Interview clothing

greasedscotsman

What would you wear to an interview? Seems to me that most offices aren't as formal as they used to be, so is going in a suit and tie maybe a bit over the top. Would something a bit more casual be better, Not a t shirt and jeans though!

ballysmate

Suit and tie every time, no matter what the job. But then I'm old fashioned.
Never heard of anyone being turned down because they looked too smart.

capt_slog

Depends upon the job I suppose, but I've never done any less than suit and tie.

I've been involved with the interview side a couple of times too, and whilst a good candidate will shine through regardless of what they're dressed in, I have to say they'd have to be VERY good to make an impression if they chose to be casual.

shirley_basso

Totally agree. Suit and tie, and please for the love of God wear black shoes. Regardless of how casual the office is perceived to be, better to be overdressed than under.

If it's a vocational type role which requires specific clothing (factory, outdoor sports, manual labour type) then I'd go smart casual to the venue (maybe add a blazer) and go from there in case there's a chat as well, where a suit may be completely OTT.

Jez mon

Suit and tie for a professional office role.

prhymeate

I've never worn a suit and tie to an interview. Black trousers and smart shirt usually. I've never really worked in a typical office environment either though, mainly design/pr agencies. If people are going to decide whether or not to give me a job based on wearing a suit over trousers and a shirt, I feel like it's not really the place for me. I get it if it's a big corporate/client facing role and that'd be your normal workwear though.

pblakeney

You have to play the game if you want to win it.

Matthewfalle

suit and tie for any role anywhere, hair cut, polished shoes.

its a job interview ffs.

and if you don't get the job you'll leave a good impression so anything else that pops up they will remember you in a good light.

thistle_

Prhymeate wrote:

I've never worn a suit and tie to an interview. Black trousers and smart shirt usually. I've never really worked in a typical office environment either though, mainly design/pr agencies.

This for me, similar sort of companies though.

However, if anyone turns up to work in a suit they usually get asked how the job interview went :roll:

hopkinb

I've just been through all that. Freshly cleaned & pressed suit, clean & ironed white shirt, a sober tie, clean black shoes. It's not hard. I suppose if you're going for a role where you're kept away from sight in some windowless basement full of whirring servers then you can turn up in your Red Dwarf t-shirt and ponytail.

lostboysaint

What's a tie?

fenix

Suit and tie even if that's not how the office dress.

When you start you can adjust to the surroundings.

rjsterry

Even if the office is mostly jeans and t-shirt, wearing a suit to the interview signals that you do want the job. You want to be at least as smartly dressed as the interviewer.

laurentian

Ballysmate wrote:

Suit and tie every time, no matter what the job. But then I'm old fashioned.
Never heard of anyone being turned down because they looked too smart.

This. Apart (IMHO) from it never being wrong, it demonstrates to the interviewer that you have respect for them and the role you are applying for.

What happens if you turn up for the interview in jeans and a t-shirt and the interviewer is wearing a made to measure 3 piece suit, silk tie and bespoke Church's shoes? Personally, I don't think that turning up in a suit when the interviewer is dressed more casually would be as problematic.

TheBigBean

lostboysaint wrote:

What's a tie?

The thing that goes with suits.

rick_chasey

If it’s an office job, suited and booted.

Can always take a tie off in between meetings but it’s much harder to put one on.

People in the U.K. don’t mind people being overdressed anywhere near as much as under dressed.

On the note of suits; 2 piece, single breasted.

Anything else and you look like a tw@t in an interview.

TheBigBean

Men - suit and tie

Women - suit

graeme_s-2

I work in a casual office environment (I'm wearing jeans and a cycling t-shirt right now). I was administering a test for an interview earlier this week, and I wore a suit (no tie - I'd have worn one if I'd been on the formal panel or I was the interviewee). The interview panel wore suits, and all of the male candidates wore suits. As others have said - it's a job interview.

webboo

I always wear a suit for an interview although I don’t wear a tie all the time these days. I also always wear a suit when interviewing regardless of the post the interviews for. Did this even when interviewing for a post that was down there with kids :roll:

drlodge

Suit and tie is the worst possible clothing for bagging a job. Tight shirt, short skirt and high heels for the win.

TheBigBean

Anyone keen to bring back the bowler hat?

rick_chasey

drlodge wrote:

Suit and tie is the worst possible clothing for bagging a job. Tight shirt, short skirt and high heels for the win.

Says the Jordan Peterson fan.


Hah.

robert88

Just wear what you would in court.

robert88

TheBigBean wrote:

Anyone keen to bring back the bowler hat?

Already have,


mate.

drlodge

Rick Chasey wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Suit and tie is the worst possible clothing for bagging a job. Tight shirt, short skirt and high heels for the win.

Says the Jordan Peterson fan.


Hah.

And not forgetting make up and red lipstick. Such attire is sexually provocative and it has an effect.

eric_draven

TheBigBean wrote:

lostboysaint wrote:

What's a tie?

The thing that goes with suits.

Not with my only two suits,my wetsuit and my birthday suit

TheBigBean

drlodge wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Suit and tie is the worst possible clothing for bagging a job. Tight shirt, short skirt and high heels for the win.

Says the Jordan Peterson fan.


Hah.

And not forgetting make up and red lipstick. Such attire is sexually provocative and it has an effect.

I would guess that you are more likely to be interviewed by a woman than a man, so should male interviewees work on their sexual provocativeness as well? Perhaps the OP should be looking to 50 shades of grey the flim/book rather than suit colours.

lostboysaint

eric draven wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

lostboysaint wrote:

What's a tie?

The thing that goes with suits.

Not with my only two suits,my wetsuit and my birthday suit

That!

Don't own a tie, haven't for years.

rolf_f

Graeme_S wrote:

I work in a casual office environment (I'm wearing jeans and a cycling t-shirt right now). I was administering a test for an interview earlier this week, and I wore a suit (no tie - I'd have worn one if I'd been on the formal panel or I was the interviewee).

Suit and no tie? How is it going these days David Cameron. Note, no matter what you think current fashion allows, a suit without a tie looks terrible. There is something very wrong when people think it doesn't.

lostboysaint

Rolf F wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

I work in a casual office environment (I'm wearing jeans and a cycling t-shirt right now). I was administering a test for an interview earlier this week, and I wore a suit (no tie - I'd have worn one if I'd been on the formal panel or I was the interviewee).

Suit and no tie? How is it going these days David Cameron. Note, no matter what you think current fashion allows, a suit without a tie looks terrible. There is something very wrong when people think it doesn't.

Couldn't agree less. A length of cloth dangling from a collar - it looks ridiculous.

Suits only censored on most people because they look like censored in anything and a suit exacerbates that.

graeme_s-2

Rolf F wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

I work in a casual office environment (I'm wearing jeans and a cycling t-shirt right now). I was administering a test for an interview earlier this week, and I wore a suit (no tie - I'd have worn one if I'd been on the formal panel or I was the interviewee).

Suit and no tie? How is it going these days David Cameron. Note, no matter what you think current fashion allows, a suit without a tie looks terrible. There is something very wrong when people think it doesn't.

I can take the sartorial criticism, but the DC comparison cuts real deep!