Dressing for a job interview.....

[bcla]

If I were interviewing someone to work for me, I would expect them to be wearing breeches/boots and a polo, or clean jeans/boots/polo...I own a horse farm and would be interviewing either a professional riding instructor or barn help.

So smelling like a horse isn't an issue I take it?

I sometimes drive past a racetrack, where the stables are viable from the freeway. The stables are also across the street from a soccer park. I guess they get used to it.

 

[Nickunited]

Dress like you want the job.
Bring your resume
Ask Questions
Dont talk salary

If they dont like Disney...decline the offer

 

[E&Cmom]

I just started a new job so I have recently been through the interview process. I only had 2 interviews this time and was offered both jobs. Both times I wore a nice blouse and dress pants. No jacket but just a coordinating cardigan.

I am a nurse but do not work in the hospital/ clinical setting so no scrubs. Our dress code is business casual.

 

[DawnM]

The job I just got? I was in yoga pants and a T-shirt! But they didn't know because it was a phone interview!

I had 3 in-person interviews though, and I did receive an offer from one of those.

I wore nice black dress pants, a solid color cotton shirt, a light sweater, a scarf, and accessories.

 

[DizBelle]

It seems that we agree that how you present yourself matters.

What about in general? How you present yourself in daily life?

 

[wvjules]

My last 2 in person interviews I wore a pants suit. My profession is typically considered more professional when it comes to work attire. Although a competitor has gone to a jeans policy but I don't think that apples when at a client site. We also have a more casual code during the summer but again does not apply when with clients so I never get to dress down.

 

[CarolAnn856]

As others have said, the type of clothing depends on the job. Personally, I've worked in a business settting and, for the last five years, as a teacher. I wore a suit or a dress-with-matching-jacket to every interview.

In the past when I did hiring for a non-profit, most of the people I interviewed were applying for caregiver positions. I never expected suits or even ties. I did look for overall neat appearance in clothing, hair, and nails.

 

[Rhie]

It depends on the kind of job for me. When I applied for a retail jobs at Target and B&N, I wore business casual. Nice shoes, khakis, button down shirt. I figured a suit was a bit of overkill for that. I got hired, so I did something right. For the jobs I want now, I always wear a suit even if I know the dress code is casual. I figure for a white collar job, its better to dress up. I also make sure my clothes fit properly, and I can sit down, lean over, and generally move around without showing what I don't want to show. I always ask my best friend to come with me when I go business clothes shopping because she'll tell me honestly if she can see unmentionables through my clothes or if something looks more suitable for a date than a job. Before I buy, I lean over, jump up and down, twist around, sit down, stand up. I will get something tailored if I need to. I am sure I look silly, but I always get compliments on how I am dressed for business and presentations so it works!

Most of the time I wear impossibly bright colors and Disney patterns (just bought a new Elsa skirt!), but I do know how to dress properly when I need to do

 

[kydisneyfans]

Depends on the job. I've interviewed people for deliveries and got anywhere from tank tops/athletic shorts to business suits. I was looking more toward a nice jeans/polo type clean look. For office positions, polos/khakis at bare minimum, shirt and tie preferred for males, business suits were fine.....even though I don't even own one. Slacks/blouse, sensible clothing, is what I was looking for in female candidates.

I also fall into interviewing in my sleep clothes now as I work from home as a medical auditor.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

"Dress for the job you want."

So, I always go to interviews dressed as Batman.

 

[RedAngie]

"Dress for the job you want."

So, I always go to interviews dressed as Batman.

I was wondering if anybody would mention that line.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My warehouse help dresses like homeless people (so do I) at work. But, I'd expect an interviewee to be dressed a little nicer. I've had many come in wearing a suit & tie. I've never felt that was a bad choice.

 

[kamik86]

When I was doing interviews I always wore dress pants and a jacket.

When I interview others most of the time I either forget I had one that day or didn't find out my manager wanted me to sit in until that day so I'm wearing jeans, sneakers and a polo... However the dress pants and a jacket is how we expect people to dress on days they have to meet with our customers so we still prefer those coming to interview being dressed that way. Although in all honestly if someone was dressed in something approrpiate to wear to work and was a really good canidate they would probably get the job without having worn a suit. Its not like we don't publish what should be worn to meetings in the notice (becasue depending on which customer you have and what level of customer is coming in sometimes they will state a lower level of dress.

 

[tasha99]

I am a nurse and the majority of my jobs I have interviewed for I have been in my pj's. One interview I was actually covered only in bubbles from the bath.

I worked several years as a travel nurse and all my interviews were phone interviews.

I do the same as a travel speech pathologist. Pjs and a cup of coffee.

 

[meowser]

Way back when, I was taught the rule of thumb to dress one step "above" what the position requires on a daily basis. Most of the interviewees I see these days seem to follow that guideline, more or less. On a day-to-day basis, our male professional staff wear khakis and polos/button-down shirts. They interview in suits. Our technical staff wear t-shirts/polos & jeans to work most days, and they usually interview in polos & khakis.

This. I've heard some people say 'you can never be too dressed up for an interview' and in my experience, that's not true. My dad conducted interviews at a large computer company and he felt that people too dressed up (full suit for a software engineer position) were demonstrating a lack of knowledge about the culture of the company they were interviewing at. He preferred the one step up guideline.

I interview folks now and expect interviewees to make an effort and dress nice. One (maybe 2) steps up from the normal dress code. Or like pryncess527 says above, dress like for a big event at the company.

 

[bcla]

This. I've heard some people say 'you can never be too dressed up for an interview' and in my experience, that's not true. My dad conducted interviews at a large computer company and he felt that people too dressed up (full suit for a software engineer position) were demonstrating a lack of knowledge about the culture of the company they were interviewing at. He preferred the one step up guideline.

Depends on the location to some degree. I was interviewing for an east coast job and everyone in the building was dressed up. Perhaps no tie, but dress shirts. In Silicon Valley I don't recall the last time I was interviewed by a technical person wearing a tie. I don't think that's ever happened. I had been interviewed by marketing before at a small company.

I have had info from HR/staffing indication a business casual dress code.

 

[pearlieq]

As an interviewee, I always wore business formal because I was interviewing for a business casual-type job.

As an interviewer, I'm less concerned with what the candidate is actually wearing as opposed to whether they put some thought and effort into it. Did they dress reasonably appropriately for the context? Did their outfit show care and attention to detail? I would rather a candidate show up in clean, pressed khakis and a polo over a wrinkled suit with an ugly tie hanging 5" above their belt.