. If that's still too formal, he could take off his jacket and then be in a long sleeved button up shirt and nice slacks.

[thyme4change]

Either that or a tie with a cartoon character on it. Formal, yet silly.