To wear jeans to an interview

[Mrsglitterfairy]

That's it really... WIBU to wear black skinny jeans and a blouse with smart shoes to an internal interview?
It will be held at some point in the middle of my working day at the end of this week. Usually a very casual office, I generally wear jeans, trainers/uggs and a tshirt so would defiantly look smarter than usual..

I wouldn't employ anyone as a team leader who didn't know the difference between "definitely" and "defiantly".

Nor would I employ someone who wore jeans to an interview, regardless of the usual dress code. I think you have to make a bit of an effort at interview.

As a hiring Manager...NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

I would rule you out of the running in literally two seconds.

An interview is a time to dress very smart. Not smart casual. It's not exact a common occurrence an interview and I would expect a full suit to be honest. For women black trousers, smart blouse, black smart shoes and a blazer.

If someone can't be bothered to get out of jeans for an interview. They're not getting a job with me. It's better to go smart. If you have to ask if an interview is smart enough, it means it's not. If it was, you wouldn't have to ask.

MrsSchadenfreude

I agree with you.

Apart form the spelling comment. I have excellent spelling and grammar. On here it's terrible as I just can't be bothered and I'm on a phone.

No one looks like a 'twat' wearing a suit to an interview. NO ONE.

There's no such thing as too smart for an interview.

I normally go for a day dress, tights and ankle boots or flat shoes (I work in fashion and also wear jeans every day, even Uggs sometimes!)

For my last interview I wore a grey jersey dress with 3/4 sleeves, black tights and black flat shoes. I think I also stuck on a bit of jewllery. No jacket as that didn't matter since I was already in the building at my desk and just popped into the interview room. I got the job. Good luck!

I like the idea of a dress. There is nothing wrong with black jeans in this circumstance but I think a little bit dressier without being too dressy would strike the right note of seriously wanting the job. I.e. I wouldn't mark you down with smart jeans but I'd notice if you made more of an effort. Good luck!!!

MrsSchadenfreude I imagine op knows difference between definitely and defiantly
Her spellcheck probably doesn't
I see your off on one stating you'd never employ her.i imagine op definitely crying into her latte

My job is casual dress - I work in a clothes shop and generally wears jeans, trainers, a shirt/t-shirt and a cardigan, but I still wore smart trousers and blouse to my interview. My previous job was ASDA - I still wore smart clothes.

I met a guy at my ASDA interview in jeans and a hoody. He was really cocky and was like "this is gonna be a piece of piss, have you SEEN some of the people who work here?". I felt extremely satisfied when he didn't even get through the group interview stage

First impressions are everything - it might be internal, but you still need to look willing and professional. You can get smart trousers from Tesco/Asda/Primark for less than £10 in most cases.

If the bosses wear jeans and it's a casual sort of place, then yes it's fine. At an interview you dress for the relevant environment, not some cliche of what workwear is supposed to look like. Black skinny jeans, jacket, blouse and smart shoes sound a perfectly good outfit, perhaps with an interesting accessory for personality.

No.

DH got his current job (and was offered others) on the back of an interview where he wore jeans and a polo shirt (neither of which had seen an iron). He works in software, where that's the dress code - anyone who turned up for interview in a suit would be on the back foot already. The point is, you know your company and job, so do what my DH did and wear the smartest version of what you'd usually wear for the job (in the summer, a t-shirt and shorts would be normal for him, but even he didn't wear that to interview!).

MrsSchadenfreude thanks for your input.. I do know the difference however I'm on my phone right now at home not at work so can't really be arsed.. anyway..

Thanks to the rest of you, I think I will probably go for the dress, I will feel more comfort as I'll have to wear it for the rest of the day til 8pm.

I didn't mean people look a twat wearing a suit, I would just feel it as I'm in such a casual atmosphere. I work for a very big global company and the super famous big boss once said he would never expect his employees to wear a suit & tie as he doesn't himself.. or something along those lines lol..

I had an internal interview in December for a job I already do by managers I already work under. I wore jeans and a fleece

My job is a senior one but is almost all site based, so practical clothes are required and I wasn't going to change my clothes just for an interview.

MrsGF - just wear something a bit smarter than you might usually wear for work, and something that is comfortable, and you'll be fine. The dress sounds spot on.

I do a lot of interviewing and wouldn't employ anyone who turned up in jeans or casual clothes, even if I knew them and it was an internal appointment.

GimmeeMore - I'm sure it was the OP's spellchecker. Was it yours as well that can't differentiate between "you're" and "your"?

In my industry anyone wearing a suit in the office would look like a complete weirdo. Dress - fine, I often wear dresses. Or jeans and trainers. But never a suit. I'm freelance and I come to all my interviews in jeans because that's what the culture of my industry is. Even our CEO wears jeans!

Totally depends on the work environment.

Dress sounds like a great idea OP - good luck

*No one looks like a 'twat' wearing a suit to an interview. NO ONE.

There's no such thing as too smart for an interview.*

In my industry if someone rocked up for an interview in a suit you'd question whether they were experienced enough in the industry or would fit in with the office culture, on first impression. Obvs an interview would change perceptions if they were indeed experienced and a good cultural fit. But a suit in my industry would send a very strange first impression, and a candidate would have to work hard to overcome that in their performance

I work in the creative industries. Smart jeans are totally OK for an interview, especially an internal interview. Wearing a suit would be almost certainly be looked down.

All this middle-management "must wear a suit" HR wank might be appropriate in some businesses but it certainly isn't universal.

Dress appropriately for the job, I went to an interview for an outdoors job wearing jeans, smart shirt and jumper and country boots and got the job. I would have looked a right plum if I'd turned up in a dress and fancy shoes because it's not that kind of role. If you think it's appropriate, I'd go for it!

All workplaces have covert and overt dress codes.one can be too smart,or look overdone
Creatives etc don't have a suit or corporate wear culture,so suit would be too smart
Op knows the norms in her own field,and her hunch will be correct

Do come back here later and tell us if you get the job Glitter!

An interview is a time to dress very smart. Not smart casual. It's not exact a common occurrence an interview and I would expect a full suit to be honest. For women black trousers, smart blouse, black smart shoes and a blazer.

I disagree that you should show up in a suit to 100% of interviews. An interview is a time to dress appropriately for the job you are applying for. Yes, it is a time to impress, but if I'm interviewing for an outdoorsy/practical job, then I'm going to wonder if the guy turning up in the suit has the first clue as to what the job entials, wheras the guy turning up in smart jeans, shirt, jumper and practical boots has shown that they're trying to look presentable, but within the scope of the job.

Also, what I think is key to consider is that the OP's internal interview will take place in the middle of her normal working day, so the interview outfit not only needs to be practical for the interview but also for the rest of the work day. It's one thing to sit in a suit for an interview, but if your usual job usually requires a lot of walking round the office for eg, then having to do it in smart shoes rather than the usual trainers might start to make your fet hurt after a few hours ... so you have to find something that is practical for the interview but also for your job and I'm sure the interviewer will be taking that into account, especially since they already know you.

It sounds like smart skinny jeans and a shirt is perfect in the scenario you describe. Maybe the blazer to smarten it up which you can always take off if you feel too smart ifyswim!
Good luck

I will do alsmutko thank you.

I'm thinking I will probably go for the dress, it's really nice, I haven't worn it before and it will be comfortable enough to wear until 8pm when I finish. Thanks for the help everyone

Firstly - good luck!!

Secondly - I'd always recommend smarter than normal day wear for any interview. It shows you've taken it seriously and "made an effort" which will be noted psychologically by your IV panel even if not mentioned. And if there's anyone on the panel who knows you less well (we generally have someone from outside the direct recruiting team sit on any panel, for example) then you don't lose points/ impression on their judging your appearance.

Once you're in the role, though, sounds like jeans etc are fine, though there's something about setting an example to the team... as. Director, I don't mind my team dressing down occasionally but I have to always be smart in case I need to do sthg last minute.

Yabu. Dress to impress.