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Old 01-27-2014, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Corona the I.E.
10,137 posts, read 17,472,767 times
Reputation: 9140

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Agree with the suit.
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Old 01-27-2014, 08:40 PM
 
Location: Brentwood, Tennessee
49,932 posts, read 59,901,366 times
Reputation: 98359
Suit.
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Old 01-27-2014, 11:50 PM
 
Location: Temporarily, in Limerick
2,898 posts, read 6,346,845 times
Reputation: 3424
It's been said many times before, wear a suit. If you feel too dressed up during the interview, you can always remove your jacket. Better to look more professional than you need to be, than the reverse.

Congratulations on your 3rd interview & best of luck! Let us know how you do! Hope it's exactly what you want!
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Old 01-28-2014, 12:26 AM
 
Location: San Francisco
2,279 posts, read 4,742,148 times
Reputation: 4026
Based on how you described the office and the dress code, I wouldn't wear the suit. You'll risk giving the wrong impression -- you might come across as stuffy, inflexible, out of touch, and a bad fit with the corporate culture.

Nice pants, a button down shirt. No tie. Possibly a sports coat (which you have the option of removing). This is how the majority of the men I've interviewed tend to dress (there's also the occasional sweater or polo shirt). I've also been on hiring committee where some of the interviewers have said some pretty harsh and negative things about anyone who shows up in a traditional suit.

If you're really that nervous about it, do you have a contact at the company you could ask for advice? (someone in HR or a hiring manager?)
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Old 01-28-2014, 01:10 AM
 
9,891 posts, read 11,757,343 times
Reputation: 22087
Wear a suite. Never try to dress down, as you think that is the best way to dress. It is a lot harder to get a job when they tell you you have to improve your look, than be told to dress down.

My daughter is the head of IT for a large mining company. They flew her in for an interview. When she interviewed, she wore a suit. After the knew she was a good candidate, they told her, "We are a mining company, and our office people go underground, etc. to find what they need to handle for the miners on occasion. We don't wear a suit. Do you feel you would fit in our office?" She looked at the man doing the hiring who was wearing a plaid shirt and work boots and said, "Then would it be O.K. if I wear my waffle stompers (mountain hiking boots), and jeans to work. The committee started laughing and the big boss said, "You will fit in just fine." She was hired on the spot, and that is how she dresses for work.

It is easy to dress down when the job allows it, but the suit will give the impression you are professional. It is a lot harder to dress below professional and say I am professional, and pull it off.
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Old 01-28-2014, 01:19 AM
 
3,769 posts, read 8,796,320 times
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Suit.
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Old 01-28-2014, 02:44 AM
 
Location: U.S.A., Earth
5,511 posts, read 4,472,347 times
Reputation: 5770
Despite the general advice of "going with the flow" of what you see at a company, I'll agree with the rest that it's better to overdress. The advantage that the folks you see have are they already have the job. AFAIK, most places won't fire you without a warning for not dressing to standards.

You may look ridiculous wearing something like an Armani suit for a job that's not really worthy of it, but I've never heard of getting "demerit points" for being overdressed vs. underdressed. I remember Amazon saying that a suit and tie won't impress anybody (so it does sound like they go for substance over style), but nothing seemed to indicate that that would hurt your chances.

ONLY EXCEPTION IS IF YOU WERE EXPLICITLY TOLD NOT TO WEAR A SUIT!
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Old 01-28-2014, 05:54 AM
 
Location: Brentwood, Tennessee
49,932 posts, read 59,901,366 times
Reputation: 98359
I have a sneaking suspicion the OP doesn't actually own a suit.

Even if the office environment is casual, you wear a suit to the interview because it shows that you are taking it seriously and that it means enough to you to dress up.

And what it the days you were there previously just happened to be random casual days? Stranger things have happened.

Dress up to get in, then adapt to the office dress code AFTER you're hired.
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Old 01-28-2014, 06:48 AM
 
8,079 posts, read 10,070,207 times
Reputation: 22669
What is the position? What sort of firm? What would their employees wear if they were going to see a client, assuming it is that sort of firm?

Anything short of a "C" job, wear nice slacks, button down shirt and jacket. Suit 'might' backfire if, for instance, we are talking a 'creative' firm in the marketing or design space.
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Old 01-28-2014, 06:52 AM
 
24 posts, read 38,508 times
Reputation: 22
I would not be meeting with clients in my position, and when I was last at the office I saw several people engaged in a video conference with prospective clients. None of them wore a suit, and some of them were even in sales.
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