Interviews - suit/tie or otherwise?

[vetran]

you can wear something other than a suit for interviews?

[Pherlopolus]

I always suit up for interviews and first days unless I am 100% sure not required in office, even then shirt and trousers for week 1.

Current clientco is very casual, but I am smart chino's and non offensive t shirt for now. Clocked no Airton though so they may not have been joking about shorts and sandals for later in year.

[northernladyuk]

I always suit up for interviews and first days unless I am 100% sure not required in office, even then shirt and trousers for week 1.

Current clientco is very casual, but I am smart chino's and non offensive t shirt for now. Clocked no Airton though so they may not have been joking about shorts and sandals for later in year.

Trousers off for week 2?

[Pherlopolus]

Trousers off for week 2?

Only on Fridays (trousers as opposed to jeans or chino's or a pair of leggings)

[LondonManc]

I always suit up for interviews and first days unless I am 100% sure not required in office, even then shirt and trousers for week 1.

Current clientco is very casual, but I am smart chino's and non offensive t shirt for now. Clocked no Airton though so they may not have been joking about shorts and sandals for later in year.

Most operate dress down Fridays these days if they're not full dress down. Always worth checking.

[SueEllen]

Hi all...

Recently went on a few interviews for both contract roles and perm roles (the latter to get out of my current skillset and go down slightly different path). Last time I did this was nearly 5 years ago - had a very long gig with last client.

As I do usually, wore a suit and a tie. I've done this all my professional career - but this time around in every interview I got snarky comments re. my suit... i.e. just for the fact that I was wearing one. Has interview etiquette changed that much in 5 years that people dress differently? Business casual? Track suits? S&M garb?

It wasn't just the permies that made the comments - contractors as well. And it wasn't as if I was wearing some outlandish suit either - just an off-the-rack grey M&S suit, with a red tie.

I realise that some of my skills might be out of date after such a long stint with the last client... but surely basic interview dress hasn't change, no?

Don't wear a red tie. You ain't Tony Blair.

[teapot418]

Best tea-cosy.

[original PM]

Why is it that people think that if someone wears a pair of pants made of the same colour and material as their jacket they are suddenly imbued with special powers?

So is the implication that i can take someone off the streets and put them in a suit and they suddenly have chatacteristics they didnot have before?

[Pherlopolus]

Why is it that people think that if someone wears a pair of pants made of the same colour and material as their jacket they are suddenly imbued with special powers?

So is the implication that i can take someone off the streets and put them in a suit and they suddenly have chatacteristics they didnot have before?

Totally agree, but you have to play the game. I always dress down for telephone interviews though.

[original PM]

Dress how you want if the people interviewing you see a suit as a superman cape you should walk away.