I am interviewing with a small engineering firm soon. I was wondering what people normally wear to a first interview. Should you always wear a suit and tie? Or is it ok to wear a nice pair of slacks and long-sleeved dress shirt? What about a short-sleeved dress up shirt? And how about for the 2nd interview? I already know what I'm wearing, I just thought this could be an interesting topic and something new for the forum as I have not seen any posts about this before.
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Proper attire for an interview 5
- Thread starter ttuterry
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Always wear a shirt-and-tie, regardless of the dress code at the prospective employer's place.
I've said this before: not wearing a tie to an interview sends one message loud and clear: "I don't have the good sense to wear a tie to an interview. Try and guess what other good sense I am lacking."
I've said this before: not wearing a tie to an interview sends one message loud and clear: "I don't have the good sense to wear a tie to an interview. Try and guess what other good sense I am lacking."
This, or variations on it, have been posted before. Take a look back in the 'archives'
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Most people seem to think you're safe with suit & tie (or equivalent for the ladies) when you don't have any other information.
There are dissenters and the story of the guy that turned up at a software company in beach attire and got the job...
Personally my suits are a little tight so I've taken to black slacks, collar shirt (usually long sleeve) and tie on my last couple of interviews and I got the last one so it must have worked. Of course on my first actual day I turned up dressed the same and got told to take my tie off...
.Most people seem to think you're safe with suit & tie (or equivalent for the ladies) when you don't have any other information.
There are dissenters and the story of the guy that turned up at a software company in beach attire and got the job...
Personally my suits are a little tight so I've taken to black slacks, collar shirt (usually long sleeve) and tie on my last couple of interviews and I got the last one so it must have worked. Of course on my first actual day I turned up dressed the same and got told to take my tie off...
ProcessYahoo
Mechanical
Dress to impress, first impressions mean everything.
I once had an interview on a Friday, the employers traditional casual day, jeans, tennis shoes etc.. When I arrived dressed in a sport jacket, nice slacks, dress shoes, tie etc. the interviewer actually had me remove the jacket and tie and apologized for forgetting to tell me it was casual Friday.
At any rate I got the job and he still talks about how much my attire, on Friday, impressed him.
I once had an interview on a Friday, the employers traditional casual day, jeans, tennis shoes etc.. When I arrived dressed in a sport jacket, nice slacks, dress shoes, tie etc. the interviewer actually had me remove the jacket and tie and apologized for forgetting to tell me it was casual Friday.
At any rate I got the job and he still talks about how much my attire, on Friday, impressed him.
![[penguin]](/data/assets/smilies/penguin.gif "[penguin] [penguin]")
TT,
Interviews are about selling yourself...
If you go to a supermarket and see two similar products, one with a pleasing design the other that is bland or outlandish, your natural instinct is to pick the first product.
The outcome of an interview has often come down to presentation and presentability when candidates are very close to each other.
IMO wearing a minimum of a formal shirt and tie is a must. A jacket has become almost optional, but when you remember that the people who are interviewing you are more than likely a number of years older than you, they will have expectations towards the latter. The better you look, the better your chances of making it past the first part 'test' and making a good first impression. Other things that will help you here are politeness (manners), a smile and a handshake. If these are effortless, they all point to a person who is professional and curteous
Kevin Hammond
Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
Interviews are about selling yourself...
If you go to a supermarket and see two similar products, one with a pleasing design the other that is bland or outlandish, your natural instinct is to pick the first product.
The outcome of an interview has often come down to presentation and presentability when candidates are very close to each other.
IMO wearing a minimum of a formal shirt and tie is a must. A jacket has become almost optional, but when you remember that the people who are interviewing you are more than likely a number of years older than you, they will have expectations towards the latter. The better you look, the better your chances of making it past the first part 'test' and making a good first impression. Other things that will help you here are politeness (manners), a smile and a handshake. If these are effortless, they all point to a person who is professional and curteous
Kevin Hammond
Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
GregLamberson
Petroleum
Always a coat & tie with shined shoes. Look neat and organized, the way you hope you will be perceived.
Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:
Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website:
Always nice shirt, pants & tie.
Even a lot of criminals wear them to court.![[tongue]](/data/assets/smilies/tongue.gif "[tongue] [tongue]")
Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)
Even a lot of criminals wear them to court.
Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)
I always just wear a dress shirt, tie, and suit pants. I don't see any point in varying from that, since the worst possible outcome would be looking over dressed. I'd much rather look overdressed then underdressed. I have seen guys come in to be interviewed in Jeans and a Ripped up sweatter? What exactly do you expect to get a job at McDonalds??? I doubt they would hire you wearing that Crap.
I had a job at a brick plant. I asked my boss a similar question about attire. He told me that when I interviewed for the position a couple of the others interviewing looked like they could be going to weddings and were affraid of dirt.
...so I'm not really sure if that was a compliment or an insult to me...
but anyway, my point is that it depends on the job you are interviewing for and the work environment.
...so I'm not really sure if that was a compliment or an insult to me...
but anyway, my point is that it depends on the job you are interviewing for and the work environment.
When going for an interview, you SHOULD OVERDRESS a little bit. That is, if shirt-and-tie is the probable norm at the workplace, WEAR A SUIT.
Wearing just a shirt and tie could be percieved as under dressing, and as several have stated above, you're objective is to sell yourself, and first impression matters.
Will I hire a person who is under dressed or who appears never to have worn a suit? Sure, but their appearance does count just a little bit in my assessment, so why not ensure your appearance is a POSITIVE, rather than a possible negative.
Wearing just a shirt and tie could be percieved as under dressing, and as several have stated above, you're objective is to sell yourself, and first impression matters.
Will I hire a person who is under dressed or who appears never to have worn a suit? Sure, but their appearance does count just a little bit in my assessment, so why not ensure your appearance is a POSITIVE, rather than a possible negative.
floattuber
Mechanical
I'm going to be the lone dissenter here. I think location matters too. On the east coast my feeling is that a suit and tie are musts. However, on the west coast, especially Ca, I think it's less important. As long as you look respectible and not sloppy it's ok.
I interviewed for my current job (and quite possibly my dream job), in a suit and tie. After lunch the hiring manager made the comment that everybody is staring because I was wearing a suit. I said I was debating whether to wear a suit or not and he replied anything more formal than jeans and a T-shirt would have been fine. I knew right then he would be a great boss.
I wouldn't want to work where they base employment on how somebody dressed for the interview. The tie doesn't make the engineer, the brains do.
I interviewed for my current job (and quite possibly my dream job), in a suit and tie. After lunch the hiring manager made the comment that everybody is staring because I was wearing a suit. I said I was debating whether to wear a suit or not and he replied anything more formal than jeans and a T-shirt would have been fine. I knew right then he would be a great boss.
I wouldn't want to work where they base employment on how somebody dressed for the interview. The tie doesn't make the engineer, the brains do.
There are exceptions to every rule as floattuber gives an example of however in all my interviews in CA I've always worn a shirt & tie (if my suit still fit I would have worn it)
The only one I've been arguably overdressed for was that for my current position and I got the job so it obviously wasn't a problem.
Which is worse:
A. Turning up at a casual place dressed too formally.
B. Turning up at a formal place dressed too informally.
I'd always vote B is worse.
You can always take your tie & or jacket off or make some joke about how you wouldn't have worn a monkey suit if you'd known about the dress code etc.
Of course ideally you'd find out in advance what the dress code is and dress to suit but this isn't full proof. Just because everyday dress is jeans and T shirt doesn't mean they don't expect the interviewee not to make the effort and wear a suit.
)The only one I've been arguably overdressed for was that for my current position and I got the job so it obviously wasn't a problem.
Which is worse:
A. Turning up at a casual place dressed too formally.
B. Turning up at a formal place dressed too informally.
I'd always vote B is worse.
You can always take your tie & or jacket off or make some joke about how you wouldn't have worn a monkey suit if you'd known about the dress code etc.
Of course ideally you'd find out in advance what the dress code is and dress to suit but this isn't full proof. Just because everyday dress is jeans and T shirt doesn't mean they don't expect the interviewee not to make the effort and wear a suit.
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Senselessticker
Electrical
DO NOT wear a short sleeved shirt!!! There is no such thing as a short sleeved "dress up" shirt.
Engineers are notorious for being poorly dressed....but one should only practice such poor dressing habits after he has been an engineer for awhile. Then you can be proud of yourself for not knowing how to dress! And yes...I'm guiltly of wearing the short sleeved button ups... My girlfriend tries to hide them so I can't wear them!!
Engineers are notorious for being poorly dressed....but one should only practice such poor dressing habits after he has been an engineer for awhile. Then you can be proud of yourself for not knowing how to dress! And yes...I'm guiltly of wearing the short sleeved button ups... My girlfriend tries to hide them so I can't wear them!!
I have always worn and suit with tie with one exception. I once went for an interview after deciding the job wasn't really for me, but I went anyway for interview experience. I dressed smart casual and when I arrived at the reception everyone else was wearing a suit and tie. The interviewer was similarly dressed to me and offered me the job anyway but I think it made little difference as he wanted to know my skills and competencies. The job was a UK interview for a contract job at Boeing in the UK. 6 months later they sacked all the guys that had taken up the offer.
Overall, I do not think you can go wrong by wearing a suit/tie (or equivalent outfit for women). Also, try asking as to the dress code when planning the interview and then take it to the next step. If business casual, do the shirt/tie. If shirt/tie, do the suit. If a suit, do NOT do a tux! ![[wink]](/data/assets/smilies/wink.gif "[wink] [wink]")
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Regards,
.Regards,
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