Going for an interview without a suit

Shocky-FM said:
I've been more successful the times I never had a suit jacket so I don't buy into that at all.

It depends on the employer, if they're going to judge you on something like that I'm not sure I want to work for them to be honest.
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For anything customer or client facing, not showing up in a suit would show a lack of care for your, and your employers appearance.

As others have said, showing up in a suit will never get you marked down, but showing up without one certainly could, so why risk it?
 
My approach on interviews is to try and remove as many reasons possible for the person to not give me the job.

These include, dressing the best I can, ( In this instance that means a suit) Nobody won't offer a position because you were wearing a suit, but they might because you weren't.

Try to avoid bringing up anything negative comments about myself.

A small thing but I always avoid aftershave, I might think it's the best smell on earth, but they might literally puke at its slightest hint.

Given that you are asking them to consider you and pay more than the advert, you need to show them that you are better than everyone else, and small things like dress can be the difference.

Most people don't like rejecting people, so will jump at anything that they can to justify an easy decision for them, so don't give them an easy reason.

Tbh, given that your asking, I think you already know that you should, but you'd rather note, so were looking for some amount of confirmation of your thinking
 
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@OP - for a grad role you probably should wear a suit in most cases

there are exceptions in certain industries - some tech companies etc.. but if you're in any way unsure then you're likely better off wearing one than not
 
I didn't wear a suit to my last interview - just a shirt, jeans and some casual shoes. I told them in advance that I was coming straight from work and didn't want to arouse suspicions. They were cool with it and I got the job.

I'm going to guess that attitudes are going to vary wildly by industry though. :)
 
I don't own a suit. I attended the last three interviews I've been to in:

Jet black jeans
Blue spotted button up shirt
Grey spotted tie
Black blazer
Brown oxfords

So it looked a bit like a suit, but wasn't one. Got all three jobs. :)

The jobs were:

Apprentice - IT Applications Specialist (large finance company)
Tier 1 tech support - Service Support Technician (small outsourced IT provider)
Tier 2 tech support - Service Desk Analyst (large outsourced IT provider)
 
I have been to every job interview I have had wearing formal shoes, formal trousers, formal shirt and tie with no suit jacket and I have got every single job I have ever applied for........suits are overrated!
 
Acme said:
I don't own a suit. I attended the last three interviews I've been to in:

Jet black jeans
Blue spotted button up shirt
Grey spotted tie
Black blazer
Brown oxfords

So it looked a bit like a suit, but wasn't one. Got all three jobs. :)
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well that is the alternative, ideally with trousers rather than jeans... but the OP could go with trousers and blazer if he can't afford a suit...

sounds like he's got everything else so could just pick up a blazer from the local charity shop for a few £ if he's short of cash
 
Nitefly said:
And the only circumstances in which you wouldn't look a bell is as stated :p
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not really - tis fine for any role where you'd wear a suit

could easily see an old GP or hospital consultant wearing them... or a university lecturer rebelling against tweed
 
Well the only people I've seen wearing them in my firm are 'old school' corporate types in the City - I really don't see anyone else pulling them off unless they are, as you say, old and of that era. It's just like casually wearing a 3 piece... just... nobody needs a fashion statement during a bog standard 'school day' at work.
 
djcj said:
I have been to every job interview I have had wearing formal shoes, formal trousers, formal shirt and tie with no suit jacket and I have got every single job I have ever applied for........suits are overrated!
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This is what I'm doing. The jeans option above sounds far less formal!!

RoboCod said:
OP, be sure to report back how your interview goes.
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Will do.
 
If you don't like my clothes you are not a suitable employer for me!:D

Don't take the **** though. ;)

Clean jeans, shoes, shirt and jumper. Stick the tie where the sun don't shine.
 
I agree with you but I do think it depends on the industry. I am lucky that I'm good with IT and infrastructure stuff because I can barely dress myself, every interview I have turned up to since I had a career rather than a string of jobs has resulted in me dressing pretty much the same as the interviewers and getting an offer. I appreciate some industries are not that laid back though but haven't ever had to go for one of those positions so I'm not really able to tell people that they won't need a suit or they must have one. There are also bound to be exceptions to each rule - there will be some IT organisations that pay people peanuts but expect suits all day every day. And I was at the London Stock Exchange a couple of weeks back and barely saw a suit in the department I was working in.

I do know that when I interview people I can hardly remember how they dressed let alone use it to influence my feedback of the candidate, unless they have a curry stain down the front of their shirt or are wearing a full S.S. uniform then I can't say the clothing would sway me one way or the other.
 
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OP just buy a cheap suit under £100. I wouldn't employ someone who couldn't be bothered to dress the part.

It also depends on the job, if its a professional job then suit, if its working at a factory, retail, other non-skilled/physical work then trousers, shoes, shirt and tie will be fine.
 
I despise suits, and find them unbelievably unnecessary for an interview process. Most IT jobs especially (as an example) don't demand the need to be customer facing meaning you'll be sat at a desk with a shirt and trousers for 95% of your working life there yet there's some sort of an expectation to dress for a funeral or wedding.

My interview for the company I work for, I wore a shirt, trousers and shoes, nothing special. I would be amazed if they didn't give you the role (even if you knew your stuff and was a perfect candidate) all because you never wore a suit jacket, make's no sense to me.

Yes look smart, but it's not the be all and end all of the interview process.
 
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