Dressing appropriately for The Job Interview?

[JacketAddict]

Hi all - I am an IT professional and I have had many positions over the past 20 years both full time and on a contractual basis. Lately I am puzzled by the "new rules" concerning proper attire for the job interview. Being from the old school I was always told to wear a suit and tie, clean and neat haircut and freshly shaved regardless of the position or type of job. Yet it seems that in the IT world where working attire is business casual or even just casual I feel over-dressed and self conscious when being interviewed by a "manager" wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I have been doing some soul-searching because I have not secured the last 2 positions I interviewed for even though I was well qualified and seemed to hit it off well with the interviewer(s). In both cases I met or exceeded the requirements so I can't help but think that perhaps I was over-dressed and actually might have intimidated the hiring managers. I almost get the feeling that dressing well sends the signal that I am a "pretty boy" and not a real "worker bee", afraid to get my hands dirty (figuratively speaking since the last time I got my hands dirty was eating lunch, not from pounding on a keyboard). As many of you know it is very difficult to ascertain why you were not chosen for a position since prospective employers will NEVER tell the true reasont why a person was not hired - so they usually make up something like "over-qualified" or "didn't have the required <insert obscure job skill here> or some other politically correct, legally safe term.

I think as an experiment at the next interview opportunity I will dress down a bit - slacks, button-down, more casual sports coat and no tie.

In this new age how much importance do you place or do you think others place on job interview attire?

I would welcome thoughts and insights from the Lounge.

 

[Tomasso]

I think as an experiment at the next interview opportunity I will dress down a bit - slacks, button-down, more casual sports coat and no tie.

In this new age how much importance do you place or do you think others place on job interview attire?

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I think that you should dress for the interview in the same garb as the position you seek will require. Remember that they are looking for somebody who will fit into their culture.

 

[DougC]

That is the same advise given in one of the top business schools' intro this fall-dress to match the culture of the company you are interviewing with.

 

[Bullwinkle]

unless you are interviewing in the banking industry or interviewing for an executive job you can loosen up on the suit and tie. pressed chinos with an open shirt and sport-coat. I interviewed lots of people for IT jobs over the years for a large hospital group the first thing I would notice was your shoes. I didn't care about new but I would notice if they were clean. two tips, be nice to the receptionist/secretary she is in the loop. relax. everyone being interviewed for a certain job has already been vetted on their skills.. you are being interviewed for your people skills.

 

[HudsonHawk]

The general rule I've always heard is to dress one level above the job. If it's business casual, you can wear suit. If it's street casual, wear business casual. If it's tshirt and jeans, wear street casual (chinos and polo shirt). Unless they specifically tell you what they want you to wear. If they tell you wear business casual, and you show up in a suit, that's the first indication that you either can't or won't pay attention to what your boss tells you.

 

[apba1166]

Yes to HH comment above, one step up...BUT, make it boring. I hire people in the film business...like IT...lots of creative people, free thinkers, but they must collaborate...I just tried to remember what anyone wore...and I can't...so, what i mean is, if you decide to wear "business casual" don't think about it too much...just put on basic stuff....the person doing the hiring wants to connect to the person, and less style is more in this case.

 

[Tomasso]

How does one dress 'one level above' when the whole place wears suit and tie? Black Tie?

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Hi all - I am an IT professional and I have had many positions over the past 20 years ...

I have a similar background and am of a similar age. You and I may be running into the same issue, age discrimination. If you are well-qualified, and seem to hit it off well with the interviewers (been there, done that), how you dress is not likely to be your problem. It's quite possible that the real issue is that you aren't 10 - 15 years younger.

 

[HudsonHawk]

How does one dress 'one level above' when the whole place wears suit and tie? Black Tie?

Obviously if the job calls for suit and tie, wear a suit and tie. Figured that was understood.

 

[John Galt]

I think that you should dress for the interview in the same garb as the position you seek will require. Remember that they are looking for somebody who will fit into their culture.

This is correct, and not just with clothes. I used to interview a lot of people, and here's my take:

Getting an interview means you have the basic requirements for the job, based on your résumé & cover letter. The interview is all about proper "fit." You need to be able to show that you understand the culture and the position, and that you will fit into the existing group and not ruffle feathers, cause problems, etc. Dressing appropriately is part of that, but just one part.

One more point - beware the lunch interview. It may seem innocuous, but it is the real "fit" test when your lunch partners decide if they can stand to work with you.

In probably hundreds of interviews I've conducted for a prestigious law firm job, it was the "let your hair down" moments during the free lunch at the fancy restaurant between interviews with some of the various individual attorneys that really ended most candidates' chances. Most had no clue that this was a make or break moment.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Tomasso]

Figured that was understood.

Hey, how am I supposed to know; it's your theory.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Hey, how am I supposed to know; it's your theory.

Well, we were discussing what to wear when it's not a "suit and tie" job. I didn't really expect anyone would think a tuxedo would be appropriate. And it's not my theory. It's just what I've heard/read everywhere. Though it's actually a pretty good rule of thumb.

 

[Tomasso]

Back in the day when suits were ubiquitous, a fellow interviewing for a junior position would not show up wearing garb reserved for senior people. If he got the job and was eventually promoted to a senior position he could then upgrade his dress.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Back in the day when suits were ubiquitous, a fellow interviewing for a junior position would not show up wearing garb reserved for senior people. If he got the job and was eventually promoted to a senior position he could then upgrade his dress.

But he wouldn't dress below the job level either. If he was expected to wear a suit and tie on the job, he wore suit and tie to the interview.

 

[Tomasso]

If he was expected to wear a suit and tie on the job, he wore suit and tie to the interview.

Sure but all suits are not created equal. There existed a suit hierarchy that was strictly followed. Same went for cars and homes.

 

[Fastuni]

Interesting A.C..
A dark pinstripe DB was quite on the top of the hierarchy, not?

 

[Tomasso]

Interesting A.C..
A dark pinstripe DB was quite on the top of the hierarchy, not?

It wasn't about cut or cloth as much as it was about the maker and pricepoint. Depending on the particular company, junior guys might wear Brooks Bros or Hickey Freeman and senior guys maybe Oxxford or bespoke.

 

[JacketAddict]

Thank you all for your responses. It seems the general consensus is to dress at the level that fits the position or maybe just a tad better - I think this really makes sense and I need to adjust my old school attitude. Thinking back to the few times I have conducted interviews I realize now that I was not so much focused on the attire but really on the overall personna and qualifications. I have a certain admiration for people who dress with a bit of "character", but I would still expect them to dress with a modicum of "respect" for me and the company, i.e. neat and clean - at least for the interview. And yes, I am aware of those unspoken factors like age discrimination so I try to look as young as possible and have an upbeat, can-do attitude. I think the attire factor is really more important to me, perhaps less so to the interviewer - so that I feel comfortable and not out of place or over-dressed and self-conscious. Cheers to all and thank you again for the great input.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Sure but all suits are not created equal. There existed a suit hierarchy that was strictly followed. Same went for cars and homes.

We're not discussing "back in the day". We're discussing now. 2013.

 

[Tomasso]

We're not discussing "back in the day". We're discussing now. 2013.

I was merely presenting the historical backround of the nuances involved with dressing for business. They are for the most part still applicable today albeit in a more casual mode.


I think that over-dressing is as much a faux pas as under-dressing, particularlly when meeting people for the first time. So, no, I would not subscribe to your theory of dressing a "level up" aka over-dressing.