Interview tomorrow...

[destrekor]

So I have an interview tomorrow, of a possible three total this week, after a long stretch of nothing and being unemployed.

So, I need to make this work.

The one tomorrow is through a staffing agency, and it's for a tech support position that will be working close with a software development group.

I normally wear the typical slacks, long-sleeve dress shirt and tie, and also have a blue suit to break out if it feels appropriate.

Yet, on questioning the staffing agency about their attire and for an opinion on what this group would probably rather see, he basically said no tie. He said they are very casual, and if I understood him correctly, they basically wear business casual, perhaps loosely interpreted, based on what he has seen of them. In the end, he suggested khakis and a more casual button up, no tie.

Considering the whole fact that I very much need to walk away with an offer, I don't want to blow it. I hear West Coasters often very much loathe ties and expect more casual interview attire for any tech and software-related position, but this is Ohio.

Do I try and show I understand their culture and lean entirely on my skillset and win them over with my experience and attitude, or do I dress it up for the often expected show of respect?

 

[vi edit]

The recruiter wants to place you. He gets paid for it. I don't know why he'd mislead you in the appropriate attire there.

Just my take.

 

[dougp]

I refuse to go to an interview in anything but a suit, as I feel it's disrespectful to show up looking sloppy.

You should always dress how their C-level dresses.

 

[brianmanahan]

i always wear the suit. in CA maybe not, but here in OH for a white collar job, definitely.

i mainly do this because of an experience that a friend had. he heard a place was pretty casual for a white collar office (and also he hates suits), so he didnt wear one to the interview.

turns out they thought it was a big faux pas, and he learned this from another friend who worked there. they were like 'how can anyone do this and expect us to think that they want the job?'

in the end he didnt care, because he was interviewing elsewhere and got hired no problem. and the way my friend is, he would not want to work at a place as shallow as that (neither would i).

BUT, if you NEED the job, i would just wear the suit. imho there is less risk in dressing too fancy vs too casual.

 

[Platypus]

The recruiter wants to place you. He gets paid for it. I don't know why he'd mislead you in the appropriate attire there.

Just my take.

that's where I would land too, he wouldn't mislead you unless it's a really crappy agency and he doesn't like money for some reason.

some places are very picky about office culture and how well you mesh with others. I would listen to his advice in this case if he has a prior relationship with them

 

[drebo]

When I interviewed for my current position, my first interview was during the work day and I was currently employed, so I wore khakis and a polo shirt. My second interview, with the owners of the company, I wore a sport coat with no tie. Typical dress for almost everyone who works there is jeans and a polo.

With the exception of something like a tuxedo, it's very difficult to over-dress for a job interview.

 

[Tombstone1881]

Even if the dress code is shorts and a t-shirt, I still wear a tie for the interview.

 

[destrekor]

that's where I would land too, he wouldn't mislead you unless it's a really crappy agency and he doesn't like money for some reason.

some places are very picky about office culture and how well you mesh with others. I would listen to his advice in this case if he has a prior relationship with them

That's why I have been leaning toward following his advice.

I didn't once suspect that I was being mislead, rather, I just had a fear perhaps his read on their style was a little off.

That said, he has told me more than once that they very much are a small and close team that wants someone who will mesh well and become one of them. Some other descriptions have led me to believe his suggestion is the right one.

That being as unusual as it is here in the Midwest, I am afraid of committing a faux pas, and see it as possible to do whatever my decision.

 

[zerocool84]

The minimum I'd ever dress for any interview, even if it was McDonald's is a tie.

 

[T9D]

Well unless he's trying to get a friend or family member the job instead :sneaky:

 

[Ricemarine]

From being an interviewer myself at a software company in the west coast, the recruiter is right. A nice button shirt or sweater, khakis or black slacks, and a nice pair of shoes (oxfords are fine). Suits would be overdoing it for a software position.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Always wear a suit.

As my mom once said - You can't impress if you are the worst dressed in the room. Can't go wrong with a suit, and it shows respect for the potential employer IMO.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I refuse to go to an interview in anything but a suit, as I feel it's disrespectful to show up looking sloppy.

You should always dress how their C-level dresses.

I always do suit. Dress the for the pay that you want.

 

[zCypher]

Would you rather be underdressed or overdressed? If they have several applicants, all other things equal, don't you think being the one that cleaned up better would give you an edge? I wear a suit to interviews, even if the workplace is very casual. So far I have done very well in my interviews. I wear shorts and t-shirt or jeans and t-shirt 99% of the time at work. But I did wear my suit for the interview. And I wore my suit for the interview (internal) to my current position, even though I was 99% certain to get it no matter what I wore. I will wear a suit to my next interview.

In the end, do you even want to entertain the remote possibility that you might be excluded for such a stupid reason as not wearing a suit? It might not happen. But it COULD happen. Can you afford to take the chance? What's more likely - someone will not hire you because you wore a suit and they for some reason didn't like that you looked awesome? Or that they thought hmmm, he just dressed ordinary, how seriously does he take this interview?

I dunno. ...

 

[disappoint]

i always wear the suit. in CA maybe not, but here in OH for a white collar job, definitely.

i mainly do this because of an experience that a friend had. he heard a place was pretty casual for a white collar office (and also he hates suits), so he didnt wear one to the interview.

turns out they thought it was a big faux pas, and he learned this from another friend who worked there. they were like 'how can anyone do this and expect us to think that they want the job?'

in the end he didnt care, because he was interviewing elsewhere and got hired no problem. and the way my friend is, he would not want to work at a place as shallow as that (neither would i).

BUT, if you NEED the job, i would just wear the suit. imho there is less risk in dressing too fancy vs too casual.

Instructions unclear. Penis stuck in suit jacket button hole. Send help.

 

[OverVolt]

I've been doing this stuff for awhile now and I thought I was a nervous wreck... hah.

 

[rcpratt]

I've been doing this stuff for awhile now and I thought I was a nervous wreck... hah.

Seriously. In this case, either decision is perfectly acceptable and I doubt either has a negative impact on your interview. The most important thing is probably that you don't stress about it.

I would probably wear a suit/tie, for what it's worth.

 

[Tweak155]

I'd be more concerned about knowing my stuff than what I'm wearing. Listen to the recruiter. Take his advice as the minimum, I doubt going over would hurt you. But, they aren't going to remember your clothes man.

 

[clamum]

I would listen to the staffing agency/recruiter guy. I did when I went through one to get my current job, and he suggested wearing a suit. Believe it or not, I didn't even have a suit (I was 30 years old too, lulz) so I went and bought one. Ended up owning the interview and on my ride home afterwards I talked to the recruiter and I had an offer. And here they wear business casual.

So I'd just listen to the agency. Like others have said, they want to place you.

 

[manimal]

wear a bowtie to fuck with the recruiter

 

[xeemzor]

This is the best job interview you could land as an OSU grad? Seriously, you are giving all of us a bad name.

Go back to the career fair this year, even if you are an alumni, and you will have a much better shot at a good job.

 

[destrekor]

This is the best job interview you could land as an OSU grad? Seriously, you are giving all of us a bad name.

Go back to the career fair this year, even if you are an alumni, and you will have a much better shot at a good job.

Seriously?
WTF is your problem. Sorry I don't live up to your standard.

I graduated... that's about all I can say. My degree is useless, my GPA wasn't hot, and my desired career (and long-term desired goals) don't make use of the degree earned whatsoever.
I've made mistakes, and I'm attempting to correct them in the ways I know how.

Wait... why am I explaining myself to you?

 

[purbeast0]

its much better to be over dressed than under dressed.

going to an interview for a professional job in anything other than a suit just seems extremely stupid to me, regardless of the working attire there.

my buddy interviewed at blizzard (and he got the job), and they told him no suit, but this came directly from blizzard. he wasn't using a recruiter or anything. he wore one anyways. when he got there, they simply told him that he can take his jacket off if it made him more comfortable, which he did.

 

[xeemzor]

Seriously?
WTF is your problem. Sorry I don't live up to your standard.

I graduated... that's about all I can say. My degree is useless, my GPA wasn't hot, and my desired career (and long-term desired goals) don't make use of the degree earned whatsoever.
I've made mistakes, and I'm attempting to correct them in the ways I know how.

Wait... why am I explaining myself to you?

OSU has soooo many resources to prepare students for jobs it's not even funny. The amount of work that goes into the career center is insane, I should know because I had to prepare a ton of stuff for them before graduation. They have seminars and documents on everything from how to dress and resume prep. If you want they will even sit with you and review your application line by line. No matter your degree or GPA they can help find you a decent job. Even if you aren't in Columbus anymore the Lima campus career service can still work with you. Why didn't you reach out to them for help before you posted on a random internet forum?

 

[Platypus]

This is the best job interview you could land as an OSU grad? Seriously, you are giving all of us a bad name.

Go back to the career fair this year, even if you are an alumni, and you will have a much better shot at a good job.

pretty poor form to kick someone when they're down imo, espcially one of the decent posters around here. If you really wanted to help you should have reached out offline via PM instead of belittling them.