<div dir="ltr">I'd argue that the company is trying to sell itself to you - and that if you show up all decked-out that you're over doing it, and they'll know they don't have to try hard to get you.<br><br>
If you're competent - and you don't show up looking like a total slob - they'll want you.<br><br>I never show up in anything more interesting than pants and a polo or short-sleeve button-up shirt. If they're that stuffy, I don't want to work there.<br>
<br>Course, if you *like* suits and ties (I haven't worn either in over 10 years), then go for it.<br><br>WMM<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 8:24 AM, Jeff Lightner <<a href="mailto:jlightner@water.com">jlightner@water.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">I disagree with the tie comments.<br>
<br>
There's an old saying:<br>
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.<br>
<br>
I've been employed in the IT field since 1991 and it was sometime before<br>
1996 that everyone went casual - despite that as I noted above I've<br>
always worn a suit and tie to interviews. Once the job starts it's<br>
casual all the way.<br>
<br>
You're there trying to sell yourself to the potential employer. Often<br>
you're interviewing with a recruiter or HR person who knows little to<br>
nothing of the technical end of the business and may not pass you on to<br>
hiring manager based on perceptions. You then often are interviewing<br>
with management types who might well interpret casual dress (especially<br>
if it isn't "neat") as a sign that you're not "serious" about the job.<br>
While you will also interview with technical people usually this comes<br>
AFTER the first two things. The technical people are going to judge you<br>
on what you say about technical questions and aren't going to hold a tie<br>
against you the way some on this list have implied if your answers are<br>
correct.<br>
<br>
By the way there are still some jobs where suit and tie is required not<br>
because its IT but because of the business. I was even once asked to<br>
shave my beard for an interview by a recruiter. I didn't do it but am<br>
just using it to illustrate the point that sometimes appearances as well<br>
as technical ability do matter.<br>
<br>
Of course you could always ask when arranging the interview whether they<br>
would like you to wear a suit and tie. Often enough they'll tell you it<br>
is casual and you won't lose any points for coming in casual. Just<br>
remember casual in a business setting seldom means cutoffs and a<br>
t-shirt.<br>
<div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:ale-bounces@ale.org">ale-bounces@ale.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:ale-bounces@ale.org">ale-bounces@ale.org</a>] On Behalf Of<br>
William Bagwell<br>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 5:23 AM<br>
To: Mike Harrison; <a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a><br>
Subject: Re: [ale] Since we're on the subject of jobs lately<br>
<br>
On Tuesday 15 July 2008, Mike Harrison wrote:<br>
> I recently (two days ago) interviewed a guy I'd like to hire,<br>
> who wore a tie. Badly. It was new, shiney and like his new blue<br>
> shirt, just didn't fit.<br>
<br>
You should have rung a cowbell and cut his tie off with a pair of<br>
scissors.<br>
<br>
Hey, it happend to me! Not a job interview, this was about 20 years ago<br>
in<br>
a steakhouse somewhere out west... Think it was this one.<br>
<a href="http://www.pppatio.com/OldFiles/history/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.pppatio.com/OldFiles/history/index.html</a><br>
<br>
Garish green with white polka dot clown tie that hung down to my waist,<br>
so<br>
I even got an extra insult ad-libbed into the script:) Can't recall ever<br>
<br>
wearing a tie since.<br>
--<br>
William<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Ale mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</a><br>
<a href="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale" target="_blank">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a><br>
</div></div>----------------------------------<br>
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail may contain privileged or confidential information and is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please reply immediately to the sender that you have received the message in error, and delete it. Thank you.<br>
----------------------------------<br>
<div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Ale mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</a><br>
<a href="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale" target="_blank">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><br>Warren Myers<br><a href="http://warrenmyers.com">http://warrenmyers.com</a>
</div>