My client, Scott, called today to ask how he should dress for his upcoming interview. The IT organization has a “dress casual” environment, but he was inclined to dress in a suit. After all, it was a very prestigious organization.

His question reminded me of a recent online posting that went something like this:

The candidate (Joe) received a call prior to his interview. He was asked not to wear a suit to his upcoming interview. The recruiter explained that the company culture was business casual, and those in the interview would be wearing jeans. He put the question out to an online group. Some of the responses are listed below.

  1. Wear dry-cleaned and pressed khakis, a sportscoat (metal buttons), and a dress shirt without a tie. Shoes: slip on. (jk)
  2. If they said wear jeans, wear jeans and a lightly patterned shirt and coat. Khakis could be a disqualifier. (sb)
  3. Yes, wear jeans – get them tailored. Add a blazer to match with a pocket square and open collar. (sc)
  4. No matter what the recruiter said, you should wear a suit. Wear a red tie and a white shirt. It’s the standard for interviews. You will appear not to have a clue if you dress down. (rc)
  5. Wear khakis, an open shirt collar, a loose tie, and carry a sports coat. (mj)
  6. Wear a casual shirt with sleeves rolled up, jeans, and sneakers. Be one of them!!! (bt)

What would you recommend?

To help you decide, keep in mind that hiring decision-makers will have three concerns: Can Scott do the job? (knowledge and skills) Will he do the job? (motivation, drive, energy). Will he fit in?

So…what would you suggest to Scott?

And, yes, red is more than a color. Notice who wears red ties.