Turning up to interview in jeans and trainers

[Cuffi]

Awaiting for interview/assessment day. Out of the ten waiting. Three are wearing pale jeans, trainers, Adidas tracksuit bottoms.

All the rest including me wearing smart trousers, tops and shoes.

From what few workers I have seen, some are wearing dark jeans.

I think everyone needs to wear smart clothes for interviews. Doesn’t matter if the prospective employer has a casual dress code

Maybe I'm way more out of date than I thought. I'd be really surprised at seeing people in jeans (trainers... not so much but depending on the style/cleanliness/whole outfit) for an arranged interview, even if it's 'what they'd wear doing the call centre job'. I think suits are getting to be outdated in most situations, but a simple shirt and belted trousers is surely doable.

DP always dresses smartly for interviews (trousers, nice jumper over shirt) and he drives HGVs! I'll have to let him know not to bother, get the comfy trackies on

Dress smartly for an interview. You can wear what you like once you've got the job, it seems.

I interview a lot and I do expect the more junior/intern/first job applicants to dress more formally than the role requires. It shows they are taking the proccess seriously. Someone with a more developed skillset suited and booted would ring alarm bells though as its would show they were totally unfamiliar with the industry.
I also dress up slightly when interviewing!

I have a fair amount of hiring experience over the years and it was drummed into me quite early on that as long as people turned up to interviews in clean, tidy clothes, and they were clean themselves (no BO, clean looking nails, hair etc) then we couldn't penalise them for their appearance as, like someone else said, not everyone can afford a suit or even special "interview clothing".

I feel it was good advice.

However, I have definitely noticed a recent tendency for people to wear more casual clothing eg jeans/joggers/trainers but that is pretty much reflected on high street fashion, and to be fair a lot of the clothing worn is expensive (£150+ trainers) so it probably is their "best clothes".

The suit thing would have been laughed at the factories I worked in. Lots of jobs make you do trial tasks or shifts, so you'd need to be able to do it appropriately and comfortably.

99% of factory workers aren't turning up in a suit.

It's outdated advice

Times have possibly changed. I am in my 60s and would have (and did!) wear trouser suits. However, at work although it is on reception, we can wear jeans and leggings etc. As long as we look 'smart'!

What I objected to when on another reception was a young girl chomping gum!!!

Exactly! First impressions

It's all about respect. There is a (sometimes silent) dress code for everything.

I was told off as a teen when I went to an interview in a summer skirt/tank top (it was for a job at a Boots equivalent). The lady said to always be in formal wear no matter the job - the advice stuck with me!

When playing a game on my iPad I sometimes see an ad for a fashion game in which you have to pick an outfit for a job interview, and none of the options look suitable to me!

I think the adidas tackies are the worst part about it, jeans and trainers ok.

Collar and tie at interview and, if in person, smart trousers and shoes.

In the office Rohan Bags and open neck shirt though in practice current role is 100% WFH.

Collar and tie actually regarded as too formal for face to face; clients can find it intimidating.

I work in a office environment where dress code is relaxed, interviews usually say smart, casual to prospective employees.

We did have one person turn up in full casual, jogging suit and trainers, not something I would turn up in but they were actually the best person for the job and were offered it.

Because jeans are inherently more casual than trousers, regardless of provenance.

depends on the job. I used to interview in the NHS and wouldn't have been bothered provided the applicant and clothing were clean and they met the job requirements.

I think it also depends on whether there is a perception that the interviewee has made an effort. Clean, well fitting jeans and clean shoes, fine, clothes that look as though they e not been washed in an age, a definite no.

Whilst it might not be something an interviewer officially takes into account as tick box detail, the overall impression made by turning up in jeans might not be the initial impression one wants to make. Why risk this? I don't think I would.

Personally, I’d always go formal for an interview, unless stated. I had an interview last year where I was told to wear some strong walking boots or wellies and warm clothing as we were doing a tour of the grounds in wet weather. It felt odd to me but I wore it and got the job

@Cuffi you also have to remember that the interviewee might have struggled financially for a while and thus has nothing else to wear but jeans! long term unemployed struggle to buy business wear. students struggle to buy business wear. I have employed someone who turned up in jeans and she stayed for many year. give them a chance! as long as they are clean and non smelling.

A lot of job interviews now you're scored on the answers you give to questions, thankfully not on your appearance. I'd definitely say a tracksuit/PJs/lounge wear isn't appropriate but otherwise, there's usually no score allocated for 'the clothes they wore' or how their hair/make-up/clean shaven etc looked.

I remember about 30 years ago my DF was signing on. Guy next to him said he has no
suit. He was given £120 in vouchers for Burton.

My DF was annoyed as the guy could have gone to a charity shop and bought a smart pair of trousers and a shirt for a few quid

I once wore a suit to an open interview for a “cool” job.
Everyone else was wearing a great outfit (and had directional haircuts). Didn’t get the job… Still, though, no to tracksuit bottoms!

dh wore a suit, that is all he had that was smart, for an interview, they were rude about the suit and asked if he realised that he wouldnt wear a suit in the job

Sometimes, and it's understood by the interviewer, you go straight from work and don't have time to fully change so you wear what's appropriate for the job you're on - which could be safety boots and jeans

I think smart should always be the way whatever the job. That's open to interpretation but in my opinion, blue wash jeans aren't smart enough for an interview. You can still be casual without wearing jeans/trainers/tracksuit.