Gaming industry - interview attire?

HangTime said:
In the gaming sector, I wonder if a suit might come across as a bit 'too corporate' and one should go for something slightly less formal like chinos and a presentable long-sleeved shirt?
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For what role are you interviewing? If you're interviewing for an accountancy role the advice might be very different from a programming role.
 
Quartz said:
For what role are you interviewing? If you're interviewing for an accountancy role the advice might be very different from a programming role.
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Back office teams are just as casual as the rest of the business. Maybe someone FD-level would be a more of a tie-wearer sometimes.

The important thing is to wear something that you're comfortable in....with the caveat that if your idea of comfortable is crisp shirts and sharp suits, you're probably not a good fit for the industry.
 
Quartz said:
For what role are you interviewing? If you're interviewing for an accountancy role the advice might be very different from a programming role.
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It's a management role, not directly linked to gaming in terms of what I'd actually be doing. I've decided not to wear a tie, perhaps a more casual shirt and jacket, or just a smart shirt. Early stages, so I'll probably be able to get away with a comment at an appropriate moment around whether the attire is appropriate for future stages if we get that far. My gut feeling is they probably won't throw me out for 'smart casual' in the first stages, but a guy with greying hair in a suit might give the wrong impression.

Typically I have 'overdressed' for interviews in the sense that what I wear when I have the job is less formal than what I interviewed in. It's kind of like, you expect in an interview to be one tier up from the expected norm to show you are taking it seriously. The only exception is my first ever job after uni where it was expected to wear a tie (not sure why, as it wasn't a customer facing role) until a new MD came in who didn't like wearing a tie, and changed things.
 
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HangTime said:
It's a management role, not directly linked to gaming in terms of what I'd actually be doing. I've decided not to wear a tie, perhaps a more casual shirt and jacket, or just a smart shirt. Early stages, so I'll probably be able to get away with a comment at an appropriate moment around whether the attire is appropriate for future stages if we get that far. My gut feeling is they probably won't throw me out for 'smart casual' in the first stages, but a guy with greying hair in a suit might give the wrong impression.

Typically I have 'overdressed' for interviews in the sense that what I wear when I have the job is less formal than what I interviewed in. It's kind of like, you expect in an interview to be one tier up from the expected norm to show you are taking it seriously. The only exception is my first ever job after uni where it was expected to wear a tie (not sure why, as it wasn't a customer facing role) until a new MD came in who didn't like wearing a tie, and changed things.
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Good luck!

It's been 8+ years since I moved from investment banking IT to the games industry, best career move I ever made!
 
I'd listen to the posters who already work in the gaming industry on this one, if they're saying no suits then I'd probably just go casual tbh...

The half suit/compromise thing of just ditching the tie or wearing a blazer and chinos could still be a bit "briefcase to school" in some firms I'd suspect. It's fine these days to dress casually in some industries or with some firms and so I'd be inclined to simply do that, dress comfortably and don't appear out of place there.

It's probably not a huge deal-breaker either way, good interviewers perhaps won't care regardless but for some, wearing inappropriate attire (whether that is failing to turn up in a suit when appropriate or vice versa), could be a bit of a negative or be seen to be an indication of a lack of awareness/lack of insight into the company and their culture, etc...
 
I just wore a checked shirt in the end that could pass for casual or office attire, asked at the end and they said that was appropriate moving forwards.
 
KiNgPiN83 said:
Go in full cosplay of a character from your favourite game.:cool:

(Don't do this. I'd go smart but no tie/suit)
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Dress for the role you want. Boss move is usually to turn up for the interview dressed as Batman. Failing that, if you have a beard and a ponytail you can get away with wearing a suit as long as you also obey the golden rule: No socks.
 
mid_gen said:
I'm a hiring manager in the games industry, working at the more 'big corporate' end recently (Ubisoft, Microsoft). My opinion is probably relevant :p

Wearing a suit and tie to a game dev interview is unlikely to lose you the job (although it may contribute if in addition to your suit, you don't convince them that you're actually care about games)....but it's like taking a briefcase to school. On the plus side, you'll have something to look back on and laugh at if you do get the job :D
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Which studio?
 
Also, I tend to wear a nice set of suit trousers, shirt and a suit jacket.

No tie,

Not like a proper suit though, more of a casual going out suit. If ya know what I mean.
 
I've never worn a suit to an interview because I don't feel comfortable wearing them. It doesn't represent me and how I dress and I wouldn't work somewhere that enforced it.
 
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