informational interview - what to wear?

notaspammer:

Always did b-cas when I was networking during my internship and nothing was ever brought up about it.

By the way, I wear business casual 80+ percent of the time, so it wouldn't bother me, but I also wouldn't be bothered if someone wore a suit. I would know they were at least taking it seriously and/or pretending to care.

BTbanker:

Just wear a suit and say you came from your grandma's funeral. They will feel sorry for you and just give you the job on the spot. Works every time.

I would go business casual. I have even had interviews at top consulting firms where they asked us to wear business casual over suits in for the interviews, and most of these offices only wear biz casual anyway so worst case you'll fit in.

business casual is probably the best choice unless it's an extremely conservative firm.

I think business casual would be fine - for me, that's just a suit minus the tie.

A quick heads up, unless you're sure that she knows its an informational interview, be prepared to answer some tough questions yourself. It may have been because it was set up through someone else, but I had a similar meeting at a boutique where the MD started asking me fairly tough questions on M&A that I hadn't even thought to prepare for (he must have just took it that I was looking to work at their office, the guy who got him to meet me had told me otherwise).

Yea, I agree with the posts. Business casual. Suit without the tie should be fine. Think about it this way, if you didn't wear a suit, then they'd think you weren't taking it very seriously, and that would be way worse. Especially at a top tier and with somebody high up there, then you definitely want to have a bare minimum of biz casual. Good luck! (I got an info interview this week too :P)

You're meeting at her office so err on the side of formality, i.e. wear a suit & tie. I'm not a consultant though, but I assume that at the very least the Partners will be dressed for business. Maybe the US is more informal as well. Perhaps the consultants will give you different advice.

What do you guys mean by business casual? Suit sans tie?

Business casual (suit without the tie). It'll make you look like you aren't necessarily treating this as an interview, but that this is semi-important. Just wearing a shirt and trousers is probably an office thing, but for the info interview go suit without the tie.

I agree with Dufus. She probably doesn't get too many kids who are from her school contacting her, so she may think you're interested. All questions are on the table. Worst case scenario she asks technical questions. Could happen though.

it's an informational. don't take any risks. you wouldnt lose w/ a suit.

I'd wear a suit. She's high up at a good firm, and there's a decent chance that you'll get introduced to a couple other people she works with. At least that's been my experience. You can't go wrong with a suit.

Business casual means suit sans tie and jacket.

That's because you work abroad and in IBD.

In New York, "business casual" means dress shirt and dark slacks. Wear a fleece if it's cold. Actually, in Chicago, "business casual" means any collared shirt and khakis or dark slacks.

For a college student not knowing the dress code, the risk of being a douche or being underdressed is best mitigated by wearing a collared shirt and dark slacks if this is New York. A college kid does not need to wear a suit- or jacket- to the office for a friendly visit with an alumn.

IP,

Thanks for clarifying, but the impression that i got was that the OP is seeking employment at said consulting firm or at least a referral. Surely wearing a suit jacket or at least a blazer would be more respectful, wouldn't it?

Go business casual, consultants very rarely wear business formal, especially on an average day in the office. Now if this was a full-fledged interview for FT or SA then you would need to suit up.

Interesting feedback IP. I suppose it's a cultural thing. I've always thought it more appropriate to err on the side of being more formally dressed than the person I was meeting if they were senior to me in age / status.

I've never heard of wearing a suit as being douchey in a business environment (particularly in finance), especially if you are a visitor or someone who wants to do business with the person. Even when I've met with eccentric top Hedge Fund managers or real estate guys at their offices they were in jeans & floral shirts whereas I was in my grey chalk stripe suit. Of course, if I actually worked there I would dress similar to their culture.

The senior guys I've met at trading floors at the large banks have always worn suits, but I was usually the client in those circumstances and it was usually outside of the US.

Interesting to see the sartorial differences between the US / rest of the world.

Thanks. I'm going to go suit no tie--I'll be coming from another professional job, so I feel like it's excusable.

With or without pocket square?

Only kidding!

Suit without a tie is a good call. General rule in consulting is to always dress a bit nicer than your client, and that's what she is to you now.

Only thing I've ever thought to myself when I showed up to an informational interview (last time this happened I was in jeans) and the requestor was in a suit is "Well, at least they're serious"

Also, you can always take off a jacket, tie, etc if you feel overdressed.

Out of curiosity, how did you go about sending this e-mail and landing an informational interview? I plan on doing the same but am worried about just cold e-mailing a partner or even recruiter and annoying them.

There's always an excuse to be over dressed, rarely one to be under dressed. Look the part, be part the part!

I used to always go business casual to these things, until one MD at an MBB invited me for coffee and I ended up being interviewed for an hour and went through a case study.

yep

suit and tie

You can never go wrong by over-dressing - you can always take your tie off. However, you can go very very wrong by under-dressing.

BarronWall:

You can never go wrong by over-dressing - you can always take your tie off. However, you can go very very wrong by under-dressing.

This.

The general rule of thumb is as follows:

• If you are asking/looking for something (i.e. money, a job, advice, a mandate to represent a client, etc.) always wear a suit and tie

• If you are the "money" you will be funnier, more intelligent, and more handsome than you have ever been before so you can wear whatever the F you want. The dynamic is even more palpable for guys who have spent a great deal of time on the sellside and then move over to the buyside to manage money.

junkbondswap:

The general rule of thumb is as follows:

- If you are asking/looking for something (i.e. money, a job, advice, a mandate to represent a client, etc.) always wear a suit and tie

- If you are the "money" you will be funnier, more intelligent, and more handsome than you have ever been before so you can wear whatever the F you want. The dynamic is even more palpable for guys who have spent a great deal of time on the sellside and then move over to the buyside to manage money.

Yeah, a buy side guy can literally show up in his undies and the suited sell side guy will still compliment him on the quality of the underwear fabric.

<span class=keyword_link><a href=/resources/skills/finance/going-concern>Going Concern</a></span>:

junkbondswap:

The general rule of thumb is as follows:

- If you are asking/looking for something (i.e. money, a job, advice, a mandate to represent a client, etc.) always wear a suit and tie

- If you are the "money" you will be funnier, more intelligent, and more handsome than you have ever been before so you can wear whatever the F you want. The dynamic is even more palpable for guys who have spent a great deal of time on the sellside and then move over to the buyside to manage money.

Yeah, a buy side guy can literally show up in his undies and the suited sell side guy will still compliment him on the quality of the underwear fabric.

What the fuk is wrong with you kids nowadays? When interviewing in any capacity, WEAR A SUIT. Holy hell, is there no common sense coming out of the education system nowadays?

depends: if it's during the work day and you're confident they're wearing the same thing, do it. I'd basically dress to what you think they're wearing. if it's a Saturday morning coffee in San Francisco, this will be different attire than a 3pm meeting in a MDs office in NYC, catch my drift? when I was in undergrad, I met a Wharton grad who started his own PE firm at a coffee shop on a weekend, he was in chinos and a button down, I opted for a suit but no tie, stuck out like a sore thumb. great interview, but the first thing he said was "why are you wearing a suit, you didn't have to do that!"

also, if meeting socially (not in an office), buy one of those 8x5 moleskines, very discreet but gets the job done.

I would wear a suit on most occasions. I agree with the previous post that you probably should dress business casual if you're meeting on a weekend, but if it's during the week, even after business hours, you should wear a suit. Make sure it's navy or grey and that it fits well. I can't tell you how many undergrads come through in their ill-fitting black suits with square toe shoes and I can't help but judge them for their appearance. How you look is going to be important but being very well prepared and fully engaged in the conversation will be key to landing that job/internship.

Shirt, Slacks. No tie, no jacket.

wear a suit dude, it is the ONLY thing to do ... trust me

Wear business casual. Colorful/non-plain shirt (no light blue/white) and possibly a sports jacket. You might also look good in khakis.

Suit trousers and shirt - no jacket, no tie. Don't wear khakis - it's always better to be slightly overdressed for an interview than underdressed.

I can't wear khakis at work, so right now I'm thinking of going with fp175's suggestion (which is what I wear to work everyday anyway)

Anyone else?

i second fp175's recommendation since this is an informational interview: slacks & shirt - no jacket, no tie

I'd usually vote for a suit, but in this case, i third fp175's recommendation

I'll jump on fp175's bandwagon

there's a fine line between looking professional/respectful and looking like "you're trying too hard". I would probably wear a tie but no suit jacket.

guys i'm not sure why i even care, which i don't but OP, please, do yourself a favor and buy a fucking suit and show you are serious

anyone that owns khakis should honestly throw them out, please, they are so 1990's GAP

all the people going with fp175 (great username btw, not) are morons :)

I fifth fp175 - no khakis, no tie.

khakis and a polo

Try to get a feel for how formal the guy's company is. If you are meeting him during business hours, I would wear a suit, but maybe no tie. It's better to be a bit overdressed, than look like a slob.

^^^ I would mirror what he would be wearing. Although it's better to look overdressed than a slob, it would also be weird if you rocked a suit while he's in jeans... at a coffee shop. It's too much and it appears you're trying too hard.

If the guy works in jeans when he's not at the client -> nice jeans and button down or polo

If the guy does biz casual sans jacket -> slacks/khakis and button down. If the guy works in a suit sans tie (can't imagine this is the case for consulting, esp on west coast) -> suit sans tie.

My guess is that you're fine with either of the two above. You can always take your jacket off.

If the guy works in suit/tie (see comment above) -> suit and tie

Jeans and Jacket with a sport shirt. Works for me.

To be honest you really can't be over-dressed, and if you are it won't hurt you. I would go suit and tie.