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Dressed to the 501s

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by joe_schmoe, Jul 30, 2015.

  1. joe_schmoe

    joe_schmoe Active Member

    Our news side is hiring a copy editor and has been interviewing several candidates today. The last two guys interviewed both looked in their mid 20s and both were wearing jeans. The first guys were a pair of decent blue jeans with an light blue collared button down shirt. Second guy's jeans were more of a faded black jean style and he wore a nice polo. Neither had a tie and both looked more dressed to be on a nice first or second date than a job interview.
    Granted, I haven't been on a job interview in at least a decade, but have never worn jeans (no matter how classy) and always at least had a tie, and usually a sports coat at the least.
    My question is, for those who actually have to interview and hire, in any field, is this interview dress becoming commonplace? And if so, does it in anyway influence your decision of a candidate?
     
  2. I Should Coco

    I Should Coco Well-Known Member

    Out West, you're not going to see too many ties in newsrooms, let alone sports coats. But for an interview, I would wear at least Dockers and a nice button-up shirt.

    And if a dude shows up in skinny jeans, well, the door's right over there. ;)
     
  3. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    I recently interviewed for an SE job... they flew me out, gave me a rental car, pretty much put me up nice. Only thing I paid for were several of my own meals...

    To get back on topic, someone in my shop suggested I get a suit or at least a sportcoat (yes, sports writers aren't Mr. GQ... lol) I didn't want to spend a ton of money so I actually went to one of our Goodwill places and picked up one...

    The first night I was out there I asked about the newsroom. When the EE said it was pretty relaxed, my first thought was "don't wear the sportcoat"... and sure enough, on the day I was there, the EE had on blue jeans and a polo shirt. I didn't feel overdressed in blue dress pants and a blue short-sleeved shirt, but still...
     
  4. I don't think I have ever worn jeans to an interview.
    Never did an interview without a tie. ...
    When I interviewed for my last newspaper job, I wore my best 3-piece suit and a hat. It was the only time I ever wore a suit to the job, but still.

    One time I wore suit to a PR job interview with a ski resort. I thought about dressing down, but I figured it they understand I could dress down for the part ... Wrong.
    The guy noted I was overdressed for the job. He told me they were pretty casual and laid back. Even mentioned they drink beer on the job in the late afternoon. Didn't get the job.

    Once I made the mistake of keeping my brown leather jacket (a bomber jacket) on over my shirt and tie during an interview for Combined Insurance. The guy interviewing me was in a bad mood before I hit the door. He, dressed in a suit, gave me grief for the leather jacket (never mind it was January). He basically told me there was no way he was going to hire me. (Thank God!) .. but at the same time, damn... really? Combined Insurance wouldn't hire me to sell?


    I can't imagine wearing jeans to an interview.. but then again this generation... (grumble, grumble, grumble) shakes fist and wags head.
     
    TexasVet likes this.
  5. joe_schmoe

    joe_schmoe Active Member

    Yeah don't get me wrong, I know today's newsroom is extremely casual. I wore a suit to my interview here, since then the only workdays I don't recall wearing jeans or shorts on the job was when I covered my first college bowl game and when I was representing the newspaper in a golf tournament (and I would have worn shorts then but the country club's rules didn't allow it...for free golf I can deal with that).
    The casual workplace/interview I guess is just becoming more common. Still I don't think I'd recommend jeans to anyone interviewing. That's just me.
     
  6. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I would assume a guy who wore jeans to the interview would wear pajamas to work.
     
  7. DeskMonkey1

    DeskMonkey1 Active Member

    I can't promise I have worn a tie to every job interview but I certainly never wore jeans (not counting fast food joints as a teenager)
     
  8. Mr. Sunshine

    Mr. Sunshine Well-Known Member

    I'm in my 40s and I probably haven't worn a tie more than a dozen times in my life. Half of those times, though, were for job interviews. Once you have the job, then you let yourself go. Like being married.
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    My new job in a professinal office I wore a suit and tie to three interviews. Wore a tie the first day at work. The VP (in charge of a couple thousand people) saw me and asked why I was wearing a tie.

    Haven't worn one since. But different buldings, different bosses have different dress codes.
     
  10. albert77

    albert77 Well-Known Member

    When I interviewed for the job I'll start in a couple of weeks, I wore dress slacks, my best dress shirt with a tie and dress shoes. No sport coat, though. After all, it is Mississippi in July.

    You can be overdressed for an interview, but my philosophy is it's better to err on the side of overdressing than dressing down. And I'm a jeans-and-T-shirt guy most of the time, even at my age.
     
  11. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    If you dress casual for a job interview, and you don't get the job ... ... ... Well, you'll never know, will you?
     
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