OT - how to dress for an interview

colekicker · Feb 2, 2009

I had a professor in college that always told us that we needed to dress full suit for interviews. We needed to look our best always.
When I did my student teaching, it was always no jeans for teaching ag. We needed to be a step above the students in how we dressed.
I just saw Matt Lauer, in full suit, interview a president that wasn't even wearing a tie. Not even a suit jacket or sport coat.
I just think the presidency holds a little higher level. It is a suit and tie job, everyday.

Bob - MI · Feb 2, 2009

I saw that too and thought the same thing. It seems that he is comfortable in the job already. I would have preferred that if they were going to do that interview and he was dressing down that Matt would have been in more casual dress...being Super Bowl Sunday and all.

ScottyHOMeY · Feb 2, 2009

One rule of thumb is that it can be fatal to your job prospects if you outdress the person interviewing you.

My last few jobs were at a pretty high level and a fella couldn't go wrong with a good suit, a nice tie and a spit-shine on his cap-toes. Here in Maine, we're a bit more casual and for the same interview, slacks, a sport coat (both cleaned and pressed), a tie and a good shine on your penny loafers would be more in order. Oh, yeah, and don't forget the haircut.

I didn't see the Lauer interview. My own view is the President can wear whatever he pleases -- the reality of his next four years is that he could step out of the shower bollocky bare-arsed some morning and find a general and three advisors standing there needing immediate authority for a missile strike.

If I'd been Matt (who was dressed in a way that would be respectful of the President's position) I'd probably have asked my handlers to get with O's handlers and see if it would be alright to dump the suitcoat and go with tie and shirtsleeves. But that's just me.

I'm guessing the suit was not green.

LEH · Feb 2, 2009

BULL, He's the President, he can dress anyway he wants. We are sliding into the biggest hole since 1929. Give him a break. nnalert. had their chance, it all comes back to abuse of the system by wall street, just like the last time.

Stub · Feb 2, 2009

Dress according to the job. I would not dress in a black suit and tie if was trying to get a job at a cattle feedlot.

You can overdo it. I went to work an Ins. claim on a grain bin fire once. It was muddy and the lot was full of charred, moldy, muddy soyeans. Met the claims supervisor at the bin. He was in a suit and dress shoes. I pulled out my rubber boats and was in jeans. He was the one that needed to decide on how to pay the claim, but he could't even see the damage cause he didn't want to get his shoes muddy.

He looked like a pansy to the farmer and ended up in a lawusit over the claim. I always thought he would have gotten along better if he had been dressed for the job.

Another hint, dont wear your AC/DC T shirt. That is unless you are trying for a job as a roadie.

Gene

noncompos · Feb 2, 2009

Don"t overlook the image people--here"s our new Pres, who got elected on changing the "inside the Beltway mindset", etc.,rolling up his sleeves and shedding his coat on Day 1, getting to work on the People"s Business...
Or maybe he just doesn"t like coats...

dhermesc · Feb 2, 2009

That and he's keeping the office at 80 degrees while telling the rest of us to ask the world what our thermostat should be set on.

Dave from MN · Feb 2, 2009

I was never impressed by people that I inteviewed dressed in suits. I wanna see who you are, not what you think you need to be.

big fred · Feb 2, 2009

I wondered how long it would take for the discussion on here to turn to fashion...

Ian Jones, Nanaimo, Can · Feb 2, 2009

The way the media keeps talking about the economy I think it would be ok to show up in a rain barrel or burlap sack.

Bob · Feb 2, 2009

You liked the "heated cat bed' discussion better? LOL!

moonlite 37 · Feb 2, 2009

For an interview you should dress as you would on the best day on the job. If as a farm hand dress in proper CLEAM farm work clothes and shoes. If as a mechanic dress in good uniform clothing without trademarks unless for the same franchise, For example do not wear a Ford uniform when applying for a GM shop. If interviewing as a bank teller wear a coat and tie. Preferably not a sport coat. I ignored the political part and answered the question.

Nancy Howell · Feb 2, 2009

Clean and neat always you and your clothes! Appropriate for the job. Remember - this is the first impression they will have of you and no one gets a second chance at a first impression.

big fred · Feb 2, 2009

Musta missed that one. external_link sleeps in a heated cat bed?

Spook · Feb 2, 2009

I saw both Bush's intereviewed in casual clothes. GW was in bicycle shorts for one interview. (mental floss!) Clinton would apparently interview damm near naked!! ( more mental floss!!) The only one I can think of never in casual clothes was Nixon. ( Nixon was really wrapped tight!) But I am kinda anti suit and tie guy. I think the day of the suit and tie is coming to a close. A lot of younger business leaders are never in a suit. It really is an old fashioned custom.

Bob · Feb 2, 2009

NAW, it was just a discussion on here a while back about the "BEST" heated cat bed. Gets brought up (and laughed at) from time to time as a REALLY OT post.

I thought it was REALLY OT as well, until the "colon cleanser" post came up a few days ago.
CLEAN IT UP, FOLKS

big fred · Feb 2, 2009

I guess having external_link sleeping in a heated cat bed might be just a bit too much to hope for. ;o)

Deano · Feb 2, 2009

LBJ used to do telephone interviews sitting on the crapper. Hard to get worse then that except maybe the privey

thurlow · Feb 2, 2009

Eggxactly; SWMBO is a human resource director (usta be personnel manager)...in addition to some other things in a small town bank. She gets wimmens with stringy hair, off the shoulder blouses, flip-flops, chewing gum, etc. Men wearing torn jeans, tee-shirts. They don't get hired. How much trouble is it to look around and see what the current employees are wearing and dress accordingly? Local community college asks her to come out a couple of times a year and give a talk on how to dress/talk/act during a job interview. One more thing.......in a professional place; no VISIBLE tattoes or piercings (except for single....per ear.....earrings).

Kelly C · Feb 2, 2009

You would think this would not even need to be talked about. Common sense would seem to dictate what should be worn and what you should look like.
The last place I worked I did all the 1st interviews for the potential employees for my area. I can attest to the fact that common sense is not in effect these days.
I have run the gammot from Cut off jeans with flip flops to Tuxedo.

The biggest thing to remember is this is your chance to leave an impression. The hope is that impression you leave is a possitive one.

I remember all of the interviews with the people I hired. As the hiring person and also their supervisor after the hire. I had the oportunity to compare my interview notes to what I accually got in a employee.
One good thing about working for the person who hired you. Your not as likely to get fired right away for some thing simple.
No way I wanted to admit I made a mistake hiring a guy. I would try to fix them 1st.

Dress appropreatly for the job you are applying for. Wear clean cloths and shoes. SHOWER!!!! cut hair and shave.

Bring a note book with some questions you may have. A question about time off right off the bat would not be good. Ask a question that would help you to decide how you can best help the company attain its goals.
Remember the interview is not about you. Its about how you can help them.
Once they have decided you are of value to them. Then you can discuss compensation and bennifits.

You would be supprised how many people who got better pay because I had my heart set on hiring them. Only to have a buck stand in the way.

Take any job you can get to have a job but really work at the jobs you want and be prepaired. If you already have a job they dont have to decide if you can hold a job because you already are.

Formerly PaMike · Feb 2, 2009

I also interview, and its amazing.
Young people( I am 28) just dont get it.
They dont even bring a pen and paper to write anything down. Most dont even wear anything better than jeans and a tee shirt. They just show up and wing it...

Goose · Feb 2, 2009

Dressed for the job? Up to a point.

I've been on both sides of the desk, and it was always drilled into me that you don't go to an interview dressed for the job, you go to the interview dressed for the interview. And if you're going to err, err on the side of being overdressed.

ken in texas · Feb 2, 2009

)bama made a decision that whitehouse meetings would be in casual dress,not full dress suits like George Bush.

JML755 · Feb 2, 2009

(quoted from post at 13:02:11 02/02/09) Eggxactly; SWMBO is a human resource director (usta be personnel manager)...in addition to some other things in a small town bank. She gets wimmens with stringy hair, off the shoulder blouses, flip-flops, chewing gum, etc. Men wearing torn jeans, tee-shirts. They don't get hired. How much trouble is it to look around and see what the current employees are wearing and dress accordingly? Local community college asks her to come out a couple of times a year and give a talk on how to dress/talk/act during a job interview. One more thing.......in a professional place; no VISIBLE tattoes or piercings (except for single....per ear.....earrings).

Thurlow, good post.
I've counseled my 3 daughters regarding the piercings and ESPECIALLY tattoos. Earings and piercings can be removed (like when you're 30 yrs old) but tattoos are for life (yeah, yeah, I know: laser removal).
In any case, I've interviewed and WOULD NOT hire anyone who looked like they were headed to a Metallica concert. (I once interviewd a girl for a receptionist position who had decent qualifications except for the stud in her tongue and eyebrow. Not something I wanted my customers to see when they first walked in the door)

Tattoos also become a problem if you become a professional (lawyer, doctor, etc). I've heard stories about women attorneys who won't go to firm picnics or other casual events because of tattoos they can't hide under their usual long sleeved blouses, skirts and pantsuits.

In any case, to each their own but people don't realize what a negative impression they make with their "highly decorated" appearance. I may be old-fashioned, but kids drop down a notch in my book if they're covered in body art and couldn't pass through an airport metal detector.

So bottom line is, if you want to express yourself, go ahead. Don't complain, though, because some guy "discriminated" against you and you didn't get the job.

Gun guru · Feb 2, 2009

What makes you think he is presidential in the first place?

MarkB_MI · Feb 2, 2009

The best you can come up with is that external_link doesn't dress good enough for a TV interview? I can't think of any president in recent history who wasn't interviewed at some point in time wearing casual clothes. The newspapers used to love publishing pictures of Reagan chopping wood at his ranch!

I'm sure that when external_link meets with foreign heads of state, he will be dressed to the nines. And I wouldn't be surprised that he chose to dress casually to set the tone of his interview. When LBJ wanted to dress someone down, he liked to have them called to his office while he was in the bathroom. You surely know a man has no respect for you if he gives you an a***chewing while he's sitting on the commode!

1936 · Feb 3, 2009

Joe the plummer comes to mind. A lot of Joe's voted for him so he has to speek to all levels at once never over the heads of the one attending. This was not a job interview for him. I did the first level interviews for hiring. Will say first impressions was a factor. The showing tats on the women had my mind wondering where the rest could be? Hired anyway was good on the job. Finding the truth was the real challenge during interviews.

charles todd · Feb 3, 2009

I have always been told to dress one-step above your interviewer and the employees at the place of hire.

Charles

Anonymous-0 · Feb 3, 2009

1936,
May I call you 19 ? Reminds me of one gal, had part of a large rose at neckline; so Politically Incorrect me said "Noone only has 1 tattoo" she showed me the others including a snake in the grass. That was too much information, I'm guessing she wouldn't have passed the drug screen either.

Eric SEI · Feb 3, 2009

And in today's world you may be dealing with people from other
cultures. If you go to Yomiuri Land outside Tokyo and pay your
admission to the water park and they discover you have a tattoo
(even a fake tattoo) they will refuse to admit you and will refuse to
refund your admission too. In Japan tattoos are a traditional mark
of the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia). The Japanese are our third best
customer for Ag products, so who knows where they may turn up
inspecting facilities and buying goods.
Yomiuri Land

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