overdressing for interview

#16
^ Jayjay77 I definitely can understand that. You looked at the company and their usual attire, but still appropriately dressed for the interview. When I got my current job, I did a phone interview. My new boss said, "You're hired. Come in and sign paperwork. You don't have to dress up."
Here's where you have to take your "look" and the impression you want to make into consideration ... I'm short, and I look very young for my age. If I were to wear jeans, I would have look 15 coming in to sign the paperwork, and not like a person who has earned 2 degrees and is capable of taking her work seriously. I did not want that to be my new supervisor's first impression of me. So I wore olive green slacks, a dressy t-shirt, a casual grey cape style suit jacket, and heels. I wanted to look relaxed, but pulled together and mature. Some people can look wonderful and professional and adult in jeans, but not me. Other people feel really restricted and uncomfortable in a suit, and that will show in an interview. If you feel that way about full suits, try alternatives like a work dress or a skirt and blouse, a vest, a cardigan. Do what makes you feel good :smile: :smile:
 
#18
Although a person should always use their judgement, I always stick with the suit rule. I once interviewed at a factory. I was called by a factory floor manager specifically for 12-hour shifts on the floor. Because this was a company with a fantastic reputation, I would have taken the job in an attempt to work up to an office position. I dressed for the position I wanted, despite everyone (office personnel included) wearing navy blue uniforms; I wore a suit.

The interviewer was sufficiently impressed with my resume and the interview she conducted that she called another manager to interview me. That interviewer invited me back to interview with yet more people at a later date, when I again wore a suit. I was offered an office position with a salary double the position I was originally called for. I doubt that would have happened had I dressed for the position I was interviewing for.

So while there are rare occasions when overdressing might be a liability, I'd rather risk that instead of underdressing.
 
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