Dressing for success- Job interview

[CNYCacher]

I'm not trying to impress anyone.

Except you are, now.

[Scout26]

Lose the Monkey Butt, wear a suit. 

[Gewehr98]

I simply don't care too much how I look most of the time. I'm not trying to impress anyone.

Not the best mantra for job-searching, right there...

[mgdavis]

Notice I threw "most of the time" in there? I do understand that it's not always acceptable to look like you don't care about your personal appearance.

[Gewehr98]

That's cool.  As long as you know the difference, and make the transition well.   

[schutzen]

As a former supervisor/manger for a governmental agency, most DOD contractor/supplier supervisors/managers are ex-military; shave.  Even though you job may not require it, all things being equal, you will get the job over the guy with the beard.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I'd say just the opposite.  Most people in tech and engineering and mechanic type fields care more about substance than about appearances, and therefore tend to not care about shallow cosmetic issues like facial hair. 

You have to know how to play the game, which means dressing sharply for the interview, but none of the techie types will give a flying fig what you look like if you can do the job well.

[KD5NRH]

Men's Wearhouse. Tell them to set you up with an interview suit. They'll know what to do.

See if there's a K&G nearby.  If not, it can be worth a trip to the nearest one anyway.  Last time I was in one, they had a lot of nice brand names for less than half of the usual retail prices, and a very reasonably priced tailor as well.

http://www.kgstores.com/kgs/mens/suits.jsp

[BrokenPaw]

One thing I thought I might add:  If you decide that you're definitely going to shave for the interview, shave as soon as possible after making the decision; don't wait until the morning of the interview.  Reason:  Even in winter, your skin does tan somewhat from the sun.  Your beard is pretty thick, which means your chin underneath it is probably fishbelly white. 

Shaving it sooner will give your skin tone a chance to even out a bit.

Better to go in with a beard than with a fishbelly chin that tells them you had a beard but shaved it just that morning.  They might not notice, but if they do, it'll be a potential distraction for them.

The idea in interview appearance is to eliminate anything that could give someone a reason not to hire you, so that they have to make the decision solely on your qualifications.  Unless having a suit on could impede your chances (and with Lockmart, it probably can't) then wear a suit; if the interviewer doesn't care, you haven't lost anything, but if the interviewer is attire-conscious, you're on firm ground.  Having a beard has no interview upside (unless you're trying for a very specific subset of jobs), while being clean-shaven for an interview has no downside that I can think of.

Disclosure:  I have a beard similar to yours, but shorter, and I've never shaved it for an interview.  But I've also never interviewed in an economy like this one; I've been lucky enough to time things such that I could more or less walk in and name a price; I've also gotten away with black jeans and engineer boots with a nice buttondown. 

Do as I say, not as I do.  :)

-BP

[mgdavis]

Alright, I give. I'll definitely shave. 

I think I look about five years younger with out the face fuzz though, which is probably one of the big reasons I grow it out now that I think of it.

Talked to my Dad about how guys are dressed to interview with him (he manages a blue collar business). He says that most wear slacks and a button up shirt, a few wear the suit. According to him a suit is pretty overkill, not a negative but almost makes it seem that the applicant is trying too hard, if that makes sense.

Buying a suit is just not an expense that I feel is necessary for this job, I'm going to stick with the business casual standard. Thanks for all the advice/constructive criticism.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

If you're gonna shave, do it soon.  It takes time for your skin to adapt to shaving if you haven't done it in a while.  You don't want to look like a dork who just shaved for the first time in years.

[KD5NRH]

If you're gonna shave, do it soon.  It takes time for your skin to adapt to shaving if you haven't done it in a while.  You don't want to look like a dork who just shaved for the first time in years.

Aw heck, just wax it in the car on the way to the interview.

[taurusowner]

If I ran a business and I had to choose a new employee, the one that seemed like he was "trying too hard" would be the one I would want.

[Physics]

I can't wait to start a thread on this same topic with my 4 inch goatee.   I've been working on a Pi Mei beard for awhile now.  My family gives me a ton of crap but I just keep telling them that as soon as I get a job interview it and my long hair will be gone.  Depending on the job, even for good.  They just need to buy me a suit.

My only question is:  if you have fishbelly face, why would that be looked down upon?  Wouldn't it show a potential employer that you are willing to sacrifice in order to get the job?  That is, if they even noticed. 

mgdavis: Good luck man!  The best advice I can offer has already been said, bring paper and something to take notes with, and make sure you can answer the obvious HR questions.

[De Selby]

Alright, I give. I'll definitely shave. 

I think I look about five years younger with out the face fuzz though, which is probably one of the big reasons I grow it out now that I think of it.

Talked to my Dad about how guys are dressed to interview with him (he manages a blue collar business). He says that most wear slacks and a button up shirt, a few wear the suit. According to him a suit is pretty overkill, not a negative but almost makes it seem that the applicant is trying too hard, if that makes sense.

Buying a suit is just not an expense that I feel is necessary for this job, I'm going to stick with the business casual standard. Thanks for all the advice/constructive criticism.

I think this is the right choice - there is such a thing as "trying too hard", ie, as in doing something that simply does not fit in with the operation.  Business casual people can understand, but an out of place suit can make people wonder if you're peddling a religion or a "seen on tv" product.

Particularly on the west coast I found this to be the case; not so much on the East coast.

Good luck man.

For suits, there's a store here down under that seems to have the best fit for me: country road.  Never saw it in the states, but they have decent quality stuff.  Sportscraft also has a good product.  Of course it's all ridiculous compared to American prices, but that's what a suit goes for on this "island."

[Marnoot]

While I interviewed for my first job at my current employer in a suit, I've realized since then that it very much depends on your interviewer how much it matters, or whether it could hurt. I think on for a white-collar job you should wear one, though. While I got no guff for wearing one, a year later when they were interviewing to fill my position (I was moving from product support to software engineering, the interviewer was not the same one that interviewed me), a candidate that came in in a suit was thoroughly mocked by several in the Support dept. after he left for doing so. Frankly I think the suit was part of the reason he wasn't considered, as in "he wouldn't fit in with us" / "too uptight", which I thought was a rather stupid conclusion and told them so, to no avail.

I think that scouting out ahead of time how the employees dress, then dressing a level up can work well. If the employees wear jeans and t-shirts, wear business casual, if they wear business casual, wear a suit, etc. I think no matter how you dress there will be the occasional interviewer that thinks you're overdressed, and the occasional one that thinks you're underdressed. For a white-collar job I think a suit is probably the safest on average. For a blue-collar, I think business casual is pretty safe.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

a lot depends on how good/comfortable you look in the suit   if you look like some kid going to grandmas funeral its bad  if you wear it comfortably its good

[zahc]

Ok, this is all fascinating. I generally wear a uniform of jeans, button-up shirt, undershirt, and tennis shoes. Standard graduate-student fare. This discussion of nicer clothing has been extremely useful to me, but I don't think we've talked enough about accessories. Particularly man-jewelry. I think when I dress up, it will be the "shirt, slacks, blazer/sportcoat, maybe tie" version. But I wonder about this with full-on suits as well.

I typically wear dog tags. Is this a fashion impossibility? With or without a tie?

Watches. I typically wear a grey and silver automatic watch with a black leather band. I suppose the black band will clash with brown shoes and belt? Or are watches exempt? Is a leather band just a fashion crime anyway? What about my black leather wallet?

Knives. I typically wear a brace of black spydercos. Under what conditions can one wear clipped knives with nicer clothing?

Guns. Does anyone carry guns with this stuff? I typically wear an untucked button-up shortsleeve shirt when i carry IWB. Sport coat would seem the perfect cover garment, but you have to take it off every now and then.

Keys/taclight/countycomm grappling hook/cellphone/other. Is pocket bulge frowned upon? How far down do I have to pare my EDC load?

[Balog]

You EDC a grappling hook?

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Dogtags and watch won't be visible under the clothing unless you pull them out.  A knife clipped to the pocket is a no-no if the clip and top are visible, but a small knife clipped somewhere else discretely is OK.  Try inside of the jacket or in your waist band.

Anything bulky or lumpy is best carried in your briefcase or some other suitable bag (I'm a computer dude so I carry an attractive laptop bag instead of a traditional briefcase).  Bulges in your pockets or heavy items anywhere can ruin the look of your suit.

[Balog]

I'm trying hard to remember what I did with my Civilian when I interviewed for my job. Clipped it in my back pocket maybe?

[Northwoods]

All of the below assumes you're talking about interview related issues.  For just general formal wear, the circumstances of the even requiring said formal wear will dictate the modifications to the below advice.

Watches. I typically wear a grey and silver automatic watch with a black leather band. I suppose the black band will clash with brown shoes and belt? Or are watches exempt? Is a leather band just a fashion crime anyway? What about my black leather wallet?

If it goes well with the rest of the outfit watches are fine.  Probably should just not wear it if it doesn't otherwise fit the rest of the ensamble (e.g. $5 Seiko digital would not go well with a $1000 suit, or a $2500 Tag Heuer with a $150 suit).

Knives. I typically wear a brace of black spydercos. Under what conditions can one wear clipped knives with nicer clothing?

Careful here.  A lot of companies will frown on knives.  Something small, and thoroughly concealed, can be gotten away with in most places.  Remember, this is a job interview, not CQB.

Guns. Does anyone carry guns with this stuff? I typically wear an untucked button-up shortsleeve shirt when i carry IWB. Sport coat would seem the perfect cover garment, but you have to take it off every now and then.

DANGER, DANGER.  Unless you're going to an interview with Blackwater, or Glock or something a gun, if discovered will not only guarantee that you don't get the job, it will get you escorted VERY swiftly off the premisis, quite possibly to a waiting LEO depending on the company and state it is in.

Keys/taclight/countycomm grappling hook/cellphone/other. Is pocket bulge frowned upon? How far down do I have to pare my EDC load?

Keep pocket bulge to a minimum, and avoid having anything that dangles from the waist.  Take as many receipts/business cards/etc out of your wallet as possible, reduce the keys you carry to the car keys and maybe one or two other items on the chain, and put the cell phone in a jacket pocket if you can.

[alex_trebek]

I don't wear much jewelry, so I can't help there. While on the topic of epic no-no's, a lot of companies are going tobacco free lately.

If you smoke, chew, etc it would be wise to hide this nowadays, unless it becomes obvious that it would be helpful (i.e. the potential boss goes out for a smoke).  I don't think it is dishonest, unless you are asked and lie.

[Northwoods]

I don't wear much jewelry, so I can't help there. While on the topic of epic no-no's, a lot of companies are going tobacco free lately.

If you smoke, chew, etc it would be wise to hide this nowadays, unless it becomes obvious that it would be helpful (i.e. the potential boss goes out for a smoke).  I don't think it is dishonest, unless you are asked and lie.

Good point.  Avoiding any tobacco odors (on the clothes or breath) would be a good plan.

Also, on the blade issue, if you feel like you must have a blade of some sort, consider a multi-tool (e.g. Leatherman, Swiss Army Knife, etc.) as an alternative to those Spyderco's.  A lot less theatening to most people as its assumed to be more of a tool than a weapon.

[mgdavis]

I just leave stuff in the car if I don't want to have bulging pockets or knife clips hanging out. I keep my car key separate from the rest, SO i don't have to deal with a huge key chain. Wallet is never going to be a problem, and I wouldn't be inclined to leave it behind regardless. Simple necklace, dog tags, whatever, is going to be fine concealed under your shirt but might be tacky if displayed. I can survive for a bit with out a knife, or I'll put it in a pocket instead of clipped on. Phone in the car, don't want it making noise at an inopportune moment.