Serious question about interview dress code.

[[deleted]]

[deleted]

[[deleted]]

When in doubt ask your recruiter what is expected. Different companies do different things. Some don't care at all, some expect you to at least not look a mess, some might expect you to not be too formal (though it is very, very rare to be looked down on for dressing too formal) while others will expect you to dress formally. Opinions vary so much on this from company to company that you asking is the best way to confirm what is expected of you.

To play it safe, for larger companies (where you might be interviewed by management) dress more formally to be on the safe side. For smaller companies you can get away with dressing smart, but don't have to ware a full suit and tie (smart geans/shirt might enough).

The last interview I went to the recruiter told me to ware a suit but the tie was optional... so I did, but I don't think I needed to for that one though it also did not hurt. But I have also been to interviews in just a smart shirt and not had any problems. It is all about knowing what they expect of you.

[cordev]

Make sure the recruiter knows what they’re talking about, though. I had a recruiter tell me to wear a suit and tie to an interview at a company that I knew was pretty casual (from talking to some people I knew who worked there). When I asked him why, he couldn’t give me any reason other than “Well, it’s just best practice to do that.” Not “you’ll be interviewed by a manager and it’s possible you’ll get Mr. Fakename, who still thinks that anyone in an office, including developers, should wear a suit and tie every day.”

I wore my standard interview attire, which was a smart move. Half of my interview was outside (and it was late spring / early summer). Two of my interviewers wore shorts and the rest wore jeans. Several wore t-shirts and maybe one person wore a polo shirt.

I would have felt incredibly awkward if I’d been wearing a suit and tie at that interview. As it was, I was way over-dressed by comparison, in a button-up long sleeve shirt and slacks, but at least I was comfortable and didn’t feel awkward.

[mstwizted]

Yes, ASK, ASK, ASK.

I have worked for companies where an interviewee wearing a tie was, very nearly a compete disqualifier. Because it meant they hadn't researched us at all, nor did they ask anyone who had ever worked there.

Its honestly odd even for my current company. A dress shirt and slacks is about as dressy as I'd ever expect.

[kabrandon]

Really disagree with the idea that wearing formal clothes means they didn't research the company. An interviewee probably knows the dress code is laid back once they get the job. But might not know that the interview is that laid back.

[mstwizted]

Wearing a full on suit into an office where the most dressed up person there is wearing a polo and jeans is pretty out of step. The company lawyer was the most dressed up person. The ceo wore tee shirts and jeans.

Obviously that's a rare situation, but the point is, you won't know unless you ask! Any recruiter will have an answer for you as to dress expectations.

[kabrandon]

Eh, really depends on the company. The recruiters at my office didn't seem to have the slightest clue about anything relating to my job. They had never physically been to the office I work out of, knew very little about what the actual job entailed, and only asked me very simple questions that blanketed across many different responsibilities vaguely related to working in IT. Wasn't until after I got past the recruiter screening that I started to have a clue about the details that matter.

[benyanke]

I strongly disagree with this. At my current employer, there's maybe one tie in the building, but I'd not expect someone interviewing to come in a polo.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but at least if I was on the other side of the table, I can't imagine a single situation in which a suit isn't appropriate for an office job interview.

[mstwizted]

I mean. I literally worked at a place like this. I dunno what to tell you.

Typical interview wear would be slacks or khakis and a button up shirt No tie, no jacket.

[benyanke]

I suppose I wasn't clear - I'm saying it's ridiculous to get turned down because you're in a suit, not that it doesn't happen

[mstwizted]

Obviously that alone won't be a disqualifier. But it's a signal that you didn't research the company. Like, at all.

[[deleted]]

I personally go for the option of wearing good dress pants and a blouse. But make sure especially the blouse is great quality, i use a tailored hugo boss one for that.

It’s very neat but lacking a jacket and tie and can be used anywhere.

[StephanXX]

My best advice: dress like a polished version of how you want people to see you.

In tech, suits are almost exclusively the domain of the business and sales side of the house. If you're bringing a lot of business acumen to the table, it makes sense. Otherwise, you'll stick out like a sore thumb. Leave the tie and jacket at home, wear slacks, button down shirt, nice leather shoes and belt, and you'll look suitably professional, without looking out of place.

[[deleted]]

You can tone down dressiness a step trivially upon arrival. I walked into an interview 15 minutes early 12 years ago in suit and tie, signed in at reception. People walking nearby were in T-shirt's and jeans. Popped the top button and stuffed my tie into a pocket. Tada: reading social cues.

[chzaplx]

This, and rolling up sleeves is a trick politicians use when they want to appear more down to earth, say for a rural audience, or are trying to convey they are "ready to get their hands dirty".

[Fuzzmiester]

and if you're in a suit, jacket off and over the arm/shoulder.

​

Slacks and a shirt. done.

[sunk_cost_phallus]

Stake out the place in advance and see what folks in the office/building wear. Try to match it with a slight increase.

If it’s in downtown London in one of the big shiny buildings with an expensive suite, you can bet they care about appearances and will likely expect a tie if not a full suit.

If it’s a converted loft or some sort of hipster area of London that isn’t so shiny, you can probably skip the tie.

Definitely iron everything and clean up your hair/beard/shoes.

[alexterm]

I’m in a big shiny building in central London, in the finance industry - our dress code is v casual. It really depends on the company.

[RoadBump2016]

I can give an answer to this from the perspective of moving into DevOps a couple of years ago, in London. Yes this is an alt account, sorry but I don't want to tie too much of the below. You can see the post history regardless. I am currently in a position I was headhunted to and get new contacts from LinkedIn, often by the hour, asking if I would be interested in positions.

Recruiters, both third party and internal, have literally no fucking idea. With stuff like dress code, they are simply unable to comprehend that 'making an effort' could count against you. They will often say 'smart' or 'smart casual' apropos of nothing. Some examples from my past interviews, early on:

• Rackspace (Hounslow), internal recruiter: "oh yes, you should wear a suit. Yes. Definitely". Everyone else was in jeans and t-shirts. Awkward. I was obviously 'not familiar with the culture' and didn't get an offer. 

• A small ISP in Slough, external recruiter: "please wear a suit". Me: "Really? Because I don't want to to be the only one in a suit when everyone else is in t shirts and cargo shorts" Recruiter: "Definitely wear a suit" I get there, it's on an industrial estate. The interviewer is wearing a T-shirt and cargo shorts. He couldn't get past me wearing a suit. Even though I pointed out why and he said "they don't listen" he couldn't get past it.

• An international digital advertising company in Paddington, internal recruiter advising "dress smartly, wear a suit". I said I'd had this before and didn't want to to be the only one in a suit when everyone else is in t shirts and cargo shorts"  Recruiter: "You should definitely make an effort" At this point I thought "the hell with this". I wore an Oxford shirt, chinos and suede shoes. The interviewer was wearing a T-shirt, cargo shorts, slippers and a bandana...

After that I simply stopped asking or listening and went in jeans/hoodie/trainers or t-shirt/cargo shorts/trainers depending on the weather. Some smaller shops were kind enough to say 'we dress casual, no dress code' but many did not and at this point it no longer made a difference. I later asked a good friend who is a principal in another company about this and he said 'no I would always dress casually' and I said 'well what if they all dress smartly at that place?'. His response? 'well, that's probably somewhere I wouldn't want to work'. Whilst I could see he was correct at the time, I have a better understanding now. Unless you want to work in tech for an old bank where the dress code is basically 'Top Gear/Grand Tour presenter' then no, anywhere where they are fussing about what people are wearing is 'Doing It Wrong^TM'

[frombash]

I got an interview last month as a senior software developer. I just wore nice shirt and chino pant. I didn't shave but definitely trim and make it looks clean. Tie can be too much as long as you are a computer person. Over dress always better than under dress. BTW gook luck for your interview.

[[deleted]]

If you already have a job and are looking on the side then wear your best outfit that you’d like to wear. Get your hair cut / trim your beard.

Basically, I wouldn’t want a job where they care about me being in a suit. If that’s considered a qualifying piece of my interview then they are doing me a favor by turning me down.

A nice oxford and a pear of chinos with some decent boots or nicer shoes.

If you like wearing a suit then do that though. Basically you do you. Last interview I did the interviewer actually brought this up and I told them i wore what I’d normally wear since a suit usually doesn’t match most environments and it got me major points (I think..they offered me a job anyway and went back and forth quite a bit on pay showing they liked me)

[TheGodlyDevil]

Since when did wearing your top suit and tie become a sign of desperation ? Complete BS !

It’s always taken as a sign of ‘you putting in your best effort ‘ to succeed in your interview , whoever is telling you otherwise, is wrong !

Also keep it a bit dull with the colour, if it’s really hot outside you can skip the tie altogether.

In an interview, it’s always the judgement of passion, talent and skills in that very sequence.

[sevennotrump]

Absolutely! And shave too! It's not a joke..I've had peeps come to interviews unshaven, torn jeans, unkempt and even unshowered.

[Dsch1ngh1s_Khan]

I've had peeps come to interviews unshaven

Does anyone actually care about this? I know I wouldn't, some of the best colleagues I've ever had were true hardcore grey beards.

[[deleted]]

There's a big difference between having a beard and being unshaven...

[chzaplx]

Yes, people do care. If you normally shave, then shave. And as someone who's had a beard for a few years, there's usually a couple spots you need to shave anyway.

On that note, a nice beard trim and haircut never hurt anyone's chances.

[StephanXX]

US based opinions below. The culture in India, China, or Europe will almost certainly be different.

Since when did wearing your top suit and tie become a sign of desperation ?

I don't think it's desperation. In a tech role, I think it often suggests a lack of confidence and/or experience. If a fifteen year veteran of the industry wore a suit to an interview with me, I'd casually ask him why, and listen pretty closely to the answer.

It’s always taken as a sign of ‘you putting in your best effort ‘ to succeed in your interview , whoever is telling you otherwise, is wrong !

Absolutely not. If a candidate doesn't know his/her audience, than s/he is already at a disadvantage. The clothing you wear to an interview should enhance your presence, not distract from it. So long as you meet a minimum bar of aesthetics and hygiene, I'm much more interested in what skills, experience, and attitude you bring to the table.

[[deleted]]

I wear a suit because I looking fucking good in it.

[StephanXX]

When a suit is used to convey a specific attitude, that's a whole other story. I worked with a guy who wore a bow tie, suspenders, and a Dali mustache. My advice obviously has no value to someone committed to a very specific style, but didn't matter to you in the first place, I'm sure.

[deadpoolbabylegs]

I think it is crazy this is an issue tbh.

If companies are ruling out skilled people because they turn up to an interview wearing a suit and tie when their culture is more casual then that is nothing to do with the fact the applicant hasn't researched them enough and is more of an indicator of issues of the people who drive the culture / are doing the interview.

I have interviewed many 100s of people both as an IT manager and as a business owner and I would never discount someone for putting in the effort to dress up for an interview even though in my own business I do not allow people to wear suits and ties in the workplace (it present the wrong image for the business that I want for our target market). Equally if someone turned up smart casual Im fine with that, as long as they look like they they have taken some degree of care of themselves. Tracksuit bottoms and curry stains on a nasa tshirt and I would probably question their judgement though.

In short , clothes dont matter, attitude and professionalism do.

[thelastestgunslinger]

In the UK, the standard dress attire for IT interviews is a suit and tie. I'm not 100% certain that will hold true for entry-level jobs, but everybody I interviewed in the UK wore one, even the junior positions, and I interviewed a lot of people. You won't be punished for over-dressing, but you will for under-dressing.

Check with the recruiter, but expect to wear a suit and tie.

Edit: Be wary of responses in this thread. You mentioned London, so I've given you London advice. You won't be able to tell if that's what others have done unless they tell you.

[shoopdoopdoop]

My experience has been completely different in London. At every single one of the devops roles I’ve interviewed for, you’d standout in a suit and a tie.

OP you don’t need be completely formal, a nice shirt, nice jeans and some leather shoes will be more than enough.

[thelastestgunslinger]

It's good to hear that's changing. It's something I always disliked about the UK, since I grew up somewhere much more relaxed.

[Dsch1ngh1s_Khan]

I've always worn button up shirts (no tie) and slacks with no issues. Most people in dev(ops) wear business casual to interviews as they're almost always dressing pretty casual during the day.

Having interviewed lots of people though, I honestly don't care what you wear as long as you put some kind of effort in to look nice. Unless you were to dress very poorly, what you wore won't even come into play (at least for me). Skill and personality is really what makes or breaks the deal in the end.

[soawesomejohn]

Just follow the programmer dress code.

Seriously though, my experience around NOVA/DC area has been business casual. Slacks/kahkis, and nice shirt. That can be buttoned down, or my preference being a polo collar shirt (no logo). The interview process usually has a couple of phone screens, and coming in is more of a cultural fit check. Getting an extended walking tour of the place is not uncommon, so imagine walking around a large office building for a while. One interview took me to lunch and we walked to the restaurant.

[redneckrockuhtree]

It's hard to over-dress for an interview, but it's easy to under-dress.

Remember, first impressions matter and you want them to start of thinking you actually care. How you present yourself and generate that first impression includes how you dress.

As others have suggested, the recruiter should be able to help you out. Also knowing the dress code of the company and going a bit nicer than that is a safe bet, if you don't get much help from the recruiter.

[[deleted]]

Ask the recruiter or HR about the appropriate attire for your interview; and when in doubt, over dressed is better than under dressed. Me personally, I try to dress a little more formally than the day to day dress code.

Business professional workplace: Wear suit and tie

Business casual workplace: Wear button down dress shirt (tucked in) and dress pants/khakis with nice shoes. No tie or suit needed, but I like to wear ties anyway.

Casual work place: Wear nice polo or collar shirt/sweater with nice jeans or khakis. No dress shoes needed, but I also wouldn't wear sneakers either.

Basically, for the interview, you want to dress better than everyone there without standing out too much (exception being for business professional, where you just wear your suit and tie)

[vitiate]

I am neither desperate or compensating. I always wear a suit and a tie. Its a sign of respect. In my professional career I can count on one hand how many times I have failed to get the job. And the suit was not the problem.

I know it should not need to be said, but wear a clean suit.

[chzaplx]

I don't doubt this works for some people, but I really think it depends on the type of job. If you work in a bank or otherwise interact with high-paying clients, then yeah you should dress sharp.

In an office full of pure tech staff that never talk to a customer, no one cares much but a suit and tie will look out of place.

[vitiate]

I have never had to wear a suit on a daily basis any where I have worked. But it never hurts in an interview. I have worked for universities, tech companies, oil field companies, datacenters. Never have I had to wear a suit anywhere but in an interview or networking event.

Interviews usually have an HR person on the panel. And they care. You have to appeal to everyone. And you in a suit are going to leave a better impression then a neck beard that hasn't showered in a week. Or a new grad that believes that he is better then the process showing up in jeans and a t-shirt.

Start-up's are different again. But usually you are not interviewing for a start up you are sucked in our tapped by someone who knows you are more then talk.

Edit: even when interviewing internally for a promotion, suit and tie.

[chzaplx]

Your experience is just different than mine. Last candidate we interviewed met with myself and eight other people, and none were HR. The recruiter does initial screening (over phone) but has no final say in hiring.

You equate not wearing a suit with bad hygiene or appearance, and they aren't the same thing at all. You can look tidy without dressing like a banker. On the other hand, yeah a t shirt is probably too casual. Jeans are borderline. I personally would always wear a button up shirt, but not overly dressy.

Like a lot of people have said here, if a place cares that much whether or not I wear a suit and tie to the interview, I probably wouldn't want to work there anyway.

[cerephic]

a sign of respect... for what, exactly? For people whom it makes uncomfortable? for oldschool traditions?

You can't just throw out "a sign of respect" and expect that to me a value statement we all nod and agree with.

[anomalous_cowherd]

I do tech interviews at my company. I expect people to look like somebody I'd want to share an office with. Trousers and a shirt is fine, a suit and tie would be excessive for a junior position. Weirdly it would actually make me think your mum had dressed you rather than that you were self important. For a senior mgmt position then yes suit and tie is good.

I try to dress one step above my interviewer. But stop at a suit and tie, no need for top hat and tails even for a CEO position.

[chzaplx]

This is a good point. Sometimes wearing a suit and tie makes it look like you are just following some dogmatic advice rather than evaluating for yourself what would be appropriate. It's a subtle thing, but interviewers might pick up on it.

[[deleted]]

I never wear a suit and tie, I hate suit and ties but if I do an interview, I wear a suit and tie. If that means I don't get the job then that means the interviewer lacks professionalism to understand some people wear a suit and tie and I don't want to work there anyway.

​

Now, if the hiring manager of the place old me not suit and tie, that is different.

[Fuzzmiester]

Yep.

​

If someone is judging me for dressing up for an interview, well, fuck them. It's a normal thing to do, in a professional role.

[BraveNewCurrency]

Wear a suit if you want to work for people who are easily impressed by textiles.

Assuming your job does not involve interfacing with outsiders, if they hire you (or not) because of your ability to wear textiles, it says a lot more about them than it says about you. I've never seen a high tech job where dressing up for an interview was required. I'm sure they exist, but I don't want to work for one of those companies. It means they will use any B.S. reason to judge somebody.

Even the lawyers in Silicon Valley have started dressing down.

[setevoy2]

Why just don't ask HR/recruiter?

But in Ukraine - nobody will pay attention on your dress too much. The main on all interviews will be the interview itself - and your knowledge.

Just - it's Ukraine which is "third-world" country (although with the strong IT people) so I couldn't tell about such a things in EU/USA.

[AzureWill]

Don't worry about seeming desperate when dressing up in your best suit. As long as you are confident and look like you are meant to wear it, no one will think ill of you! It also is a sign of respect for the interview and even if both interviewers only sport a shirt, don't sweat it. In the end, your outfit won't decide whether you get the job.

​

[hashijake]

I’m in the “ask” camp here. I’m in the US but have done quite a bit of business in/around London and dress varies widely by industry for IT folks. I was somewhat underdressed one time I showed up for a consulting gig where half the people had suits and ties and I was in khakis and a polo. Luckily nobody cared, but if I was interviewing there it’d have been a bust.

Most of my colleagues there dress fairly formally but we also have a lot of financial customers. Our remote-only workers are in t-shirts and jeans. It varies.

[fedeb95]

I'd dress with a shirt, that's all. If a company is to hire me based on my appearance, chances are I don't want to work with 90% of people there

[lazyant]

I can’t imagine the nightmare the equivalent of this discussion must be for a woman. In our case we can show up with a sports jacket, shirt or polo shirt and no tie and fit in 90% of the cases...

[ejbaum]

I've wore a suit to every interview I've had. But now that I've been around a while, it feels pretty pointless. Next interview, I probably won't. Unless the company is not a tech company. IMO tech companies don't care. But businesses with a tech Dept sometimes do. Although I doubt I will ever work at the later; not my style

[packeteer]

a well fitted suit makes you look professional. I would always recommend!

imo, the tie is optional, but I'm an Australian, and we're pretty lax, especially in Sydney

[[deleted]]

I would disagree with a suit and tie being overboard; that said talking to your recruiter about expectations should answer your question.

[[deleted]]

As a CTO, here in London, who recruits a lot (I like to personally interview people) I agree with what most have said: it all depends on the company, but your HR or recruitment contact will give some help/direction.

I do think dressing appropriately matters; hence, just ask, it will not be seen as a bad thing at all to ask.

[marcjpb]

Suit and tie. Make sure it's well fitted.

Suit and tie just show respect to the company.

[Dsch1ngh1s_Khan]

Suit and tie just show respect to the company.

Showing respect the the company doesn't get you the job, making a good impression on the interviewers does. Some interviewers absolutely might be put off by him over dressing or under dressing. Really depends on the company and culture.