Dress Code in Real Estate Asset Management
I want to share an experience I just had on my third week of being a first year analyst in RE AM. To give a little background, I work in a second tier east coast market (Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, DC etc) working at a large AM firm. The dress code here is very business professional, as in casual Friday is tie with no jacket. So this morning I'm in the elevator with a first year analyst, a VP known to have a short fuse and we are all going up. When we finally get to our floor, the VP turns to the analyst and says "Mike, is there a cookout that I don't know about? Why the f***k are you wearing khakis?" Trying not to die laughing, I went to my desk holding it back with everything I had.
My question to you guys is, what is the dress code for other sectors of RE? I know my company is very formal, but what are dress codes like in your shops?
I work in REPE in a major east coast city. I work with the acquisitions team and generally wear chinos or jeans, loafers or dress shoes, and a shirt (no tie). We are suppose to wear a suit if meeting with a new operating partner but that never happens, especially in the summer.
Our AM associate is currently rocking sperrys, jeans, and a golf polo.
Your firm sounds totally douchey and I don't think I'd want to be employed there.
We have clients come in every day, so it's expected to dress up. As for the VP, yes he is a douche.
Work at a large investment shop in a major city, extremely casual. Brooks bros button down, H Belt, brooks bros chinos and gamo loafers. Fridays is even more casual, polo, johnny-o mulligan shorts, omega belt and todds
lol "todds"...
you have try hard written all over you. at least spell it correctly.
REO AM: Fairly casual. A couple guys, myself included, will wear sport coats into work and get slightly ribbed for it. Khakis/Slacks with either button-downs or polos is normal, jeans fridays.
It's going to vary wildly between company to company. I interviewed for a place that was purely suit and tie. Where I work now is anywhere from button down and slacks to polo and khakis to polo and jeans. Some days I shave, some days I don't.
Development seems to have fairly relaxed dress standards... When you've been successful with house money you don't have to impress anyone. Shorts aren't unheard of at my shop.
Fairly certain that the floor of around 50-75 people I work with would come to a complete stop if someone came off the elevator in shorts lol
I work at a development shop where it's just me (associate) and the principal. He wears a country club polo everyday with chinos, jeans, or shorts.
I walked in one day wearing a dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes, and he looked at me and said, "Well, shit... You must be important."
I worked for a REIT that changed leadership and went from suit and tie to slacks and a button down.
I've been interviewing quite a bit at principal side investors/developers/reits and every single one has been business casual (no ties, jeans and polos on Fridays). A couple others were so casual you can wear shorts to work which I've never experienced but think is dope.
T-shirt, White Blazer and loafer-no socks. Also your best friend is a black guy.
Major market development. Slacks, loafers, button down dress shirt. Jacket or suit no tie when attending out of office meetings or having important people into the office.
How did Mike react? LOL
Mike shit bricks!
I'm with a large CRE brokerage firm in a second tier east coast market like where you are and am required to wear suit and tie everyday. Interns all the way up to senior management is expected to be in suit and tie. I would say overall though that it varies firm to firm.
I'm brand new (second week) in RE public finance consulting on the East Coast; I am the only one in the office who doesn't show up in jeans, flip flops, shorts, T-shirts... ad nauseum. We work with dozens upon dozens of developers, who are not much more formal.
Not to throw shade at your firm, but I would not be doing business with anyone that showed up in flip flops, shorts and T-shirts. Call me old fashioned, but appearance is everything.
You're a first year analyst. Would you be the one making that decision anyhow? Chances are your boss will tell you who you do business with, just like chances are that the developers dress up a bit more when it comes to important meetings.
As I said above, my company is mainly button down and slacks or golf shirt and polo, so it's a bit more than shorts and flops, but I also know developers who look like Cali skaters. Blonde hair down to their shoulders, beard, skinny jeans, "fashionable" short sleeve button downs, forearm tats, etc. One in particular is absurdly successful and intelligent regardless of his appearance, so it would be financially irresponsible not to deal with him because he doesn't have a suit, tie, and a pinkie ring.
Exactly my initial reaction. We do both structuring/consulting and bond administration, and I am learning it's mostly the admin folk who dress so poorly. Obviously nobody walks into client meetings that way, and being my second week I'm to the 9s every day.
Other analysts wear jeans/golf shirts as they are modeling all day and don't see clients. It's not my taste, but they seem to take care of business.
Its hard to tell in NYC. RE cuts through so many comunities. Its a bit crazy to see. In my firm people show up from everything from shorts and a t-shirt to custom made suits. The guy in the t-shirt was making more money then the guy in the custom made suits. An extremely big developer I know wears yeezys,shorts,a few gold chains and a massive gold watch (looked like a kingpin). Most RE people dont care.
"Looked like a kingpin" lol must be an urban developer
Just a thought... What do these highly successful people that wear shorts to the office, wear when they go to a club or high profile event? Dressing down for work and dressing up afterwards?
Why is that so weird to you? Again, I don't go as far as to wear shorts to work, but for a high profile event I put on a suit or a tux and I don't go "to a club" because I'm not Pitbull. If I go to a bar after work I'm wearing the same business casual I wear to work and if I'm going to a bar some other time I'm either wearing shorts and a shirt or pants and a short depending on the time of year.
I'm absolutely fine with casual wear.
But shorts? Get the fuck outta here
Major PERE London: Suits every day but no ties. After lunch some people wear sports stuff (if they don't have appointments), because it is quite common to go the gym
I'm confused. I thought everyone in RE AM wears Timberland boots and hard hats
And that all investment staff wear beer goggles
You might be confusing RE AM with the after party of a Sean Paul music video
I am glad to work as a data scientist for a west coast tech firm - shorts, t-shirt and vans. If I am sent to met with clients to discuss technical items, I'll wear jeans, button-up and a sports coat. Even then I feel to dressed-up - I would do terrible on the east coast.
Just the northeast. The south isn't shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers casual, but it's way more relaxed than the people with bad weather
I'm at a lifeco in the NYC area. We are business casual (Chinos/slacks + a button down; a polo is acceptable, but I've only seen it once in my group in the last 2 months). If a client is in, people will wear a jacket or suits. No jeans on Friday, except for the summer.
Acquisitions in a major market - business professional daily, no tie on Friday in summer.
I interned at a boutique RE. The attire was usually business casual (Chinos + Polo / Shirt). If there was a client meeting, then it was suits.
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