Second: Next week I have a second interview at a company where I REALLY want the job. I’ve always been told that it is imperitive, no matter what, to wear your best suit to an interview, even if it’s at McDonalds. Even if they say ‘we’re business casual’.
I hate this. My suits are crappy and boxy and I feel extremely uncomfortable in them. Also, I’m out of work so I can’t jaunt out and buy a new one.
When I was there last week for my FIRST interview, I wore a simple black suit and noticed I was the only one in the office doing so. it was a very young, energetic, telecom solutions company, twenty somethings. They said they want someone energetic, cheerful, creative and funny for the job.
Is it ok on Tuesday if I wear a nice beige pencil skirt and a red button down shirt with heels? Or is the suit absolutely mandatory?
I’d say stick with the suit. Make sure it is cleaned and pressed, and brighten up the otherwise conservative appearance with some nice jewelry. Once you get the job, you can dress like the other worker bees. Better yet, dress like your boss. Your personality and demeanor are what should be “energetic, cheerful, creative and funny,” not your clothes for an interview.
The problem is with suit jackets, to get one big enough to go over my boobs, it’s go to be a size too big everywhere else…so I hate how I look in all suit coats.
Well. Now how am I supposed to answer after that line?
Suit. Even if you never wear it again at the office wear the suit to the interview. Unless you’re interviewing someplace unusual like a golf course (which I’ve done) wear the suit. If you don’t wear it you’re giving them something to comment upon in the after-interview discussion that will distract them from your qualifications.
Job interviews, other than for avant garde art galleries are a place for inherent conservatism.
I may get burned at the stake for heresy, but I’m going to say ditch the suit if you really don’t want to wear it and have something else suitable (Ha!) to wear.
Not saying you should wear cutoffs and flip flops, but I’ve always been told “one level above what you’d wear at the job day-to-day”.
Suits are mandatory for some interviews (banks, consultants, etc) or if you have no advanced information on the place or culture.
You’ve been there and seen the employees and culture. They want “energetic, cheerful, creative and funny for the job” then goddammit be energetic, cheerful, and funny. If you’ve made it to the second interview, you’ve passed the requirements and first impression test, they are now looking at who fits in with your potential coworkers the best. If they are casual and you are black tie, they might think “stuffy, uptight, no fun = no thanks”. Too, if you say your suits are boxy and crappy and make you feel uncomfortable, this will come across in your interactions. At this point, you need to wear something that makes you come across as confident, relaxed, and someone who would be tolerable to be around for 8-12 hours per day.
jarbabyj - I’ll go with jk. They’ve already seen you in a suit. They know you can dress the part, but that isn’t the office atmosphere. I’d say the beige skirt and red top short be fine, as long as you don’t look like you should be on a corner in fishnet stockings. (You know, skirt not too high, blouse not too low)
I am not an HR professional but I do manage to do lots of job interviews. I am a popular choice as an “independent” panel member and regularly sit on panels. The normal run of events is that immediately after the interview the panel members will have a chat and try to evaluate the person, so that you don’t have to think back to make comparisons. In all the post interview discussions, for dozens of jobs interviewing hundreds of people, do I ever recall anyone mentioning anything about the applicants appearance or dress.
jarbabyj, as a charter member of the big tits club, I have to have all my jackets tailored. Later, when you’ve got a little extra money with which you can part, get those jackets tailored! Find your tailor via word of mouth, if you can. If you know someone who has their clothes tailored and is about your size or at least your figure type, ask where she gets hers tailored and go there. There’s nothing worse than having your good clothes botched. Well, I’m sure there something worse, I just can’t think of it right now.
I truly don’t think you need to wear the suit, particularly given the environment you’re applying to work in. You’ve demonstrated that you take the opportunity seriously. Wearing the suit to the first interview was correct.
Now, you can demonstrate that you uunderstand the environment and would be a great fit in it – the rule for these types of interviews is becoming that you can dress one level above what you would wear in the everyday work environment. I think the outfit you’ve described would be perfect.
Let me answer your question with a little story. A few years ago, back when I was a Hiring Manager, I was interviewing candidates for a Graphic Artist position. I had three candidates of basically equal qualifications – any of them could have done the job very well and fit in with my team quite comfortably. (Usually those were the two main factors that got people tossed out of consideration.) My team had interviewed them with me as a group and we had a hard time trying to narrow it down to one. So, I asked them, "Which of these candidates would you feel most comfortable sending in to the CEO’s office to make a presentation as a representative of this team? Who do you think would most professionally communicate to a non-artist the ideas that our team want to implement?
Two candidates showed up in the equivalent of a nice skirt and blouse. I think one was male, and he was in khakis and a polo shirt (maybe button-down, but no tie).
My team chose the candidate who showed up in a jacket and tie. Not only did he present himself the most professionally out of the three (and we were in a very casual environment), but he stood up to present his portfolio to us and made a true presentation out of, “show us some examples of your work.” The other two candidates tossed some samples out on the table and talked about them in random order. Nobody knew which sample the candidate was referring to, not everyone saw all the samples – it was a disorganized mess.
We hired the guy who looked and acted the most professionally. Not that he looked or acted that way for one minute after he started working with us!
Second story: When I was interviewing for the job I have now, I knew I was a finalist competing against 3 or 4 other people. I bought a new portfolio and a new suit – and left myself plenty of time for alterations if needed. I planned and prepared for this interview as if it was the biggest deal in the world. I took a page out of my graphic artist’s book and when they asked to see samples of my work, I stood up and presented my portfolio to them, after passing out handouts (copies of published articles I’d written or edited) for each person on the hiring committee to keep. I did my nails. I bought new shoes (and walked in them for a couple days at work before going to the interview)
Hell, I wore makeup and jewelry. I’ve never looked as polished since.
My advice: if you really need a job and you really want this job, go in there with the mindset that you are the most professional, you are the most polished and you have more knowledge of the skills required than any other candidate. Take every action you can think of so those thoughts are true!
When I was offered this job, I was told by HR that, “You blew all the other candidates away.”
And, by the way, alterations are not that expensive. If you start making phone calls now, you might be able to find someone who can take a jacket today and have you in for fitting and pick up by Monday. You’re talking about a couple of darts, which for a good alteration shop, should take about 15 minutes. IIRC, you live in Chicago and probably have zillions of alterations shops available, but you immediately discounted the idea because you don’t really want to go through the hassle. Is that the decision of a “whatever it takes to get the job done” employee? (I bet it would be less than $20)
Since this is a second interview, you should make exerted effort to set yourself apart from the other bright, energetic, cheerful, creative and funny candidates.
But, hey, as my father used to say (still does): haul coal in your mouth if that’s what you want to do. No skin off my ass!
Good lord Dogzilla, cut me some slack for a second. It’s friday, I"m at work. The suit is at home, ten miles away. The weekend (read: shops closed) starts at 5:00. The interview is tuesday morning (I found out about it today).
I’ll wear the friggin’ suit for God’s sake.
I guess the real question is, why does a woman in a skirt and shirt and nice quality shoes read: not professional if she doesn’t have a jacket on?
cards: I’m trying to indicate that I’m SMART and NOT on drugs.
If I may throw my two cents in, I think the jacket is more professional because it adds a touch more formality than just simply a skirt and nice shirt. A skirt and nice shirt wouldn’t be remarkable at all during any given business day. I think the addition of a jacket sort of implies that you’re going the extra mile to impress the person interviewing you rather than going in looking like you would any other day at work. Just my theory, though.
However, for the future, be aware that alterations are one of those things that follow the “good, fast, cheap - pick any two” model to the T. You can get great alterations that really make you look fantastic for very cheap, if you don’t mind that they’re always late. Find the little alterations shop where you have to wade through a maze of clothes on three decades worth of hangers to get to the counter and then wait for the English-speaking daughter to come help you. Do not expect to see your jacket on time, however. It could happen, but don’t bet your interview on it.
I took a suit jacket in once to my neighborhood Korean lady (well, to the English speaking daughter, that is) that had to be taken in, and I mean taken in - I could have done darts by myself, but to look good this thing really needed its armholes redone and this and that and plus it was lined. They said a week. Three weeks later, I had my jacket back, beautifully fitted, 12 bucks. Couldn’t be more satisfied - but then, I didn’t need the thing immediately, either.
YMMV, but please don’t think that alterations have to be expensive. That 12 bucks made the difference between a nice jacket I’d never wear because it was too boxy and I didn’t like the way it looked on me and a great suit that I feel pretty good about wearing. It’s one of the cheapest best things you can do for your overall professional look.
Plus, you can often get your shoes fixed in the same place.
