# On site Interview- Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2001, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271 "2001-12-06T18:30:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kryptonite2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@kryptonite2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kryptonite2)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/1 "2001-12-06T18:30:25Z")
what do i wear to an on site interview with an engineering corp? (northrop grumman) tie? no-tie? the agenda is reception and dinner tonight with plant tour and interviews tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/2 "2001-12-06T18:32:58Z")
The general rule I’ve always followed is you interview in clothes that are a notch up from what you will be expected to wear every day. If your everyday “uniform” will consist of a jacket and tie, interview in a suit. If everyday will consist of shirt-sleeves, open collar, the least I’d interview in would be a sport coat and tie. ---
**Author:** ![kryptonite2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@kryptonite2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kryptonite2)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/3 "2001-12-06T18:42:13Z")
how about khakis and a blue shirt unbuttoned for the dinner and evening out? it says both days are “business casual” ---
**Author:** ![RGillen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/848f3c/32.png) [@RGillen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGillen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/4 "2001-12-06T19:11:56Z")
I recommend the tie. It sounds like there will be many applicants there and you want to look better than the rest. If you are the only one in a tie, you can always take it off and put it in your pocket. Good luck, Rob ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/5 "2001-12-06T19:13:44Z")
Oh, that’s different: they told you what to wear. Given the circumstances of a job-interview situation, I would interpret “business casual” to mean oxford shirt with button-down collar, khakis, good shoes, and a sport coat without arm patches (preferably a blazer). Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![kryptonite2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@kryptonite2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kryptonite2)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/6 "2001-12-06T19:35:50Z")
hmm don’t own a sports coat, so it looks like blue shit khakis and a tie! ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/7 "2001-12-06T19:40:43Z")
Never dress for the job you have; always dress for the job you want. Since you don’t own a sports jacket, I highly recommend you go out and get one. I hire people all the time and do take into consideration how much thought they’ve evidently put into what they wore that day. For an engineering firm, I would dress as professionally as possible. In fact, even if I was applying for a cashier position at Taco Bell, I’d still wear a suit to the interview. A clean, well-dressed, crisp and professional image always counts! If anyone who interviews you is a woman (WARNING! Sweeping Generalization/Stereotype coming up), then pay close attention to details: nails clean, shoes polished, etc. My belief is that women tend to pay closer attention to the tiny details, as they are so revealing. Whatever you do, make sure your socks match the rest of the outfit and you’ve flossed your teeth. Do not order anything at dinner which might end up: a) caught in your teeth or b) smeared all over your tie. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/8 "2001-12-06T19:51:19Z")
> [@](#): > > so it looks like blue shit khakis and a tie! Heh, I’d probably wear my good khakis, but it’s your interview. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2001, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/9 "2001-12-07T00:00:58Z")
The General Questions forum is for questions with factual answers. Since you’re seeking advice, I’ll move this thread to IMHO. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-site-interview-help/97271/10 "2002-03-23T22:04:10Z")
Large-sized yellow duck costume. Insist on genuine feathers - imitation just looks tacky. Your roller-blades should be state-of-the-art, as you don’t want to crash into anything without carefully appraising the comic potential beforehand. If you find yourself confronted with a _panel_ of interviewers, just tells them flat that it’s a bad interview technique, that they are bad people, and that you are leaving. Then just sit and stare at them until they all leave out of embarrassment. The office is now yours.