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Suit or no suit? Recruiter giving me weird advice

Dryst999Dryst999 Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
in IT Jobs / Degrees
So I have an interview for a junior system admin position on monday at one of the biggest financial companies in the US. I'm extremely excited and can't believe how good my recruiter is that got me this interview.

Oddly enough though he wants me to wear dark slacks, white or pale blue dress shirt, and power tie for this interview instead of a suit. I'm pretty confused by this, the attire is business casual for their IT staff and he said that I need to dress one step up and still look like an engineer instead of an IBM salesman. I've ALWAYS worn a suit though, it just seems odd to go to a major corporation and only be in tie/slacks. Should I heed his advice you think?
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    hex_omegahex_omega Member Posts: 183
    Go with what makes you feel sexy.
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    networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    Maybe he has some inside information on the manager. I'd agree with hex_omega though, go with what you will feel comfortable and confident in.
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
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    Dryst999Dryst999 Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Yeh he's worked with the company before, he knows the person interviewing me so I guess I should listen to him... I just always thought wearing anything but a suit to an interview is an immediate negative to you
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    qcomerqcomer Member Posts: 142
    I would wear whatever youre comfortable in.

    I have never worn a suit, always dress slacks, solid color shirt, and a tie with dress shoes.

    I have gotten most jobs Ive interviewed for except 2 (one I didnt have enough SQL experience, the other 1 lived too far away).

    Take my advice with a grain of salt though. icon_cheers.gif
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    apena7apena7 Member Posts: 351
    Whether you wear a suit or long-sleeve shirt, make sure you rock a piano key necktie icon_thumright.gif
    Usus magister est optimus
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    Hyper-MeHyper-Me Banned Posts: 2,059
    I've gotten more job offers by wearing a suit or blazer and tie than just a shirt and tie or shirt and no tie.
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    Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I never wear jackets and I do presentations for senior board members of large financial institutions. Jackets are just too hot 99% of the time. I own eight white long-sleeve oxford shirts that are exactly the same. My typical MO is a white oxford, a nice tie, nice slacks, and designer shoes*. Just like you wouldn't put cheap tires on your car, you shouldn't put cheap shoes on your feet. Generally speaking, the more scrilla you spend on shoes the longer they'll last. My current pair of Steve Maddens have lasted me for 18 months so far with zero wear and tear.

    *and a coach bag briefcase.
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    RobertKaucherRobertKaucher Member Posts: 4,299 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Hyper-Me wrote: »
    I've gotten more job offers by wearing a suit or blazer and tie than just a shirt and tie or shirt and no tie.

    The pants included with the suit probably helped. Just a shirt and tie and I would not even let you in the building!icon_lol.gif
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    ALfromSTLALfromSTL Member Posts: 43 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Paul Boz wrote: »
    I never wear jackets and I do presentations for senior board members of large financial institutions. Jackets are just too hot 99% of the time. I own eight white long-sleeve oxford shirts that are exactly the same. My typical MO is a white oxford, a nice tie, nice slacks, and designer shoes*. Just like you wouldn't put cheap tires on your car, you shouldn't put cheap shoes on your feet. Generally speaking, the more scrilla you spend on shoes the longer they'll last. My current pair of Steve Maddens have lasted me for 18 months so far with zero wear and tear.

    *and a coach bag briefcase.

    :) Wow, only thing I can think of is "Are you in or are you out?"

    (bad Project Runway reference)icon_lol.gif
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    Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    ALfromSTL wrote: »
    :) Wow, only thing I can think of is "Are you in or are you out?"

    If Dynamik's mom is involved, a little of both ;)
    CCNP | CCIP | CCDP | CCNA, CCDA
    CCNA Security | GSEC |GCFW | GCIH | GCIA
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    astorrsastorrs Member Posts: 3,139 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Paul Boz wrote: »
    I never wear jackets and I do presentations for senior board members of large financial institutions. Jackets are just too hot 99% of the time. I own eight white long-sleeve oxford shirts that are exactly the same. My typical MO is a white oxford, a nice tie, nice slacks, and designer shoes*. Just like you wouldn't put cheap tires on your car, you shouldn't put cheap shoes on your feet. Generally speaking, the more scrilla you spend on shoes the longer they'll last. My current pair of Steve Maddens have lasted me for 18 months so far with zero wear and tear.

    *and a coach bag briefcase.
    I'm "rocking" Aldo Brue's these days and for these prices I want at least half a decade. ;)
    twitter: @astorrs
    profile: linkedin.com/in/astorrs
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    ZartanasaurusZartanasaurus Member Posts: 2,008 ■■■■■■■■■□
    hex_omega wrote: »
    Go with what makes you feel sexy.
    I'd show up naked then.
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    alan2308alan2308 Member Posts: 1,854 ■■■■■■■■□□
    apena7 wrote: »
    Whether you wear a suit or long-sleeve shirt, make sure you rock a piano key necktie icon_thumright.gif

    Now thats classy. Definitely a step up from the fish tie that I'm currently rocking. icon_mrgreen.gif
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    laidbackfreaklaidbackfreak Member Posts: 991
    Did you mention that you usually wear suit to interviews ? It may have been a case he's used to people being to casual and was trying to convey a smarter dress code for interviews.
    Personally I'd still wear a suit.
    if I say something that can be taken one of two ways and one of them offends, I usually mean the other one :-)
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    BradleyHUBradleyHU Member Posts: 918 ■■■■□□□□□□
    i havent worn a suit to an interview in a few years. i usually do the slacks, button up & tie...and depending on the time of year, a dress sweater on top of the shirt & tie. sometimes i might rock a blazer too, but thats rare...
    Link Me
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    Dryst999Dryst999 Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
    laidbackfreak wrote: »
    Did you mention that you usually wear suit to interviews ? It may have been a case he's used to people being to casual and was trying to convey a smarter dress code for interviews.
    Personally I'd still wear a suit.


    Yeh I told him that i've never worn anything but a suit to an interview and he said that I should wear slacks/sold color shirt/power tie because it would make me look like an engineer and not a salesman, it would be one step up from what their IT people wear. I mean I guess the psychology makes sense so i'll try it out. He drives a $100k Porsche so I trust his judgment lol
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    laidbackfreaklaidbackfreak Member Posts: 991
    Dryst999 wrote: »
    He drives a $100k Porsche so I trust his judgment lol

    lol he drives that making money off people like us, we're more valuable to him than vice versa icon_wink.gif

    I can see where he's coming from and am aware of some of the differences between the us and uk, but I'd still go for the suit. You may be "just an engineer" but your still a professional and there is nothing wrong with dressing as such.
    I guess you need to make the call on this icon_smile.gif
    if I say something that can be taken one of two ways and one of them offends, I usually mean the other one :-)
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    tpatt100tpatt100 Member Posts: 2,991 ■■■■■■■■■□
    I got a job with the City in jeans and a polo shirt but that was when the economy was good lol
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    pwjohnstonpwjohnston Member Posts: 441
    I almost never wear a suit to an interview and I'm generally complimented on my attire.

    Usually I go for a Medium Blue dress shirt and matching slacks and vest/waistcoat, usually black with a solid black tie.

    Kind of like this minus the jacket.

    DKNY Suit Separates, Black Tonal Stripe Slim Fit - Suits & Suit Separates - Men's - Macy's
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