I'm here for the interview

The definitive guide to interview attire.

With recruiting season just around the corner, I thought it would be helpful to post some basic guidelines, and today I’ll be discussing what to wear for an interview.

The purpose of having interviews is for the firm to see whether or not you are suitable for the job you’re applying to and to see if you’re a good fit for the group/desk/whatever. On your end, your job is to focus them on what you have to offer, that you have the skills and the talent to not only be perfect for the job, but be better than anybody else in it. Given that, the last thing you want is to unnecessarily distract or send a bad signal to your interviewer/s just because you wore something a little too flashy. So the keyword here on what to wear is conservative.

What to wear:

The suit:
Your suit has to be a notched lapel in either a solid charcoal or navy, except in Japan where black is more of the norm. In the U.S. or in the U.K., black is seen as a formal color and must be saved for events such as weddings, funerals, etc. Most importantly, the suit should at least fit.

The shirt:
Your shirt must be ironed and either a solid white or a light blue with barrel cuffs. French cuffs, even when used with silk knots instead of cuff links, are still a bit flashy. As for the collar, stay away from the extreme cutaways for now.

The tie:
Ideally your tie should be of a normal width, and in a restrained color or pattern. Go for conservative designs such as stripes, dots, or checks. If you’re in the U.K. however be careful about wearing stripes, some denote that you come from a certain military or collegiate group. Being mistaken for a former RAF gunner won’t exactly kill your chances, but it’s always better to err on the safe side.

Pocket square:
Depends on the firm really, as some have a higher degree of formality than others. Best bet is to bring a white one just in case and see how the seniors dress.

Shoes:
The shoes must be black and ideally with laces. Your next best option would be monk shoes although some designs may be a little flashy. Leave your loafers at home and stay away from those squared-toed Kenneth Coles.

The watch:
The theme we’ve been going through here is conservative, so your bling Jacob & Co. doesn’t really fit. Fact of the matter is a plastic Swatch will be better suited for this than any Rolex or Breitling. Try to go with any classic-looking watch with a leather strap, or if you’re going the sports watch route, try to keep it all stainless.

All in all, what you’re trying to do is to look like these guys:

You can bet your ass these two got hired.

 
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Best Response

HI. FRIENDLY BOFH HERE. FOR INTERVIEWS, I USUALLY SHOW UP IN A T-SHIRT AND JEANS. BY THE TIME I GET THE INTERVIEW, IT'S REALLY ALL IN THE BAG. THE INTERVIEWERS KNOW THAT IF I DON'T GET THE JOB, THEIR WIFE AND COMPLIANCE IS GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT EMAIL THEY SENT THE SECRETARY.

In all seriousness, where I do I start...

Your suit has to be a notched lapel in either a solid charcoal or navy, except in Japan where black is more of the norm. In the U.S. or in the U.K., black is seen as a formal color and must be saved for events such as weddings, funerals, etc. Most importantly, the suit should at least fit.
Generally true, but the bottom line is that you've got this brand that your selling, and it doesn't hurt for your clothing to match the brand. For instance, when I was heading off to New York, it was scary enough to come to the city for the first time and book a flight by myself for the first time, so I stuck with what I was familiar with- my brand. I showed up wearing a light gray suit, a stained glass red/black/taupe tie, and brown shoes- kinda like I had just stepped out of a downstate IL Methodist church service.

My brand was the Midwestern kid who looks at stuff differently. Coming in with a bit of a sing-songy accent and a gray suit, one interviewer admitted he had trouble not laughing as I ran circles around his technical questions and forced him to add several new (and sometimes better) answers to his solution set. That was how I got remembered and how I got the offer.

Ideally your tie should be of a normal width, and in a restrained color or pattern. Go for conservative designs such as stripes, dots, or checks. If you’re in the U.K. however be careful about wearing stripes, some denote that you come from a certain military or collegiate group. Being mistaken for a former RAF gunner won’t exactly kill your chances, but it’s always better to err on the safe side.
If you're wearing a dark suit, the tie says the most about who you are. Stick to conservative if you don't know what else to do, but again, if you're selling a brand, that's got some consideration. There's nothing wrong with a moderately bold tie if it works well with the suit and it fits your sales pitch.
Pocket square: Depends on the firm really, as some have a higher degree of formality than others. Best bet is to bring a white one just in case and see how the seniors dress.
Can't speak to Britain, but it looks a bit odd if you're in the US and not going to a Mad Men party. Pocket squares went out with fedoras in the US.

Then again, I haven't seen anyone follow a brand that might involve wearing a top-hat and monocle to an interview; a pocket square might be a good fit there.

The shoes must be black and ideally with laces. Your next best option would be monk shoes although some designs may be a little flashy. Leave your loafers at home and stay away from those squared-toed Kenneth Coles.
Most shoes are typically considered conservative as long as they're leather, come as high as tennis shoes and they're black. Loafers and KCs should be fine, although I prefer laced shoes.
 

Illini to the rescue again...love the Methodist church reference. I agree the pocket square is a no-no for junior guys.

I hear you about the brand and it's an interesting point...but maybe you had the luxury to look out of place because you were going to blow them out of the water anyways.

For someone that is on the bubble, I don't think dressing to impress will help their chances.

 

I don't know about anybody else, but I've broken ALL of these rules at once in an FT Analyst interview for a top M&A boutique in Toronto in 2007. Round 1 was good, solid grey suit, white shirt, plain patterened tie, black shoes, etc... No wonder I made it to round 2, lol

Listen to this round 2 lineup:

1) Black 3 button suit (think Hitman) 2) Pink cutaway shirt with french cuffs 3) Brown belt and brown square toed shoes (can't remember, but I would bet they were Steve Maddens, haha)

Needless to say, there was no offer, lol. I'm surprised they even gave me a rejection call and letter. But since the undergrad and before B-school, I've picked up more than enough style... I'll definitely be ready this year for recruiting season...

"Good judgement come from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement"

 

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