<p>My son, a college junior, is being flown to NYC for an in-person interview for a summer internship. He’s a computer science major and the company is in the financial sector, but with an emphasis on software development. Most tech companies are pretty casual, but I realize NYC companies are going to be different than California tech companies. In looking at the company’s website, the photos of the male employees are all wearing solid color button-down shirts, no ties, no jackets. Since this is an interview, my son will be dressed more formally than that. But would a suit and tie look too dressy/formal for this kind of environment? Would it be better for him to wear a sports coat and tie?</p>
<p>Thanks for the input! I come from a law firm background, so interviews mean suits to me. Tech companies are different animals, but what’s thrown me in this scenario is a tech company in NYC.</p>
<p>Unfortunately he’s outgrown both the sports coat and suit that we got him a few years ago. (At least his younger brother has benefitted.) So he’s going to have to get something new no matter which choice he goes with.</p>
<p>Susan, I work in biotech where employees’ attire consists of blue jeans, birkenstocks and tees, but our job candidates are expected to be dressed sharply, so a suit/tie is not going to raise any eyebrows. On the contary, a candidate who showed up wearing a wrinkled shirt which was missing a button, was the subject of office talks for the next day or so.
Good luck to your son!</p>
<p>I come from a legal background as well - but believe that a suit/tie is the ultimate sign of respect and in an interview setting for a college junior, a suit would be appropriate. I don’t think he can go wrong with a suit, even if he is over-dressed.</p>
<p>My career has been in software - both as a developer working for a telecom company and as a vendor of software. In both situations, I have hired college students as interns to come and do development work for the company. Even though I am on the west coast, I would expect a suit and tie or a sportcoat and tie for an interview situation. He might not ever wear it again but for the interview, that is the way to go. </p>
<p>Since he is going to buy something, I’d go suit and tie. Dark color is easiest either gray or blue. Add in a solid color blue shirt and a tie. Done. Whole idea is to make the clothing good enough that the interviewer moves past the clothing to the content of what he has to say. I still remember the guy who showed up in a light green suit with a hot pink shirt. Can’t remember anything about him other than the outfit but he was the talk of the office for weeks. </p>
<p>Other advice is really around spending. If they are paying for his trip just let him know that he should be reasonable on the expenses especially these days. Go downstairs for breakfast don’t order room service. Don’t have anything from
the mini bar. If they take him out for lunch or dinner, order out of the middle of the price range on the menu. That is if the lunch items range from a 20 salad to a 75 lobster, pick the 30 chicken.</p>
<p>Oh and combining the to bits of advice. Don’t wear the suit and tie to breakfast. Wear something else and allow enough time to change. I still follow this rule after getting orange juice dumped on my lap right before a big meeting. Everyone understands that accidents happen but why expose your self to the risk.</p>
<p>Thanks! He’s gone through a ton of phone interviews (with many algorithm questions in addition to traditional HR-type questions), online coding tests, etc., but this is the only one that’s progressed to this stage. It’s tough out there for internships.</p>
<p>Scualum gave good advice, and I am going to second it (third it).
I am a tech manager in a large financial instituion. He absolutely needs to be in a suit and a tie, even if people working there are business casual. I prefer white shirt (or solid blue) and a conservative tie.</p>
<p>I like the advice about spend too - no mini bar.:)</p>
<p>I have someone coming in this morning. I was going to do a phone interview, but he told my assistant he was in town yesterday. This morning at 7:30 I asked her to get him in this morning. I think she just woke him up when she called.</p>
<p>I remember one time when I with other sr mgmt conducted a lunch interview. At the end of the lunch after the candidate had left the President said NO for hiring them. I asked why? The reason was because they salted their food before tasting it. This is not a lie! I thought at first that in sounded like an inane reason, but then they went onto say it showed how the candidate thinks unconciously and many managerial decisions involve gut reactions. The candidate assumed that it would need salt and never took the time to see if that was the correct assumption. They made a decision without knowing the facts. </p>
<p>BTW this boss went onto become the CEO of Sears, and is the person that was in charge of their most successful ad campaign…the softer side of Sears.</p>
<p>Sometimes even the smallest things you do can have an impact that you never realize. My tip would be for him to follow their lead when it comes to interviews.</p>
<p>I think you’re better off going formal for an interview.</p>
<p>I work in tech, in an environment where people where jeans and t-shirts/sweatshirts (and most of the local tech companies are the same way), but I would wear a suit for an interview.</p>
<p>I’ve worked in software engineering for 25 years. Right now I have on jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie. When we interview candidates, we expect them in a suit and tie. They will only have to wear the suit and tie for the interview.</p>
<p>I used to work in a corporate headquarters and the transition to engineering was a bit awkward for me as it was far more casual than I was used to.</p>
<p>I was going for an interview and I called up a senior professor on how formal to be. His advice, wear a suit and tie. His logic “If you are over dressed, you can always remove the coat and the tie if circumstances permit, you never want to be too informal. If you are under dressed (you are in jeans and t shirt and everyone else has a tie), there is nothing you can do and you will always stick out.”. My suggestion is to go with the suit and tie.</p>
<p>Since you are investing in some kind of suit, check out what the students wear to graduation at his college. And, think about next year’s round of interviews. What he really needs is something of an interview wardrobe, since he may have to dress up on several days in a row during a recruitment week. That may mean only one suit or jacket, but in a neutral, flattering color and with more than one tie and dress shirt (permanent press, for sure!) To me, a good fit and a good overall look are more important than whether the jacket matches the pants.</p>
<p>My oldest did the interview gauntlet in CS for two years - internship and permanent job - at several well-known tech companies. The companies had varying levels of conformity, but a sports jacket and dress pants were always appropriate for interviews (I know because he doesn’t have a suit!) He wears a polo shirt and jeans to work now, and when I suggested he wear dressier pants, he replied that his boss wore cutoffs and sandals!</p>
<p>I concur with the consensus. S recently interviewed in similar circumstances. He knew the company is very casual on a day to day basis and that his interviewers would probably not be dressed up (they weren’t) , but went to the interview in a suit and tie, nevertheless. IMO nothing wrong with being more dressed up than your interviewer unless they specifically tell you to come casual. Thanks to CC, I even knew where to shop for tall and skinny dress shirts (Nordstrom, Brooks Brothers and Jos Banks). Anyway, the interview went very, very well. :)</p>
<p>bulletandpima, I know one person who was rejected for a job because for a second interview he was invited out to lunch (even asked about dietary restrictions - there were none) and when he got to the office he said he’d already eaten! Dumb.</p>
