What (not) to wear on an IT job interview: real-life examples

http://www.itworld.com/it-management/424433/what-not-wear-it-job-interview-six-examples-you-can-learn?page=0,0

by ohjeez • 12 years ago

5 2 12 years ago

thykka• 12 years ago

I used to get paralyzingly anxious at interviews, as it's really intimidating for an introvert like me to sit in a crossfire of questions for an hour. It feels as if the interviewers are deliberately looking for a reason NOT to hire me, although I know this is not actually the case.

Then I stopped dressing up for interviews and just wearing whatever I usually wear, e.g. very casual. For me, it turned the tables. I'm no longer just sitting there sweating, hoping to answer all the questions "correctly", but rather evaluating wether this is a workplace I'd be happy to work at.

The idea of dressing up just seems superficial. After all, if I do get the job, I'm certainly not going to dress up in a suit every day. Not only that, but wearing my usual clothes also gave me more confidence to be myself, instead of trying to be the ideal of a guy who gets the job. And if I miss a job opportunity just because I didn't dress the "right" way, then it's obviously not the kind of workplace I'd want to be part of anyway.

Dammit, I've worn shorts made from ripped jeans and a Boozembly t-shirt (http://i.imgur.com/UJeKRz1.jpg) at an interview. Nobody cared, the interview actually felt good and I was later told the only reason I wasn't chosen for that particular position, was that (and I'm paraphrasing here) it would've been too boring for me. Still, I'm expecting to hear from them soon about another, more fitting position :)

ohjeez• 12 years ago

I hear you.

Anything you can do to make yourself more comfortable in an interview (or other stress-filled situation, such as speaking at a conference) is worth doing. If you're comfortable, you're more confident and thus better able to represent your abilities -- and that's what they ultimately want to hire.

Which is why I made a point of buying an outfit that both looks professional _and_ is comfy enough for me to relax in.

What (not) to wear on an IT job interview: real-life examples

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