Proper attire for an interview
Proper attire for an interview
(OP)
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.





RE: Proper attire for an interview
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."
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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...
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
If you do a search, I'm sure you'll find I say almost exactly the same thing every time this subject comes up.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
thread731-110284
Maybe I was imagining it, the above are the best I could find and aren't directly relevant in their entirety.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website: www.oil-gas-consulting.com
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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)
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
...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.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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RE: Proper attire for an interview
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.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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RE: Proper attire for an interview
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.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
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!!
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Regards,
RE: Proper attire for an interview
After all... it's not about how you look, it's how well you'll perform your job, no?
Sure.
PSE is correct: ASK FIRST. When in doubt, wear the business suit and a tie (tie is optional for women, I guess). If your resume says that you spent six months working in a tar factory, the interviewer will know you're not afraid of dirt.
Look professional for the interview. It's expected.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
http://www
Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Apparently, he somehow made it through his original job interview.
TTFN
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RE: Proper attire for an interview
I will also throw my support behind those who said to wear a suit. It's not worth taking a chance if you really want the job. You won't get a job because of how you dress but you can certainly loss one.
I went to an interview once in business casual. They should judge me based on my skills and portfolio of work and not on how I dress blah blah blah. It was a small manufacturing firm that made lawn equipment. They even required that the engineer have machine shop experience to be able to make prototype equipment. Casual seemed fine to me.
The recruiter who set up the interview for me ripped me a new one after that. I didn't get another call for over 6 months from anyone. I guess it really is a small world.
The only time I dressed casual, and still got the job, was because the company told me not to dress up for the job. It was in a foundry and I would be walking around for a tour.
I think the moral of all this is just don't take a chance. What's the big deal about wearing a suit for a few hours.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
I was dressed in regular clothing and actually mentioned this on the phone. I got an answer "We are looking for the person"!! I got the job.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Let's be honest they may think, "if you can't decide what to wear to the interview then how on earth will you make decisions as part of your job duties".
On the other hand they may apreciate you being pro-active and asking.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
My last 2 interviews were in Az, one of which was in the summer. There was no way I was going to wear a suit and tie in 105 deg weather so I wore nice slacks and a nice short sleeve button down. After the interview they were very much interested in me and were prepared to make an offer. Unfortunately, they had just merged with another company and suddenly had a hiring freeze.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
In my part of the world it gets close to 120 in summer and I'm not sure I could get from the car to a building in a suit
That said if I really wanted/needed the job and thought the suit would make the difference I'd probably suck it up and wear it.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Would you wear a suit to a Google interview for software engineer? Probably not.
Would you wear a suit to a Fluor interview for software engineer? Probably yes.
"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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RE: Proper attire for an interview
Wear the scruffiest clothes you own, don’t wash for at least a week and if possible have an all night binge on the beer as well, try to spill as much of last nights meal down you as possible and turn up with a cardboard box, a small scruffy dog and an unlighted cigarette hanging out your mouth.
That way if you do get the job you will know that they think you are a damn fine engineer, it also has the added bonus that you will be suitable kitted out for what you are likely to be doing in the future.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
That will show the hiring manager how professional you are and how dedicated to the job you will be.
Hmmm...on second thought, going to the illogical extremes of the spectrum aren't relevant.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
When I interview someone, I look for someone who can not only perform the technical aspects of the position but can also enhance the image of our company. If a person won't put forth the effort to look his or her best for an interview, how can I depend on that person to present our customers with a professional image?
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
http://sw.fcsuper.com/index.php
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Any gorilla can go and rent or purchase a suit. Doesn't mean its going to fit, nor does it mean that they'll pay enough attention to other details like shoes.
If one doesn't polish their shoes, iron their shirt or make any other effort then the implied result is that they will approach employment tasks in a similar manner.
In my case, I enquired with HR at one company, who told me not to wear a suit, and I turned up in a tie for the other. I got the job wearing business dress but no suit, and got told not to wear anything so ridiculous as a tie when I started work. It does happen to sit around 35 degrees centigrade during the summer here. I'd believe that turning up in a suit where I live indicates that I have no idea of the climate and am not likely to stick around.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
One addition: never wear any aftershave/perfume as this, apparently, may cause offence.
Sod's law says that the one time any of this will actually be significant is the one time the job is the one you'd want and they'd offer.
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Proper attire for an interview
Any particular kind of plants?
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
But I guess I have an attitude about it too. If an employer will not hire me because I do not have a jacket on is that really an employer I want to work for anyways? Not me! I like a laid back atmosphere when it comes to a company. I believe that I am interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me.
I have been on interviews where the interviewers are in suits and I am not. It doesn't impress me. Usually when I see a suit it screams sales or marketing. And it bothers me that I probably wasted my time because I know that they are not representative of the people I would be working with.
Sorry for the rant. I am having a bad day!
Being a hands on mechanical engineer who likes to get his hands dirty I think it best to look a little rough around the edges.
Nowadays I have noticed that employers are looking more into personality than before. They seem to care less about my skills and abilities then how I will get along with everyone. They ask me about home life and hobbies. I try to brush them off but it is getting more difficult.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
RE: Proper attire for an interview
If it worked the first time, why not the second?
"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Proper attire for an interview
For instance if you seemed overdressed the first time in a suit I might lose the jacket but I'd be tempted to keep the tie, unless they were in shorts and thongs.
If I was underdressed first time I'd be tempted to dig my suit out.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
What often gets overlooked is SOOOOOO important. You, and everything you wear must be clean and spotless; clean underwear and socks, freshly laundered, pressed shirt, dry-cleaned suit, a tie without food stains, polished shoes, clean-shaven or impeccably trimmed facial hair. NO neck hair and no crud under the fingernails. And get your hair dresser or barber to take care of stray hairs in eyebrows, ears and nose. Keep jewelry to a minimum. Take out any facial or tongue piercings. The holes will not grow closed during your interview. Small earrings on women are OK. On men, it is acceptable here in the Bay area, but probably not most other places.
If your interview is after lunch, don’t eat garlic, onions, peppers, sausage or anything that will give you gas or bad breath. Do not drink alcohol with lunch.
I know much of this sounds obvious, but as a former employer, I have seen people show up for an interview in all manner of dress. I always gave an evaluation of the person’s attire and general presentation, in addition to their skill level. If an interviewee did not have the sense to dress for the occasion and insisted on ‘expressing their individuality’, then I took it as a sign of immaturity. Interview attire is a costume.
BTW, short sleeved shirts are OK only if you never take the jacket off. If it is very hot where you are, go get yourself a white linen shirt with long sleeves. You may find that you are actually cooler with the sun off of your skin.
"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
RE: Proper attire for an interview
I've never seen a woman show up to an interview underdressed.
Sometimes, a little dirt under the nails can be a plus.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
It wasn't too long ago that wearing a tie everyday to work was normal. Now-a-days, the only people I see wearing a tie are in sales and marketing.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
That's usually how their going to use me in the dressed up mode.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
In a head/city office I'll wear tie, long sleeved shirt and plants.
Any particular kind of plants?"
Metallurgical plants mainly- nickel/alumina refineries, concentrator plants- that sort of thing. Places where the mud can (and often does) fly.
Cheers.
RE: Proper attire for an interview
In talking to other engineers who are involved in the selection process at larger companies, they have generally said to dress in something that you can feel comfortable interviewing in.