For those in corporate IT….What is considered business professional?

For those in corporate IT….What is considered business professional?

I have an interview tomorrow at a corporate office. I asked the recruiter if it was ok to wear khaki pants, a button up shirt, and a tie..he said “yeah”
I will need to see what everyone else is wondering, but I’m just wondering what business professional is…

I don’t have a suit……Yet

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Comments

Sounds Good

For interviews, I'd wear a suit if the weather permits. If not, wear a shirt and tie with dress pants.

I personally wouldn't wear khakis to an interview.

Remember, you're never going to get penalized for overdressing, but you will for underdressing.

TLeTourneau

To me business professional is a suit. Lacking that I would recommend slacks, a button-up and a tie for an interview.

NetworkVeteran

Sounds Good wrote: »

Remember, you're never going to get penalized for overdressing, but you will for underdressing.

Not true. I have seen over-dressing be a factor in passing over a potential candidate. The recruiter already said "khaki pants, a button up shirt, and a tie" was acceptable. I would go with that and focus on other aspects of your interview.

Sponx

You should wear a business suit if possible; however, a blazer could be worn with dress slacks or khaki pants. Wearing a tie is usually a requirement for men in a business professional enviroment. You could also do a sweater with a shirt and tie.

networker050184

TLeTourneau wrote: »

To me business professional is a suit. Lacking that I would recommend slacks, a button-up and a tie for an interview.

Agreed. Business casual would be more along the lines of your khakis and a button down without the tie.

ahardinjr

I concur. A suit is usually considered business professional. Also, when going into an interview, you want to look as professional as possible. If you don't have a suit, then at minimum dress pants, dress shirt, and a tie. Better to over dress than under dress for an interview; you only have one first impression.

chmod

A suit for sure

Sounds Good

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

Not true. I have seen over-dressing be a factor in passing over a potential candidate. The recruiter already said "khaki pants, a button up shirt, and a tie" was acceptable. I would go with that and focus on other aspects of your interview.

unless "khaki pants, a button up shirt, and a tie" was specifically asked for, it seems silly to pass on people for dressing up "too well"

Plantwiz

Attire is part of doing ones homework prior to the interview. A suit for gentlemen should be pretty standard...unless you KNOW otherwise and then at least a tie.

Overdressing can be an issue, but these days, I rarely see people overdress

. Far too many do not now HOW to dress for interviews.

You did ask the recruiter, so now the ball is really in your court...however, if it were me, I would error on business professional rather than business casual..your the one in the hot seat.

--chris--

While i lack technical skills and rarely can comment on these forums in a helpful manner, i do have some experience in the hiring/"prospecting" arena.

I would suit up.

General tips for everyone:

1)Suit up, in a suit thats tailored for you. Ive seen some pretty sloppy fitting suits (shoulders too wide, way too much droop in the jacket, shirt collars too small/large, etc...). Tailoring is cheap and sometimes free depending on where you buy it. Cheap if you compare it to the cost of the suit/how long you will own it and wear it.

2)Make sure its clean! Ive seen everything from crumbs (why didnt you wipe them off?) to make up and what i think was BBQ sauce. Not just woolite in a bag in your dryer either, drop the little bit of money on taking it to the pros.

Pressed slacks w/shirt & tie > sloppy fitting/dirty suits everytime.

I might be placing too much emphasis on this, but i always remember how someone looked during a meeting or interview. You could get hired regardless of this on sheer talent, but i think everyone wants a little bit of a leg up right?

NetworkVeteran

Sounds Good wrote: »

unless "khaki pants, a button up shirt, and a tie" was specifically asked for, it seems silly to pass on people for dressing up "too well"

I didn't say they were dressed too well. I said they were over-dressed. Docking someone points for being overdressed is no more/less silly than docking someone points for being under-dressed. In that particular case, I got the job, and at least two interviewers commented they felt the other guy was too formal as indicated by his pressed pants, tie, and language. I had dressed slightly better than my interviewers. My competition had overdressed. Simple enough.

I don't disagree with PlantWiz that under-dressing is more common. But I don't want anyone to get the misimpression that you can't overdress, or that overdressing is not also harmful to your interview chances. Of course, other factors will vastly overshadow these in most interviews. Don't get too hung up on fashion.

networker050184

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

Docking someone points for being overdressed is no more/less silly than docking someone points for being under-dressed.

I have to disagree with this. Dressing nice for an interview or any kind of meeting is common knowledge business etiquette. I don't think it is silly at all to dock someone if they can't do something as simple as knowing to show up dressed in a professional manner for an interview. I'm not looking to hire a child that needs to be told how to handle something this simple.

If someone dresses a little too nice, well, that is just silly to dock them for that IMO. Better safe than sorry and you can't fault someone for that.

puertorico1985

I may be in the minority here, but I have never worn a suit to any interview. I always wear pressed slacks, and pressed button-up shirt and a tie. I am one that feels that a business suit is a bit overkill. There have been some interviews where the manager/CIO was in jeans and a polo, and I was the only one dressed up. Not saying that it is necesarrily bad to wear a suit, but my personal opinion is that it may be overkill. I always wear slacks, shirt, and a tie and that is what makes me comfortable. I don't feel comfortable in a suit. Again, that is just my personal opinion.

paul78

A big part of what to wear also depends on the type of job and the type of company and who you are meeting. Any candidate that comes to meet with me for example, who doesn't wear a suit is not likely going to get very far.

But in certain other companies where I have worked, I may not care depending on the job level.

Generally speaking, I will remember a job candidate who under-dressed. But if over-dresses, I will focus on other aspects of the candidates qualifications.

So, I would say, it's usually safer in the job interview to eliminate a simple negative by wearing a suit - minimally tie and jacket or whatever is local custom.

BTW - it's a two way street as well. If you don't want to work at a location similar to where I work and such formality isn't your cup of tea. Don't dress more than you are comfortable if that's not the type of environment you want to work in.

QHalo

Eleventy billion of these threads. Business professional = suit. Business casual = slacks and a button shirt. I think we can all agree to disagree that its a matter of opinion and comfort. To me, overdressing would be showing up in a tuxedo, under-dressing is showing up in a pair of shorts and flip flops. Meet somewhere in the middle. But I always suit up. If someone won't hire me because I wore a suit then I probably wouldn't want to work for someone that fastidious.

alyaba

I personally know a person that was hired instead of someone else because he wore a suit, the manager that did the hiring told me that herself. So i think it really depends on the company, I would rather dress up than down. I always wear pressed slacks, and pressed button-up shirt and a tie.

xXErebuS

(IMO)
A) If your not hired b/c you OVERdressed you probably don't want to work there.

If your not hired b/c your UNDERdressed well thats your own fault.

With that being said; I don't wear suits and never will (unless of course it is strictly stated) - I will always wear nice dress pants; plain button down, tie. If you pick someone else over me b/c they wore a suit then its probably not the atmosphere I want to work in. Now with that said IMO:
Business formal = suit
Business professional = shirt / tie
Business casual = khaki / polo

If I was you - dress pants / shirt tie; if you get there and you notice your over dressed go to the bathroom; roll up your sleeves; throw tie in pocket.

UniqueAgEnT

Suit definitely. Busines formal/professional has a fine line so I would go with the suit to be safe if you want the position.