What to wear at an interview for a senior job tomorrow?

[Mabozza]

Tommo87 said:

Suit AND Tie.

As someone else has already said, there is no risk of over dressing, only under dressing.

Dress code shows you are making an effort.

^^^^^ This for the first formal interview.
If at the interview, the interviewers are casually dressed, you can try to make light of being dressed up.

[mwstewart]

Suit and tie

[krisdelta]

Mobile Chicane said:

Sorry. Only Salesmen / The Accused wear ties these days.

Decent quality suit and pristine shirt.

Ouch... that hurt, I'm neither and wear a tie in the office.

[Countdown]

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

[KAgantua]

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

Agreed, comment wasnt on

[Puzzles]

It’s not good advice probably but I wouldn’t wear a suit and tie, I wouldn’t even wear a suit, smart causal for me.

I agree things have moved on and tbh I’m not sure I’d want to work for a company that would insist on a suit anyway.

[AB]

Whatever you wear, good luck OP.

[sunnyb13]

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

[Countdown]

sunnyb13 said:

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

No it really isn't.

Firstly not everybody is a grad, and not every grad is on a grad scheme. Even disregarding that £75k might be for a grad scheme at an IB, or a Magic Circle firm. But it's not applicable to the vast vast majority of jobs. And in the vast majority of jobs it's a senior manager role. In the Civil Service SCS1 starts at £75k.

It's surprising how many powerfully built "high earners" have no idea what average salaries in the real world are, especially when a simple Google would tell you.

[sunnyb13]

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

No it really isn't.

Firstly not everybody is a grad, and not every grad is on a grad scheme. Even disregarding that £75k might be for a grad scheme at an IB, or a Magic Circle firm. But it's not applicable to the vast vast majority of jobs. And in the vast majority of jobs it's a senior manager role. In the Civil Service SCS1 starts at £75k.

It's surprising how many powerfully built "high earners" have no idea what average salaries in the real world are, especially when a simple Google would tell you.

public sector and civil service severally underpay. Why do you think 160k civil servants are going on strike across 171 government departments and public bodies.

[Han Solo]

sunnyb13 said:

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

You realise that the UK is more than just the South East? There is a whole country outside of the M25, almost everything is significantly cheaper, the further you go from London (North), houses are affordable on the average salary (£35k).

Recent interview were suit / no tie face to face, 3/4 zip pullover for teams interviews.

Large American biotech, no one wears suits / ties.

[okgo]

Just watching CMO and CDO of household name retailers speak on a stage. No suits anywhere to be seen.

The only people wearing ties are the event organiser sales people circling the room like dirty rotten flesh eaters.

[Mr Penguin]

Also depends on the career (software devs make more than marketers) and whether it is base only or includes shares and bonuses.

[okgo]

It’s an office furniture company not Google. Of course they’re not paying big bucks.

[Muzzer79]

Puzzles said:

I agree things have moved on and tbh I’m not sure I’d want to work for a company that would insist on a suit anyway.

Nobody 'insists' on a suit for an interview.

Let's not confuse regular office dress code for an interview. I'd be reluctant to work for a company that insisted I wore a suit daily.

But dressing smartly for an interview shows that you are motivated, respectful of the position and want to make a good impression.

It's the same principle why you wear smart clothes for a wedding or to go to court. If you were in the dock, would you go in jeans and a jumper........because Covid?

[sunnyb13]

Muzzer79 said:

Puzzles said:

I agree things have moved on and tbh I’m not sure I’d want to work for a company that would insist on a suit anyway.

Nobody 'insists' on a suit for an interview.

Let's not confuse regular office dress code for an interview. I'd be reluctant to work for a company that insisted I wore a suit daily.

But dressing smartly for an interview shows that you are motivated, respectful of the position and want to make a good impression.

It's the same principle why you wear smart clothes for a wedding or to go to court. If you were in the dock, would you go in jeans and a jumper........because Covid?

As a hiring manager I do not judge candidates on their clothes. I’ve hired many of my staff from different cultures and backgrounds. Picking someone in a suit and clean shaven versus one that comes in trousers, jumper and a neat beard just sounds absurd to me. It’s like saying you’re not going to hire someone because they have dreadlocks.

I hire on their experience and passion, not on fancy suits and ties.

Suits and ties are held for sales, estate agents or seat warmers. It does not leave any favourable impression.

[sunnyb13]

Han Solo said:

sunnyb13 said:

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

You realise that the UK is more than just the South East? There is a whole country outside of the M25, almost everything is significantly cheaper, the further you go from London (North), houses are affordable on the average salary (£35k).

Recent interview were suit / no tie face to face, 3/4 zip pullover for teams interviews.

Large American biotech, no one wears suits / ties.

OP is based in the south east….

[sunnyb13]

anyways I'll stop posting here.

OP good luck with the interview I'm sure you'll ace it.

[Pit Pony]

sunnyb13 said:

Countdown said:

sunnyb13 said:

How is a £75k job a senior job?

Either you’re being low balled on salary, or it’s a fairly mid level role.

It puts you in the top 10% of UK earnings. Sounds fairly senior to me.

£75k is 2-3 years out of a grad scheme.

Why companies insist on low balling senior roles is beyond me. Sites such as glassdoor and levels.fyi give better indication of true salary.

Is it ? I'll mention that to the youngsters I know. They will cry.

[Muzzer79]

sunnyb13 said:

Muzzer79 said:

Puzzles said:

I agree things have moved on and tbh I’m not sure I’d want to work for a company that would insist on a suit anyway.

Nobody 'insists' on a suit for an interview.

Let's not confuse regular office dress code for an interview. I'd be reluctant to work for a company that insisted I wore a suit daily.

But dressing smartly for an interview shows that you are motivated, respectful of the position and want to make a good impression.

It's the same principle why you wear smart clothes for a wedding or to go to court. If you were in the dock, would you go in jeans and a jumper........because Covid?

As a hiring manager I do not judge candidates on their clothes. I’ve hired many of my staff from different cultures and backgrounds. Picking someone in a suit and clean shaven versus one that comes in trousers, jumper and a neat beard just sounds absurd to me. It’s like saying you’re not going to hire someone because they have dreadlocks.

I hire on their experience and passion, not on fancy suits and ties.

Suits and ties are held for sales, estate agents or seat warmers. It does not leave any favourable impression.

I (genuinely) applaud your modern take on recruitment and agree that clean shaven versus beard makes no odds nowadays. Dreadlocks are a hairstyle, which is also a completely different thing.


However, the reality is that a lot of people do not think in the same way and appearance (smartness of clothes) is important.

As specified earlier, the chances of

"Wasn't impressed - he was wearing jeans and a jumper to an interview"

Are a lot, lot higher than

"Wasn't impressed - he was wearing a suit and tie to an interview"

Unfortunately, as an interviewee, you don't know what is on the other side of the table therefore smart is the safe choice.