Turning up to interview in jeans and trainers

we had someone turn up in what i assume were pyjama bottoms.

Work culture has changed. Many sectors are very informal and a trouser suit would look ridiculous there.

DP is mid fifties and no longer owns a suit or any ties. My Dad worked in the same sector 25 years ago and wore a suit and tie every day of his working life.

As long as they are clean and have the requisite skills, who cares whether it’s jeans or trousers?

For anyone reading this and thinking it might be a good way to hire, it isn't.

Believe what you want it happened. I dont think its that suprising it was a 16 year old being interviewed by someone in there 50s for basically a Saturday job earning less then £5 an hour nobody else made the effort he stood out. I honestly don't understand why you think I would waste my time making that up it's really not that deep

I find it really difficult to believe that in something like 2017, that someone was hired for a job in any form of reputable shop based on appearance alone and without "opening their mouth" unless they were the only candidate

Really depends on the job, though I struggle to think of a job where trackie bottoms would be suitable for the interview.
Last two people that came for interviews at my workplace, the first wore hiking trousers and a flannel shirt, the other wore jeans and a big coat that he didn't take off. No one batted an eyelid as no one dresses formally in my workplace, not even the boss or the ceo.

It was about 7/8 years ago

Does this freak you out 🤣🤣

Without being rude, when was this? In the last 15 years/ post 2010?

Because it's irrelevant what the job is, it's about giving the impression you are a capable adult who gives a shit. I always remember working in a clothes shop and this 16 year old lad came in for an interview in a suit and tie and my manager said to the interviewer give him the job this was before he had even opened his mouth because he had made such an effort

That's it!
It's the colour!

It makes me think of a lettuce - which is very unsettling for me.

Last interview I did in person was summer time, so I turned up in a long yellow dress - looked smart and did the job whilst feeling cool in the hot weather. Didn't get the job but that was due to other things, not what I was wearing. I'd imagine a man could wear smart black shorts.

I think it's important that you're comfortable in whatever you put on for an interview. I've seen lots of candidates in grey/navy/black suits and they were clearly not happy in their skin. And running them round on the office tour gave a great insight into how often those heels really got an outing!

Trainers can be fab but I WILL judge on your brand!

That’s my outfit for going out of a night sometimes my boots have a heel on them too

my take is
1 they showed up
2 clean
3 no BO
4 their qualifications

in a field I’ve worked in Ive asked for wellies or waterproof boots and some didn’t get why err we work with animals and it gets very messy.

one lad turned up in a suit to big for him, he looked so embarrassed I sent him home to get something else and a pair of wellies (he was local) and we proceeded with the interview, he was the only one to ask questions about everything which I found very refreshing. He got the job and worked for us for 4 years he’s a vet now but not local to me bummer 😂

Yeah, it's going to vary by sector, but if you are in say, games development, or AI, or music software, wearing a suit is a red flag that perhaps you don't have the skills and don't understand the culture. Even within the finance sector it varies: wealth management - suit; fintech - jeans and Star Wars t-shirt.

The inverse snobbery about suits and ties among hardcore techies is very real. It also acts as an invisible barrier to entry for candidates from ethnic minorities who often are more conservatively dressed, especially for interview.

Unless it is customer facing, why is it an issue as long as clothes are clean and in good repair. Call centre sounds fine.

Really? It’s not always easy to find trousers in your size and height in a charity shop, never mind smart ones. The benefit in giving vouchers is the interviewee has clothing for the job as well, as a suit was expected in a lot of jobs in those days.

It's not the Tramp bit but how the process was handled.

How is that unprofessional?

My DS went for an interview for a job in retail a few to years ago. He wore chinos and a smart shirt (I advised him that a tie was probably overkill). He came back and reported that one of the interviewers was wearing jeans.
DS got the job - which required wearing a uniform, so no clues from that for interview attire.

"If you apply for a job nowadays, it's likely the person interviewing you will have been born 1980's ish"

Spot on.

The trainers I would not object to, jeans depending on their appearance, but tracksuit bottoms I would.

This is the UK where we don't do style or have some pride in appearance. Just visit France for a day and the difference is notable.

Employing the person most suited to the role is professional.

The reality is a lot of the job advice I was given as a teen is out dated especially for entry level jobs

Some of it is just old advice handed down through generations for people that haven't interviewed for similar roles in decades.

If you apply for a job now days it's likely the person interviewing you will be born around the 80s ish, lots of the advice routinely given is from people trying to be recuited by generations far above that eg CV advice given to me is predominantly from people who were trying to market themselves to at best people born in the 40s.

I was taught how to do a CV for example by job coachs/teachers and my mum (who was probably taught by her teachers!), all of whom mostly have CV writing experience that is marketed at completely different people

My 60s born father got entry level jobs in a way that outright doesn't work now days for 90% of jobs, then hopped around in specialist interviews with bucketloads of experience.

In fact I could name lots of people who have tried to give me advice who haven't set a foot outside their industry, or even their company in 20+ years.

Like any task you can think of the climate 20+ years ago is very different to now

Some years ago, before Lockdown, I was interviewed by a young man with three quarter length skinny chinos, no socks and sneakers !
It works both ways, the interviewer should dress appropriately too.
A manager at my previous job met some customers in her gym kit.
I've also been caught out walking to an interview, a car went past and soaked me driving through a massive puddle, I swallowed some of the water ! Needless to say i didn't get the job.