Professional dress attire for an interview. What would you wear?

Question

Professional dress attire for an interview. What would you wear?

Carl Uman

SSCommitted

Points: 1993
More actions
September 3, 2006 at 12:45 pm

#90361

Hi all,
I have an interview coming up and I got instructions to wear professional dress attire. Does this mean a full suit or just not jeans and t-shirt? What do you all usually wear to an interview for a DBA position? I'm considering khakis, dress shirt, and maybe a tie unless you all tell me to wear a full suit.
Thanks in advance

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 1

I think that the safest way to find out is to ask around in the company... maybe the secretary or even programmers. If you have the nerve you can always ask the interviewer himself. Just tell him that you want to fit in the requirements of the company and that you need more info on what proper attire is.

In my very first job, jeans, t-shirt and unshaven would have been ok... but I'm sure it wouldn't have worked on the last 2 jobs I got .

And if you're afraid to ask, I think you're better to be overdressed and scale down once you get the job than to try to salvage a wrong first impression.

Carl Carter-348574 Mr or Mrs. 500 Points: 571 More actions · Answer 2

Carl Carter-348574

Mr or Mrs. 500

Points: 571

September 4, 2006 at 2:37 am

#658272

I would say that mean's suited and booted imho.

Jeet SSCommitted Points: 1536 More actions · Answer 3

Personally I don't it matters what job you are applying for...Suited and booted always!!!

Thanks Jeet

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736063 More actions · Answer 4

The jacket might be optional, but you can't go wrong with it. Shirt and tie unless you've made inquiries already.

I always ask this in the telephone interview/pre-interview process to know. I'm not a suited guy, so I can usually stop things there if that's a requirement.

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 5

Amen!!.

No pay is worth looking like a penguin all year long .

George Hepworth Default port Points: 1423 More actions · Answer 6

Professional attire means suit and tie for men. For women it means nice dress slacks and blouse, suit, or a conservative dress.

Besides, what you wear to the interview is not the same thing you'll wear every day on the job. The point here is appropriateness. You wear what is appropriate for the situation.

Now, if the interviewer had told you not to BOTHER to dress professionally, would you consider that to be a sign the company is friendly, casual and cool, or would you consider that to be a sign the company is so poorly managed that working there would be a blot on your resume?

That is just my 2 cents.

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 7

I personally think that we put way too much imoprtance on the looks in society in general... so why should it be any different there... Would the interviewer really care that much that I am not looking that good if he knew I were the guy for the job??

On the other hand I understand that when you go meet with clients of the company that you have to project a certain image...

Carl Uman SSCommitted Points: 1993 More actions · Answer 8

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to ask. I'm sure suits are not required at this work place so that is not a concern for me

Thanks for all the opinions. I was just going to were the suit but I don't have to I don't want to.

George Hepworth Default port Points: 1423 More actions · Answer 9

It's not a matter of looks, it's a matter of attitude.

If I were the interviewer, part of the decision as to whether you are the guy for the job is how much effort you put into preparing for the interview--and that includes dressing appropriately for it. I know that you won't wear a suit and tie to work. I don't myself; not many people do any more. Simply not the point at all.

If you show up "not looking that good" for something as important as an interview in which you ask me to offer you a position of importance with my company, I am not likely to attribute a lot of motivation to you, and I'm going to look for someone else who does care. After all, my company is going to pay you a lot of money to manage an extremely important part of our business. There are usually lots and lots of highly qualified DBA's out there looking for work. If it were my responsibility to pick one from among the throng, one thing I'd look for as a differentiator would be the degree of respect you show my company by dressing appropriately.

homebrew01 SSC Guru Points: 55548 More actions · Answer 10

I don't then you should even ask them about what to wear on the interview. Then it sounds as if you're trying to get out of dressing up - cutting corners is not a good way to start the process. It's just ONE day ! When you're there, you'll see how people dress day-to-day.

When I interviewed for my current job many years ago, I wore a pretty formal suit, and was told for my second interview that I didn't have to get so dressed up, so I didn't.

On the other had ... way way back, I had a different interview when I was between residences and didn't have a suit close by so I went "casual". I heard later from the recruiter that I didn't get the job because of that. Maybe first impressions shouldn't count - but they do. I would only work in a place with a casual environment, but I think I'd view an interviewee as rather presumptuous if he came dressed like the rest of us.