To wear sandals to an interview?

[hamandpotato]

I've damaged both my big toes running and they've come off, I cannot put my foot in a shoe without wincing.

Would this be absolutely horrendous and I can tell the story? Or do I wince and just put a shoe on?!

There’s suggested interview attire for a reason because there are established facts around people’s perception and rationale for them.

There isn't though.

Its subjective across sector and business. It's steadily declined in formality and even in the last few years perceptions have shifted further.

As the variety of views here, many of which contradict yours, from people who actually conduct interviews, indicate.

NHS admin managers aren't generally fans of sandals, sleeveless tops, bodycon dresses or anything that's comfortable or vaguely fashionable.

The admin dress code could very well also say no trainers or sandals.

This is my experience too.

OP - the key thing is what your potential employer is likely to think. If you are interviewing at an NHS Trust, I'd go for the level of formality that is accepted in that environment. Which in my experience is quite a lot more formal than most corporates these days, and certainly more formal than creative industries.

A PA will be expected to be dressed very smartly in an NHS environment, in my experience (and I've recruited NHS PAs before). A band 5 PA role is almost certainly going to be a director's PA - am I right?

Maybe the schools and 6th forms who insist on formal suits and business attire are preparing kids for work in the NHS..? The type of clothes they are meant to wear bears little resemblance to what most people wear in RL!!

Maybe 😂😂😂

@Octomore yes PA to Director. I've got some lovely shoes (thankfully) so my toes will be hidden. It's definitely going to be a level up from my current job which is still formal but you could get away with jeans and a shirt but must wear smart shoes. Although they do allow sandals!

Might have to slip in the charity run during the interview though

I also conduct interviews and I refer you to the comment below my one your responses to in terms of suitable attire interview roles. OP was very clear weakly on where he interview was. I worked in the NHS for a very long time.

I don’t make the rules FGS. But Some of this is common sense though.

I also conduct interviews and I refer you to the comment below my one your responses to in terms of suitable attire interview roles.

Your view is not strongly supported on the thread, with plenty of other responses saying the opposite.

Yes 😭

<Queen Camilla vibes ^^incoming>

if you can manage outside the appointment, I'd say not.

I work in the NHS and sandals will be absolutely fine in a PA role (not anywhere clinical because of spillages!)

Good god!
Not from people that work in the NHS it’s not!
Can you read properly?

You wouldn’t rock up to an interview in a creative industry in a suit of course not, but where you don’t know what you can’t get away, smarter and that includes footwear (with dispensation expected after an explanation for why you’re wearing them I.e. trainers or sandalled toes) is better. It would be bad advice to tell anyone who doesn’t know what they’re doing not to err on the side of smart casual.

The outfit posted upthread is perfectly acceptable even with trainers on, and looks smart. And the door aspect of it looks better than bandaged toes at sticking out of sandals. Yes that is obviously my opinion, but I don’t know many given these two comparison here, for the purposes of this thread, who would disagree.

foot aspect not door

But you keep implying that jeans, t-shirts and mashed up toes on display is more appealing to the eye, in an NHS PA role interview, why don’t you,

I would wear them but with a maxi skirt.

See, THIS is why I don't exercise

I conduct interviews too (and work in the NHS) and I really can't bring myself to care what footwear someone wears to an interview. I definitely don't care if they have bare arms. I absolutely definitely don't care what alternative footwear someone wears because they have hurt their foot. Brief explanation, no details, move on.

I definitely don't want to work somewhere that won't give me the job because I have bare arms.

I would probably be a bit surprised if someone turned up to an interview in a t shirt but I don't think it would stop me hiring them. I haven't seen any men wearing a tie since the pandemic started and there was only one lady who wore matching dress + jacket arrangements.

This.

I am absolutely amazed that sandals are considered such a no no in the work environment! Admittedly I’m in a relatively creative role (marketing) but in a very staid industry (construction) and it’s never crossed my mind that sandals were such a faux pas.

It's based upon Health & Safety in the NHS and Education environments - in some schools, you'd be more appropriately shod to be wearing steel toe cap boots rather than risk your metatarsal to 1200 lumpen teenagers thundering up and down the stairs and corridors.

Same way that other parts of construction are absolute No Boots - No Work (and another reasoning for school rules for both staff and kids is that if they're used to conforming to rules on clothing and footwear, they're less likely to turn up on site wearing Converse and thinking gloves/hard hat/rules on safe equipment use are optional).

Back years and years ago, wearing high heels was also frowned upon. 'Sensible shoes' would have been the phrase.

Well obviously I wouldn’t turn up on a building site or factory in sandals. But as I said, I’m in marketing, in an office 99% of the time. I had no idea that sandals were considered “inappropriate attire”. I’m not in my 20s by the way. 50s in fact. Even back in the day when business wear was much more formal, I often wore sandals. Nobody every commented though perhaps I was being secretly judged.

Or perhaps I was only being judged by people who say things like “inappropriate attire” 😀

Slightly younger here - just means that you worked in different types of office.

probably nicer ones

Nicer? Not sure what you mean by that though it sounds really condescending so I suspect it’s to make me doubt myself. Nice try but I’ve worked in many, corporate, shared, funky London studio types, provincial small town formal, rural barn conversion type. Never had a sandal issue. Or maybe I have and not known. I’ve never worked in the public sector though.

Not from people that work in the NHS it’s not!

Can you read properly?

Then we have Augend23 response a few after yours.

😂

I think these things are just very, very industry specific. Where I currently work, sandals, trainers, band t-shirts etc are fine. Anything goes, and there are also people who prefer to dress more formally (suit dresses etc).

That post was what made me decide to post in spite of the fact that the OP has successfully located some shoes!