Dress code for a formal interview with a business school representative?
lonely_n_bored asked:
I will attend an interview with an alumni member of a reputable business school two weeks later.
I was wondering what kind/color/make of suit/shirt/tie/shoes I should wear to look good but still friendly and not flashy.
Other suggestions about how to get prepared, talk, greet, offer business card, etc. are extremely welcome.
Cheers.
BTW I am male 30. Sorry to forget telling you that! It must be kind of important, eh?
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Go for PROFESSIONAL
You don’t give your gender.
Remember this – you can take a jacket off, but you cannot change jeans for trousers. Business school is about business – so take this thought on board. Stay simple and classic – for a guy, dark suit, black shoes (polished), crisp white shirt and silk tie that is not too bright. You could change the shirt to a more relaxed type and lose the tie, but you need to pick carefully.
Be confident, not arrogant.
Be positive, but not pushy
Be engaging, but not chatty
Forget the business card – they will already have your details – why do they need a card from you. You may want to have one in your pocket, but I cannot see why you need it.
Key point: LISTEN, and consider your reply. They want to know about you. So listen to what they want and answer this in a positive, respectful and balanced way. Then shut up and listen again.
Good luck.
g Gary UK
well it depends where you come from, but i would say a nice dark suit white shirt ,shoes to match suit,and a dark tie,sometimes a coloured tie goes well.Best of luck with your meeting jnttbrkr
SInce you mentioned friendly, I wouldn’t go with a monochrome suit. I would go with a Navy blue jacket and beige pants.
It is hard to go wrong with a white or light blue shirt.
Choice of tie is up to you, but red with a pattern is usually best.
Shoes should be dressy, either brown or black. Wear a brown or black belt for sure (usually to match shoes).
Don’t wear jewelry (other than a watch maybe) or perfume/cologne. Don’t smell like cigarettes if you smoke.
Make sure your hair is neat and combed. If you have bad breath, have a mint or gum before hand, but don’t have anything in your mouth during the interview. Cover any tattoos you may have.
The #1 thing they look for on interviews is enthusiasm. They can see if you are interested or not. You are summed up almost immediately, so make a good first impression. Most of the time interviewers have made up their minds within 5 minutes, regardless of the length of the interview.
Give a good firm handshake when you first meet, just straight up and down, make sure your palms are dry. Smile.
Stay positive and enthusiastic during the interview. Act confident, but not cocky. Don’t slump in your chair. Sit and stay upright. Smile whenever you have the chance.
Listen. Appear interested. Don’t totally dominate the conversation, but don’t be too timid either.
Thank them for their time at the end of the interview
Send a thank you note after the interview Scott
If it’s a formal interview for a business school, then this requires business formal dress. For a man, that is a suit (usually wool, certainly not pure polyester), collared shirt, and a tie. All in good order, and it should fit you well (don’t be shy about seeing a tailor, if needed.) How the man on the attached link is dressed would be entirely appropriate.
Even if the interviewer is dressed less formally than you are, they’ll understand that you’re dressed for the interview, and no problem. But if you underdress, there’s little you can do about that. It’s best to err on the side of conservatism, but as in business, if you want, you may add a bit of color via your shirt or, more commonly, the tie.
- Make sure the socks match the shoes, and the shoes go with the suit. Shoes, obviously, in good shape, and polished. Shoes and belt should match in color, if a belt is worn.
- Keep the color of the suit conservative, but one which looks good on you. Navy blue, dark brown, black, a darker grey, all fine.
- Don’t put stuff in your pockets, so you keep a nice line in the suit. Put wallet, cell phone, etc. in a briefcase or a nice business bag. Obviously, turn the cell phone off.
- Neat hair. Little jewelry, if any. Cover tattoos. Remove earings or piercings.
Walk in there confident. If there is a receptionist, treat her extremely politely (I actually used to ask the receptionist what she thought of interview candidates. If they’d been rude to her but nice to me… Told me a lot.) Treat the entire process as you would a formal interview for an important job.
When they ask you questions, back up your answers with real-life examples of things you’ve done. RoaringMice