interview attire

[mister880]

well, it's been years since i've been to a job interview, and most of my jobs i've already had the job before i even went to the interview, so it didn't matter.

first off, the field i am in, is "white collar". Information Technology to be exact.

what is the correct attire? some say, a nice pair of khakis, a nice shirt and tie is fine.. although some say i should go all out - get a nice pair of slacks, nice coat and all..

if it's the latter, looks like i need to go shopping .

for the past few years, i've had the ease of just wearing blue jeans and a polo shirt to work.. i havn't wore khakis or slacks but at funerals and an occasional wedding

[mister880]

also, what are things to ask at an interview? i know first impression is everything.

share some thoughts/opinions..

[joedoh]

Dress for the job you want. JC penny has great sales so don't go to someplace expensive. Get a jacket and tie at minimum.

They will ask you about your greatest accomplishment and situational questions like what would you do if:

The purpose of an on site interview is to make sure you don't have two heads or a combative or abrasive personality. Usually the screening calls take care of education and experience/technical questions. Be yourself, answer truthfully. Usually one person in the room of an on-site will be your future boss, so keep it concise. The rule is: be bright, be brief.

[kjm762]

IT field...a nice slacks & polo shirt should be fine. A dress shirt & tie is great if you have one. Coat...kind of overkill. This comes from someone that has hired dozens over the years.

Questions...job expectations, requirements, training needed/paid for if needed, vacation, advancement possibilities, tenure of last person in position, benefits, why last person left (if advanced in company all the better), how long have other employees been there, etc

[mister880]

cool. i'm definately nervous. that's for sure.

this past month i've been job hunting like crazy, my president told me earlier this month we lost another contract and i don't have long left.

i'll run to kohls or jcpenny to get a suit coat.

i figure black/navy gray suit coat, white shirt and tiee.

[mister880]

would it be appropriate to ask at the interview, how soon they plan on making a decision on the hiring?

[mister880]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjm762

IT field...a nice slacks & polo shirt should be fine. A dress shirt & tie is great if you have one. Coat...kind of overkill. This comes from someone that has hired dozens over the years.

Questions...job expectations, requirements, training needed/paid for if needed, vacation, advancement possibilities, tenure of last person in position, benefits, why last person left (if advanced in company all the better), how long have other employees been there, etc

it's in the IT field, but more of a liaison position. i won't be doing end user support, but more of a liaison between the end user and the support personnel. i guess you could say it's in the IT production side.

[Fannatick]

Quote: Originally Posted by mister880

first off, the field i am in, is "white collar".

Full suite, nothing less.

Hell I interviewed at Bobcat machinery and I went in a full suit, did I feel kinda dumb and overdressed, yes but I'm pretty sure I was the only one who showed up in a suit.....and I got the job.

[flnole78]

Yes I agree with the full suit. That's how I got my current job and Im in the IT field as well. I also interviewed elsewhere and although I was underqualified for the position the guy still told me that I represented myself very well. Dressing well goes a long way.

[Mystic_Knight]

I have to agree. I always wear a suit. I'd rather have them see me looking like I'm dressed for the position above the one I'm interviewing for, instead of taking the chance of dressing like the job below what I'm interviewing for. It shows you respect the job and are willing to go above and beyond others.

[heeter_33]

Its always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

[southernrock20]

Biggest reason why I get jobs I go after:

1)Google the shit out of the company and know as much as you can about them, what they do, what they make, stock options, what kind of toilet paper they use.

2)Dress nicely, I dont know how to dress for white collar so take other advice on this one, I have blue collar jobs so for me its just slacks and nice shirt.

3) Be honest on your resume (dont over flate) and honest during the interview. I beat out about 40 people for a job at boeing because of this. Everyone else was trying to bullshit there way into the position. I didnt know the answer to something and honestly answered that I didnt know. May work for your cause, I dunno, every place is different.

4) I would give you a thing on what kind of questions to ask, but I do not know your field so it would be irrelevant.

[ExtremeVI]

Depends on the company you are interviewing with. If they are a large firm, or hold themselves in high esteem, you may want to go the route of the suit. If they are more of a small private company nice slacks and shirt and tie will be fine.

You are going to want to do your homework before going to the interview. Make sure you have researched the company (i.e. owner, business statement, competitors, what they are expecting from your position, ect). As for what to ask for in the interview, it's good to find out about payscale, retirement (if they have one, does the company match), but you will want to find out from them why the position you are there for is open, and give them the reasons (with plan) of why you are the person to take care of those needs.

Good Luck!

[mister880]

Quote: Originally Posted by ExtremeVI

Depends on the company you are interviewing with. If they are a large firm, or hold themselves in high esteem, you may want to go the route of the suit. If they are more of a small private company nice slacks and shirt and tie will be fine.

You are going to want to do your homework before going to the interview. Make sure you have researched the company (i.e. owner, business statement, competitors, what they are expecting from your position, ect). As for what to ask for in the interview, it's good to find out about payscale, retirement (if they have one, does the company match), but you will want to find out from them why the position you are there for is open, and give them the reasons (with plan) of why you are the person to take care of those needs.

Good Luck!

the one interview i have tomorrow, which is at the nuclear power plant - i will definately ask some of these questions.

the one on thursday (which i'd rather get), it's a funny story. the guy working on that job, was recently laid off due to a heated argument match with a co worker. i know him pretty well, he's still with the company - but removed from the contract im hiring for. i just texted him, to have him call me and see if he can give me insight on what the job entails, so i can be ready for the interview.

regardless, just got back from kohls and got new slacks. black slacks, light blue shirt and a blue/white/gray striped tie. have the suit coat as well, i can borrow that from my father.

[beandip]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fannatick

Full suite, nothing less.

Hell I interviewed at Bobcat machinery and I went in a full suit, did I feel kinda dumb and overdressed, yes but I'm pretty sure I was the only one who showed up in a suit.....and I got the job.

this..... showed up for a job interview at walmart (back when i was 17) in a full suit. felt stupid for sure but got the job, then my next job at coca-cola i did the same but didnt feel stupid that time lol.


dress for success!

[BrandonR]

Tuxedo

[lowdime96]

I am in IT. I always wear suits to job interviews. Might as well look your best. Hell I love the opportunity to put on my suit! Makes me feel important.

[556mm]

I'm with everyone else on the suit.

[Connnnor]

I just finished a networking seminar class in college heading towards a degree in Computer Networking, so in the IT department. The class focused on interviewing and building relationships with people. We were told just that, dress for the job you want. Typically a nice pair of khakis or slacks. At the least a polo tee, if not a button up one with a tie. No need for niice dress shoes, but something nicer and cleaner than your everyday shoe.

I have some handouts based on good interview questions. If you want I could tell you some or link you to the website for them.

[Got-20z]

I work in IT and I've never worn a suit and all of that shit to an interview. I've always had pretty good luck just looking clean cut with khakis, brown dress style shoes and a nice button up (long sleeved) shirt.

[beandip]

Quote: Originally Posted by lowdime96

Makes me feel important.

yup, then you slowly get out of your fancy lowered truck, put on some sunglasses, and walk inside in slow motion.... like a bauss.

[scuffy]

Quote: Originally Posted by BrandonR

Tuxedo

[Geat]

If you can too ask people who have went to the interviews. Also if you know who will be interviewing you stalk the shit out of them. Find out their hobbies etc. and bring them up in the interview.

[pwtr02ss]

Quote: Originally Posted by southernrock20

Biggest reason why I get jobs I go after:

how many jobs you had? lol

[91sonomast]

I'm entering into the white collar world and as far as I have seen a suit is expected, I don't wear ties, I never wear ties, although if I could find a badass bowtie I would wear one. I got a black suit with dark gray pinstripes, and a dark subtle orange button up shirt to wear underneath, decent shoes, black socks. Like stated, be effective and brief. I interviewed for 4 internships and only got a callback on one, they were only people I felt comfortable with, they talked, they laughed, and joked. The other 3 it was like being questioned at the police station. Two people across from me, staring me down, not even so much as began to crack a smile about anything, I sit through a 45 minute interview where not one did they get light-hearted or remotely.......happy. I'm glad I didn't get those jobs I wouldn't have been comfortable. In saying that, loosen up, relax before you go in, google interview questions for your job field(you will seriously find some very good questions to expect, or at least I have in my experiences). I was blind-sided my first interview, "tell me about a situation where you and a previous boss didn't see eye-to-eye on a idea, how did you handle it and what was the outcome?" Every interview I went to after that, that question was asked, that's a hard one to explain in a pinch.

[comics22]

Quote: Originally Posted by beandip

yup, then you slowly get out of your fancy lowered truck, put on some sunglasses, and walk inside in slow motion.... like a bauss.

speaking of vehicle you drive... i applied and got a blue collar job i went all out in the khaki dress pants (NOT CARGO pants) blue white stripped shirt, tie, and blue blazer with nice brown shoes and belt (make sure the belt color matches the shoes), rollin up to meet the guy in a nearby hardees parking lot to "carpool" with the guy i was interviewing with . well when your sitting there waiting in a chevette and the guy on the phone says you'll be in a what??! i told him again a chevette you cant miss it. haha car and my dress attire got me the job. He said alot of other people showed up in T shirts and if i can keep a 30 year old chevette on the road i can do machine maintenance

a letter of recommendation goes a long way too from a school professor (on school letterhead) or letter from past boss/supervisor (on company letterhead or at least typed and signed with contact info) goes a long way too.

think of this as going near a bees nest - your nervous about them and what they think of you and thier nervous about having some weirdo come into thier company.

oh and dont be all fidgety and keep your hands out of your pockets haha and dont have that gob of keys bulging through your pocket and leave your phone in the car!!!


oh and always ALWAYS have at least 5 copies of your resume in a nice leather binder or something professional that you can bring , take notes on what they say, write down questions as your waiting on your scratch pad in your binder, have at least 3 pens(nice pens or even simple BIC ones not ones you just swiped from other jobs/bank accross the street) incase they need one too (shows your prepared)

i dunno i wish interviews werent so formal and worrysome haha BUT its like your a used car and tryign to sell yourself to someone...


and yes plenty of oddball questions like: where do you see yourself in 5 years, whats your greatest accomplishment, whats your best attribute, whats your worst (a great response is time management, take the negative spin it positive like well i would say my worst attribute would be time management because i find myself getting deeply involved and focused in what im working in i loose track of time.) uhh what are your goals in life, what skills do you have that make you a good canadate for this position? They will ask redundant questions or things off your resume so know your resume like the back of your hand. Know dates, GPA's, any and all certificates you received, any awards that are relavent to this job etc

for those really high up interviews they start asking those "brain teaser questions with no answer" like how many quarters does it take to make a stack the height of the empire state building? they ask dumb things like that to see your thought process: do you not even try and say i dont know, or do you find out all the info you can before giving an answer like asking is wind a variable or are the quarters assumed to be all the exact same thickness (it varys especially between old vs new worn vs old) is this a single stack or a 3d stack? the only "answer" to this so are they stacked flat or end to end?

[dt99sls]

I have never worn a suit to work or to an interview. A nice pair of khakis, dress shoes or nice looking casual shoes and a nice long sleeve shirt work for me.

I agree with finding out anything you can about the company. Will show that you are interested in them and were prepared for the interview.

If I know I am going to be interviewed by a group of people I will take multiple resumes to pass out for them to look at during the interview.

Biggest thing is to be yourself and confident. Tell them how you can help out their company.

Like if they ask you a question like what would you do if your department manager asked you to do something you weren't sure you could do. I said I would look into what I had done in the past and use my resources to see if it was similar to something I know how to do or if I can find out how to do it.

[mister880]

went to one interview yesterday, it was alot more relaxed then i thought for sure.. i dressed in a full suit. the guys interviewing me, one was in a sweater, the other one had a polo shirt on and khakis. hah.

the interview went great though, we made some small talk and all that. i asked about employee morale. he stated that him and his employees have modern warfare parties. i kind of looked dumb founded on that one. he asked if i played alot of video games - i was like no, not really. after the interview, he asked what sites i go to when i'm not working. i was like "s10forum" and "gmtruckhq". he was like "what is that". i simply stated, truck forums. right away he looked to the other guy and said "i'm going to get along with this guy, although i can see the gm and ford arguments happening.

later on that afternoon the recruiter called and stated she is pretty sure i have the job, they have one more interview tomorrow they have scheduled but they want to hire me.

i have another interview this morning for a job back at Navair, and then on tuesday i have 2 interviews scheduled as well. one at the public school system managing there IT production and another as a helpdesk agent at a small organization.

[southernrock20]

Quote: Originally Posted by pwtr02ss

how many jobs you had? lol

Its not the amount of jobs but the quality of jobs that Ive had. And since 2004, I think Ive had 5 or so and now im at Boeing, so Id say im doing something right

[mister880]

out of the 4 interviews i've had these past 2 weeks, i have gotten a call back on 1 - and i have the job. waiting on my background check until they can release the official start date.

i have one more this afternoon, which i think it will go well - hopefully it does. it's real close to home as it's only 4 miles from my house if that.

[oh so slow]

A tuxedo t-shirt. Because it says I want to be formal, but I'm here to party.

[leprechaun1874]

Quote: Originally Posted by heeter_33

Its always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

This. But you can never really over dress for an interview. Good luck.