How important is wearing a suit jacket for an interview?

[Herr Kutz]

I have an interview next Tuesday, and I'm thinking about not wearing a suit jacket. My suit pants don't look that great on me (comfortable, but a little too baggy for my liking). I have another pair of nice wool dress slacks that look much better imho. Unfortunately, my suit jacket does not go with the slacks.

Any advice?


If it changes anything, I've already been offered and accepted a position at another "company" which I will start on the 30th of July, so I don't technically need this job; I'm just looking for better offers.

Thanks.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Unless you are in an industry where a suit jacket is worn regularly the jacket is purely optional.

 

[Herr Kutz]

Unless you are in an industry where a suit jacket is worn regularly the jacket is purely optional.

Sorry, I should have mentioned it in the original post. The interview is with an engineering firm dealing mainly with power&oil industry.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Shirt and tie. Suit coat/jacket means nothing unless shooting for mid management or higher.

 

[Zeze]

Unless you are in an industry where a suit jacket is worn regularly the jacket is purely optional.

Shirt and tie. Suit coat/jacket means nothing unless shooting for mid management or higher.

Uh guys? Full-on jacket is pretty damn sexy and super professional. Every interview I've went on did just that, so did all my friends and other interviewees.

Are you in a different world?

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Uh guys? Full-on jacket is pretty damn sexy and super professional. Every interview I've went on did just that, so did all my friends and other interviewees.

Are you in a different world?

Again, it all depends on the industry. I work in the mining industry (very similar to oil and gas) and nobody other than *some* of the engineers and executives wear a tie on a regular basis. So yeah, I interviewed in a suit and was better dressed than everyone in the building, including the vp.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I have an interview next Tuesday, and I'm thinking about not wearing a suit jacket. My suit pants don't look that great on me (comfortable, but a little too baggy for my liking). I have another pair of nice wool dress slacks that look much better imho. Unfortunately, my suit jacket does not go with the slacks.

Any advice?


If it changes anything, I've already been offered and accepted a position at another "company" which I will start on the 30th of July, so I don't technically need this job; I'm just looking for better offers.

Thanks.

At least go buy some decent slacks that fit.

 

[DAGTA]

Better to show up over-dressed than under-dressed.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Better to show up over-dressed than under-dressed.

It's rather disconcerting to be better dressed than the interviewer.

 

[djnsmith7]

I wouldn't show up to an interview in anything other than a 2 or 3 piece suit & tie, shoes shined. Black leather portfolio in hand, with at least 8 copies of my resume on thick resume paper...But that's just me. And that's for each interview...you should always be prepared.

 

[her209]

I bet if you wore a cape, they'd definitely remember you and your interview.

 

[Skel]

It's rather disconcerting to be better dressed than the interviewer.

Not at all, he already has the job.

 

[her209]

Not at all, he already has the job.

No he has another job.

 

[DAGTA]

It's rather disconcerting to be better dressed than the interviewer.

In the past four years, I've probably interviewed roughly 100 people face to face. Showing up dressed up matters. I had a candidate show up in shorts and sandals once. He was older than me, had more experience on his resume than me, and might have been able to do the job, but he failed the interview right at that moment.

I've hired enough people to know that your hard job skills are only half of what matters. Attitude and personality are the other half. It doesn't matter if your hard skills are awesome if your soft skills are so bad that no one likes working with you. If your ego precedes you in the door, you're not going to make it on my team.

If you aren't willing to dress your best for the interview, you're probably unwilling to do your best in other ways on the job. It's a reflection of attitude.

 

[0roo0roo]

its also a reflection of ass covering by the interviewer. the guy with more experience and shorts and sandals might have been a bit of a misfit, but perhaps he can also think outside the box as well and you might have passed over an excellent employee. but since he might have not been, and you might have been called on not judging him for his early choice of clothing, its easier to just cover your ass on the issue and risk nothing

 

[Sea Moose]

Collared corporate style shirt. Tie optional. Leather shoes. Dark colored trousers.

Good luck! you can wear a suit jacket, but i wouldnt wear one without a tie and it depends on your local weather too. U dont want to be hot and sweaty

You gonna be nervous enough!


GOOOD LUCK!

 

[DAGTA]

its also a reflection of ass covering by the interviewer. the guy with more experience and shorts and sandals might have been a bit of a misfit, but perhaps he can also think outside the box as well and you might have passed over an excellent employee. but since he might have not been, and you might have been called on not judging him for his early choice of clothing, its easier to just cover your ass on the issue and risk nothing

I can't speak for other businesses, but where I work my budget is always kept tight. So, I always have to be very careful with how I spent the budget. I don't have room for slack on my team. Consider that recruiters charge a percentage of salary to fill a position (15% is common now), and it gets very expensive to hire the wrong person and have to replace him/her. Also, I very much dislike firing people. I'd rather be extremely picky up front than have to let someone go because they weren't the right person for the position.

I've been on both sides of the table many times. I know it's not comfortable but I also know what I need for my team and have learned, through mistakes, not to hire anyone that gives off any red-flag during the interview process. People are on their best behavior during the interview process. A red-flag there usually means big problems later.

 

[Siddhartha]

I have an interview next Tuesday, and I'm thinking about not wearing a suit jacket. My suit pants don't look that great on me (comfortable, but a little too baggy for my liking). I have another pair of nice wool dress slacks that look much better imho. Unfortunately, my suit jacket does not go with the slacks.

Any advice?


If it changes anything, I've already been offered and accepted a position at another "company" which I will start on the 30th of July, so I don't technically need this job; I'm just looking for better offers.

Thanks.

As a new hire for my old job, the company had a core of courses every one had to take. One of the courses talked about how to dress. The take home lesson was maybe someone like Albert Einstein could get away with not dressing to fit the corporate's culture. The story they told was how he wore house slippers to work.

But since most people are not special like Mr Einstein was. it was recommended to dressed like the CEO or the job you wanted after the first promotion.

For an interview, I would wear at least a sports jacket and matching pants. But I would definitely get the best suit I could afford. You can bet the people you are competing with for the job will do this.

 

[RbSX]

It's rather disconcerting to be better dressed than the interviewer.

I disagree - it shows you take things seriously.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I disagree - it shows you take things seriously.

I've got to agree here.

I've been on interviews where I didn't wear a jacket and I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with that, but I think if you're interviewing for a job you REALLY want, it doesn't hurt to wear a jacket. It shows you really take the opportunity seriously.

 

[her209]

I've got to agree here.

I've been on interviews where I didn't wear a jacket and I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with that, but I think if you're interviewing for a job you REALLY want, it doesn't hurt to wear a jacket. It shows you really take the opportunity seriously.

Kinda like going on a first date with a girl you really like and dressing up or dressing like a slob.

 

[alkemyst]

I'd wear a suit for any job I'd be going for today. Everytime I have been interviewed the other person was in a suit too even for the technical interviews with more than one person.

People that have showed up for even $40k/year positions without coat and tie were never taken seriously in any of the jobs I have been in and those that just came in in a 'nice polo' were pretty much quickly dismissed.

No one is going to fault you for wearing a suit to an interview, but many will fault less than that.

 

[KentState]

I would say suite and tie. Interestingly enough, for all the jobs I actually got, I have not worn a jacket to any of them for the interview.

 

[brianmanahan]

always do it, it cant hurt, but it CAN help. nothing to lose so wearing a suit is a no brainer.

 

[manimal]

I've been interviewing mechanics this week and one came in in a torn beer shirt and another came in overalls. In this heat!

Guy I really liked wore a Hawaiian shirt. Mechanics are a different breed....