I’m in the running for a transfer within the IT department where I’m currenlty employed, and I’m told I’m a strong contender. The interviews will be on Tuesday, but I can’t for the life of me decide how I should dress for this thing. We’re a typical L.A. casual company, where most of the guys wear Dockers type pants Monday through Thursday, then Friday is completely casual and almost everyone wears jeans.
Usually I wear jean-styled corduroy pants as they seem to fit me better than Dockers. But should I dress up a little for this interview? If so, how do I do that without letting anyone know what I’ve got going on? My boss does know, but my co-worker does not, and I don’t want her to have an inkling of what’s happening until and unless I get the transfer. We’re in a bitch of a job now, and I feel that by dressing up for the interview I’d be donning festive raiment and angel wings in the hopes of getting out.
I always dress for interviews, suit/tie and all that good stuff. I was in a similar situation as you describe the last time I did an internal interview, so I brought things to change into and that way my co-workers didn’t see me in the suit.
Don’t dress up. Business casual is the preferred dress code for all interviews now, internal or external - well unless you’re interviewing for a VP or CEO position perhaps. I’ve interviewed people for management and director positions and casual pants and a golf shirt are just fine.
I’d dress carefully, and the upper level of how I dress when coming in normally for work every day. If you don’t want your co-worker to know, you could bring in a tie, and only put it on when you go for the interview. But dressing up a bit:
(1) shows you care about the interview and getting the job; and
(2) prevents the possibility of one of the interviewers marking you down for dressing too informally.
There is always the “oh, funeral - no no one close to me but one of those things where I should go” excuse if anyone says anything about looking particularly spiffy.
(My last internal interview was a phone interview. I can’t remember if I dressed up. I’d never met my boss until I flew out after I was hired.)
Are you kidding me? I’ve traveled on business from here to Taiwan, to The Philippines, to the UK, to the U.S. to Malaysia, to… well, anyway business casual is most definitely the preferred attire: even for interviews. And especially internal interviews.
No, I agree with you about a suit for internal interviews. I think SofP’s approach is fine.
For external interviews, there is no way I would walk into one in a golf shirt and khakis, and I don’t think I’d take someone who did seriously. FTR, I’ve done about 12-15 external interviews of people applying with my company in the last 6 weeks or so, and no one dressed in business casual, even though that is the dress code for the company.
If the interview is with someone who sees you around the office on a regular basis, I think it would be weird for you to show up wearing a suit on interview day. But then, I’m not a manager, so I can’t really tell you how a manager brain works.
My last interview was with a manager I already worked for, but it was just a higher level position. She told me she appreciated that I dressed up for it and she felt it showed that I took the matter seriously. YM+M(mileage and manger)MV
Chiming in to say HUH? I’m not at any kind of high-powered corporate place or anything, but business casual for an external interview? Nah. And we’re pretty darn casual up here. I’m not saying I’d wear a banker’s conservative suit, but I would dress a lot differently from how I do for work. Skirt or dressy trrousers with a coat or at least a very nice twinset.
I made the mistake of going to see The Nanny Diaries and she goes to interview at Goldman Sachs in a suit with untucked shirt, anklet socks and flat shoes. It was very unsettling to watch.
I’ve interviewed twice for internal positions and both times I dressed “up.” If you were coming in from the outside, you’d dress up. Just because the guy interviewing you has bumped into you in the break room doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dress for the occasion.
Another vote for dressing up. Maybe not full suit and tie but definitely smarter than your everyday wear.
Your co-worker may not even notice or, if they do, I’m sure you can up with some ‘immediately after work’ activity that would require a higher standard of dress.
I think, that as a rule, you should wear the same kind of clothes to the interview as you would to the job for which you are applying. (assuming, of course that you wouldn’t wear any sort of special protection clothing or something to work).
So, if you would wear a tie to the job if you get it, then wear a tie to the interview, etc.
I wear khakis, tailored tee shirt and Birks to work. No way would I wear that on an interview for an equivalent job. Dressing up shows respect for the process.