RE: Question about dressing for job interv

[jgarison -at- ide -dot- com]

<frivolity>

This seems more of a male/female issue than I would have thought!

Maybe it's just that women have more options... For us guys, the basic
choices are:

 Shirt, no tie
 Shirt & tie
 Jacket, no tie
 Jacket & tie
 Suit

For women, the choices include all manner of basic outfit types, including,
but not limited to:
 Slacks
 Dress
 Skirt
 Pantsuit
 Suit

 Not to mention the accessories:
  Stockings (I assume that pantyhose are OK in lieu of real stockings, but
what about knee-highs?)
  High heels v. flats v. sandals v. boots v. open-toes 

And what about hair style - up or down? Amount of make up? Severe or frilly
blouse? And then there's the handbag - is a backpack ever appropriate
(especially if you're NOT riding a bicycle to the interview)? 

</frivolity>


I also agree that experience plays a role in what to wear. Having been in
software development almost exclusively for 27 years, I haven't worn a tie
to an interview in a long time, let alone a suit. I make it a point to ask
about the corporate dress 'code' when I set up an interview, and I dress
appropriately. Usually that means a pair of slacks (Docker-like), an ironed
shirt, and, if it's winter, a sweater. The goal is to know your audience and
be able to mix freely with them. However, I draw the line at wearing a
costume - even if it IS Halloween!

And Janice ... even in the conservative Boston area, slacks would be OK for
an interview at almost all software development companies. Not the banks or
financial institutions, though.

My 2¢,

John




-----Original Message-----
From: Janice Gelb [mailto:janiceg -at- marvin -dot- eng -dot- sun -dot- com]
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 2:59 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Question about dressing for job interv


In article 5070804 -at- axionet -dot- com, bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com (Bruce Byfield) writes:
>Secara, Maggie wrote:
>
>|Oddly enough, my resume and my
>|personal charm (and actual competance) has been of more importance than
>|looking like a rather rumpled accountant would have done.
>|
>You mean people actually judge you by ability? That will never catch on.
>
>Seriously, I think that, the more experience you have, the more leeway you
have in what you wear to interviews. If you have experience, a little
eccentricity is acceptable. In fact, at companies that lean towards the
artistic side, lack of eccentricity probably counts against you, suggesting
that you lack confidence in yourself. Of course, that doesn't mean dressing
like a bicycle courier, but it does mean that you don't need to be
conventionally formal.
>

I agree with this to a certain extent. I certainly obsessed 
more about what I was going to wear to an interview early 
in my career than I would now. 

Also, forgive me if someone has already mentioned this, but 
geographic location plays a big part in this decision, besides 
even what industry you're pursuing. On the East Coast, I would 
probably never wear pants to a first interview. Here on the 
West Coast, I always have (albeit pants with a businesslike 
top, or a coordinated pants outfit). OTOH, when I was briefly 
thinking of moving to Houston, the local recruiter was 
horrified when I told him I hadn't brought any dresses with me.



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