Interview dress?

[Dave m]

not as in "Frock"

 

I was asked by someone for some advice as to what to wear to an interview.

 

It's ages since I have had one, but suggested smart casual, almost suit without tie territory.

 

what do people wear those days for an interview ? I mean for a job where casual dress/cargoes & Polo shirt seems like a uniform?

 

This guy was going for a junior role on a cruise ship's theatre crew.

 

ta

[GR1]

I would suggest smart stage blacks. He needs show he can look Corporate without wearing a suit.

[Andrew C]

I read somewhere that dressing "one level up" on what you would expect to wear for the job was about right. Quite what that means in real terms is up for debate!

[paulears]

Look like the guests would expect you to look like. In my book this means for a younger person I'd go with black too, but proper trousers, proper shoes, and a nice black shirt. I think visible musicians blacks, NOT backstage getting dirty blacks. For me, being old, I doubt this is likely to happen, but I'd also wear black, but a proper shirt with a black or dark tie, with proper done up collar.

 

Daft really, isn't it, but interviews are still very much 1st impressions!

[Jivemaster]

Work out what you would wear to do the job you are applying for, 1/for a dirty job, 2/for regular days and 3/ for meeting clients. Interviewers are clients in this case.

[abbotsmike]

I'd generally go shirt and tie to any proper job (ie not a paper-round!). No such thing as being too dressed up. Only exception would be if it is a practical interview where you'll be expected to get stuck in and possibly dirty.

[peza2010]

Im not sure you should "dress like you might do day to day for the job" as others as suggested. For any interview of lets say "medium level" jobs, id be wearing a suit and im 22 if that makes any odds. I see wearing a suit to an interview is a bit like saying "ive made an effort for this"

[kerry davies]

A suit is too much IMO for a technical backstage interview where some element of "work" is fairly standard procedure. I would however expect clean, well-pressed blacks and a jacket. In most small to medium scale theatre the likelihood of FoH work standing in for others is always on the cards and presentation is important but work is what is being applied for.

 

I remember one interviewee turning up and failing at first sight simply because his suit was five times as expensive looking as anything the interviewer owned. Not good to show up the potential boss.

[Shez]

The only tech theatre jobs I've had formal interviews for included a practical element - I seem to recall wearing smart blacks - a tie really wouldn't have been suitable.

(I got them so dress obviously didn't count against me)

[Bobbsy]

I'm going to disagree with a lot of this. Unless you know there's going to be practical stuff, don't go with blacks.

 

I've never heard of anyone losing a job for dressing up too much but I've heard of many who failed because the interviewer thought they looked too casual and didn't care. Neat trousers, button up shirt, and a sports jacket would be the minimum...and a neatly tied tie if you can stand it.

[ninjadingle]

If the interview requires a practical element surely it would state so on the invitation to interview?

 

I'd go with smart but practical shoes, dark suit with a tie to start. If you need to roll your sleeves up halfway through you can always lose the tie and jacket, the first impression has been made and shows you don't mind getting your hands dirty when required!

[Shez]

I'll mention then that mine did state in advance that there was a practical element.

[azlan]

I Would wear a suit, maybe bring a bag with blacks, steels and deodorant in with you in case you need to do a practical element, if you have a suit you can always 'dress it down' by removing the jacket and tie, but you may struggle to neaten up blacks enough to get past a company hr bod, although I guess it depends a lot on the company you are interviewing with

[w/robe]

For theatre work, the only type I know about, I would say a suit is too much for any post less than Production Manager and even then may be OTT.

I've interviewed young people who come in wearing a suit and looked uncomfortable and as if they have been dressed by their Mum, not a good look.

[Tom]

Utterly agree with w/robe on this.

 

As we don't know the job or type of company the OP is being interviewed for it's really hard to advise.

 

I would say though, as somebody who mostly interviews rather than is interviewed, I don't really care too much what you wear as long as you look like you have made some sort of effort (clean, neatish and not over the top in any direction) not just picked up what was on the floor from last night. I do want you to look and feel comfortable though. That way I get to see the real you which is what I'm interested in.

 

Frankly, if the HR bods you're talking about can't see past what you're wearing they're not worth their overplayed salaries.