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Well, it appears that these posts are a bit dated here, but i have to put my two cents in. I have worked blue collar all my life. I am 44 years old and in great physical shape. I have raised a family, two daughters (now 24 and 21) and a son that passed away from leukemia on Christmas of 2005. He was almost six years old. I got divorced and remarried. I have been with the the same oil company for over thirteen years and I feel that i am the best at what I do. I have worked in the office a bit, I am very comfortable speaking with customers. i have lead our team of drivers as the senior man. I am an avid photographer on the side. I am a motorcycle safety instructor. No, I don't have a degree but I have a lot of life lessons under my belt and I am very proud of myself for pushing onward. i am also very thankful to God for providing for me and my family for all these years. Ok, ok, I'm getting to the punchline, relax! My point here is tomorrow I have an interview. The first since being laid-off back in May. I feel I have what it takes to move to the next level, may it be a hiring manager or in sales, whatever..but, unfortunately I haven't found that opportunity yet...So, dammit!!! I am going to walk into another oil company tomorrow dressed to the nines. It is my badge of honor. I am also letting the person who is interviewing know exactly how confident I am in myself. Dressing for success is for myself as well as the interviewer. I earned it and I am walking tall tomorrow!
Well, it appears that these posts are a bit dated here, but i have to put my two cents in. I have worked blue collar all my life. I am 44 years old and in great physical shape. I have raised a family, two daughters (now 24 and 21) and a son that passed away from leukemia on Christmas of 2005. He was almost six years old. I got divorced and remarried. I have been with the the same oil company for over thirteen years and I feel that i am the best at what I do. I have worked in the office a bit, I am very comfortable speaking with customers. i have lead our team of drivers as the senior man. I am an avid photographer on the side. I am a motorcycle safety instructor. No, I don't have a degree but I have a lot of life lessons under my belt and I am very proud of myself for pushing onward. i am also very thankful to God for providing for me and my family for all these years. Ok, ok, I'm getting to the punchline, relax! My point here is tomorrow I have an interview. The first since being laid-off back in May. I feel I have what it takes to move to the next level, may it be a hiring manager or in sales, whatever..but, unfortunately I haven't found that opportunity yet...So, dammit!!! I am going to walk into another oil company tomorrow dressed to the nines. It is my badge of honor. I am also letting the person who is interviewing know exactly how confident I am in myself. Dressing for success is for myself as well as the interviewer. I earned it and I am walking tall tomorrow!
I agree. If you got the suit, might as well wear it. Cant hurt.
Most blue collar employees wear a uniform, so that advice probably won't work.
And most blue collar employees work for other blue collar employers. When I got the job at the hospital I was working at a locksmith shop. We wore blue uniforms at the locksmith shop and they wore black pants and a tan shirt at the hospital. I wore my nicest uniform into the interview that day. I was working and they knew that. Spo stopping off in the uniform wasn't unusual. I made sure that it was ironed and my newest one. Still it worked for me. We have had guys show up for interviews wearing a tie and button up shirt. One of them we hired and he has been here a few years now.
Well, it appears that these posts are a bit dated here, but i have to put my two cents in. I have worked blue collar all my life. I am 44 years old and in great physical shape. I have raised a family, two daughters (now 24 and 21) and a son that passed away from leukemia on Christmas of 2005. He was almost six years old. I got divorced and remarried. I have been with the the same oil company for over thirteen years and I feel that i am the best at what I do. I have worked in the office a bit, I am very comfortable speaking with customers. i have lead our team of drivers as the senior man. I am an avid photographer on the side. I am a motorcycle safety instructor. No, I don't have a degree but I have a lot of life lessons under my belt and I am very proud of myself for pushing onward. i am also very thankful to God for providing for me and my family for all these years. Ok, ok, I'm getting to the punchline, relax! My point here is tomorrow I have an interview. The first since being laid-off back in May. I feel I have what it takes to move to the next level, may it be a hiring manager or in sales, whatever..but, unfortunately I haven't found that opportunity yet...So, dammit!!! I am going to walk into another oil company tomorrow dressed to the nines. It is my badge of honor. I am also letting the person who is interviewing know exactly how confident I am in myself. Dressing for success is for myself as well as the interviewer. I earned it and I am walking tall tomorrow!
Keep your head up buddy. If you can walk the walk and talk the talk, someone will take ya. I've seen a lot of good people get the layoff notices, and these companies have been trying to replace expensive labor with cheap... Usually doesn't work out. Cheap labor causes expensive accidents. Some of the union busting at Honeywell has cost big bucks, and it's about to cost Boeing many billions with a lawsuit. A lot of these companies have figured that out, and are trying to get people like you with experience. If your good at what you did all your life, and have a good head on your shoulders, you'll find your way.
I have found that the clothing really doesn't make much difference. As long as your not wearing rags, employers don't seen to care... The good ones anyways. They understand that guys with long hair or tattoos can get away with that if they have the skillset. With that in mind, you should do fine with just a button down shirt if you felt like it, but nothing wrong with a suit. I find nice cloths make me feel a bit more confident during the interview, so I always wear high quality long sleeve button down shirts with dress pants. I always keep the hair trimmed, shave the day before, just make sure I look decent. Once the job is secure, I can show up with bedhead and rags and no one would care. That's one of the perks about this kinda work!
Donno where the op got the idea about the color blue being required for the interview. Blue is often the color of the uniforms provided, but it has nothing to do with being a requirement. Wear whatever you feel looks best for the interview. The most important thing for any blue collar job interview is to know and understand the job your applying for. If it is anything beyond an entry level position, review terminology, skills, and any book smarts that may be required for the position. I've never had an interview where an extensive mathematics test wasn't required, as well as blue print reading and problem solving related to the job. If you can pass that, the cloths you wear are meaningless.
And most blue collar employees work for other blue collar employers. When I got the job at the hospital I was working at a locksmith shop. We wore blue uniforms at the locksmith shop and they wore black pants and a tan shirt at the hospital. I wore my nicest uniform into the interview that day. I was working and they knew that. Spo stopping off in the uniform wasn't unusual. I made sure that it was ironed and my newest one. Still it worked for me. We have had guys show up for interviews wearing a tie and button up shirt. One of them we hired and he has been here a few years now.
I don't have a problem with someone coming in for an interview in the uniform they wear to their current job--as long as it isn't filthy. Some of our employees are temps so we don't provide uniforms. They come to work in stained jeans and t-shirts which are usually stained and sometimes have holes in them. That would NOT be an appropriate way to show up for an interview.
Disagree, unless you're hiring day laborers. If you're hiring for long term permanent positions it shows the candidate is making an effort to make a good appearance. People like that tend to take jobs and showing up on time more seriously.
Someone who shows up looking like they already have the job could be a sign of laziness. Dressing up shows some effort, I don't care what the dress code for the job is. They don't have the job yet.
At the very least you wear a pair of slacks and a shirt with a collar.
Not true in blue collar work. Blue collar jobs typically are looking for people who dress the part. Now that doesn't mean show up dirty with torn clothing but you don't go to a blue collar job interview in a suite and tie...it just doesn't happen nor does it work.
Not true in blue collar work. Blue collar jobs typically are looking for people who dress the part. Now that doesn't mean show up dirty with torn clothing but you don't go to a blue collar job interview in a suite and tie...it just doesn't happen nor does it work.
Depends on the job. If I'm hiring a purchasing clerk (which in my field is still considered "blue collar") I wouldn't have a problem with anything from slacks and a polo to suit and tie. (I would have a problem with jeans to the interview for that position, it is technically blue collar but not generally a "dirty" job if that makes sense.)
If I'm hiring general labor, I would probably think the guy who shows up in a suit and tie would be scared of getting dirty. But a guy who showed up in chinos and a polo with a sport coat, or slacks and a dress shirt and tie wouldn't be off-putting.
Our uniforms are Dickies pants and collared shirts, so why shouldn't they wear chinos and a collared shirt to the interview? Hmmmm...
I guess dressing a step or two above what someone would wear to work is a good idea, but three steps above, not so much. Hope that makes sense.
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