Ask HN: Would wearing a suit at a technical interview put you at a disadvantage?
Maybe the interviewer would see it as indicative of a lack of confidence?
13 comments
It has worked pretty well for me. Even though I have been "overdressed" every time, you can do suit without a tie, or put your jacket on the chair at the start, etc.
Even though tech / "IT" people are usually casual, I think it doesn't hurt at all to show that you take the even seriously, and that you own a suit and are not afraid of wearing it if some particular client meeting / other event ever necessitates it.
Even though tech / "IT" people are usually casual, I think it doesn't hurt at all to show that you take the even seriously, and that you own a suit and are not afraid of wearing it if some particular client meeting / other event ever necessitates it.
I agree completely although I confess I don't own a suit. I did once, I got it to get married in, but alas it stretched less than I did.
As an interviewer I won't hold it against you to not wear a suit, but equally I'm impressed when someone makes the effort to dress smartly. A tie is overkill though :)
As an interviewer I won't hold it against you to not wear a suit, but equally I'm impressed when someone makes the effort to dress smartly. A tie is overkill though :)
To be frank, I’ve only seen new grads wear suits. The more experienced the dev the worse they dress (generally). One candidate showed up to an interview in flip flops and nailed it.
As a person who has done FAANG technical interviews, I would be kinda weirded out and questioning if the person is a culture fit.
If they are wearing a suit, how familiar with the industry are they?
That's also ignoring that suits are the uniform of finance, politicians, sales, and business. I view suits in the business context as nearly synonymous with corruption. A suit is like a giant billboard saying "I am/want to be corporate," "I want to increase shareholder value," "I only care about next quarters profits," "I want to participate in the dominance hierarchy."
FWIW, cultures are very different. On the west coast dark jeans and a collared shirt is being dressed to the nines (hyperbole). I'm led to believe that suits are kind of an east coast thing.
When reading these answers, I would be very careful about understanding that the answers are a function of the answerer's culture. This question is likely to have wildly different answers between the west coast, east coast, India, japan, Europe, etc. Even the companies themselves have dominant cultures. If you're interviewing for Bloomberg, you should probably wear a suit. If you're interviewing with a company that isn't a tech company, you should probably wear a suit. If you're interviewing in the valley, a suit probably isn't the right choice.
Also if it's very clear you are from a different culture (having any kind of accent), I think wearing a suit would be seen as you being from a different culture and greatly discounted as a meaningful signal than if you are from the same culture (no accent) and wear a suit, which means you understand what the suit represents in the culture that is judging you.
At the end of the day, if you nail your technical questions, it won't matter.
If they are wearing a suit, how familiar with the industry are they?
That's also ignoring that suits are the uniform of finance, politicians, sales, and business. I view suits in the business context as nearly synonymous with corruption. A suit is like a giant billboard saying "I am/want to be corporate," "I want to increase shareholder value," "I only care about next quarters profits," "I want to participate in the dominance hierarchy."
FWIW, cultures are very different. On the west coast dark jeans and a collared shirt is being dressed to the nines (hyperbole). I'm led to believe that suits are kind of an east coast thing.
When reading these answers, I would be very careful about understanding that the answers are a function of the answerer's culture. This question is likely to have wildly different answers between the west coast, east coast, India, japan, Europe, etc. Even the companies themselves have dominant cultures. If you're interviewing for Bloomberg, you should probably wear a suit. If you're interviewing with a company that isn't a tech company, you should probably wear a suit. If you're interviewing in the valley, a suit probably isn't the right choice.
Also if it's very clear you are from a different culture (having any kind of accent), I think wearing a suit would be seen as you being from a different culture and greatly discounted as a meaningful signal than if you are from the same culture (no accent) and wear a suit, which means you understand what the suit represents in the culture that is judging you.
At the end of the day, if you nail your technical questions, it won't matter.
We've hired fantastic people in suits, and disastrous people, too.
It's more important that you 1) look tidy and 2) are comfortable and 3) match the style of the workspace to a degree.
It's more important that you 1) look tidy and 2) are comfortable and 3) match the style of the workspace to a degree.
Suits are often worn to be manipulative. People wear them on dates to look more handsome or richer. Salesmen wear them to get more sales. Mobsters wear them so they don't look like thugs.
You might just wear it to look good, but there might also be this unconscious bias that you're using money to compensate for something.
To neutralise the look, one of my friends wears a Simpsons tie, which suggests he's wearing the suit because he wants to, not for any other purpose.
You might just wear it to look good, but there might also be this unconscious bias that you're using money to compensate for something.
To neutralise the look, one of my friends wears a Simpsons tie, which suggests he's wearing the suit because he wants to, not for any other purpose.
To be fair, on a date anything that makes me look handsomer is fair game. If it makes me look richer that's a bonus. If it signals to my date that I think she's worth some effort to look nice for, then that's probably a good thing.
If wearing a suit gets me more sales, then I'm fine with that too. I like getting paid.
Conversely I don't need a fancy car, or clothes, to signal success. I don't drive far. A little sporty hatchback works for me. I wear shorts and sandals to work most days (long pants and shoes if a client is coming to visit.)
I've never penalised a candidate for overdressing. If you under-dress though you better have lots of substance underneath.
So sure, dressing well compensates for something. But new grads etc NEED to compensate for experience. You may as well show -some- effort.
If wearing a suit gets me more sales, then I'm fine with that too. I like getting paid.
Conversely I don't need a fancy car, or clothes, to signal success. I don't drive far. A little sporty hatchback works for me. I wear shorts and sandals to work most days (long pants and shoes if a client is coming to visit.)
I've never penalised a candidate for overdressing. If you under-dress though you better have lots of substance underneath.
So sure, dressing well compensates for something. But new grads etc NEED to compensate for experience. You may as well show -some- effort.
If it did, you'd be dodging a bullet. Sounds like a toxic workplace. "We won't hire that guy because he dressed up for the interview."
You should focus on being comfortable and confident. Whatever dressing makes you feel that way.
Comfortable, definitely. Confident, essential. "Whatever" I'm not so sure...
I wouldn't dress below the company standards. If all the employees wear suits, if the interviewer wears a suit, then you probably need to wear a suit.
It's much better to be overdressed than underdressed. If you don't know, err on the over side. If you do know, then be confident in something marginally better than they usually wear.
I wouldn't dress below the company standards. If all the employees wear suits, if the interviewer wears a suit, then you probably need to wear a suit.
It's much better to be overdressed than underdressed. If you don't know, err on the over side. If you do know, then be confident in something marginally better than they usually wear.
Go business casual. A shirt, a blazer, proper trousers (not jeans) but not a full blown suit.
The blazer may come off as the meeting starts.
And if you speak and interact well, there is no chance they'll misunderstand being well dressed for lack of confidence.
The blazer may come off as the meeting starts.
And if you speak and interact well, there is no chance they'll misunderstand being well dressed for lack of confidence.
Frankly I think the only expectation is a collar.
A well-fitting tailored suit would make you look sophisticated, but if you’re wearing a crappy off the rack Kohls suit that’s all baggy and stuff, you’re just gonna look like a goof.
A well-fitting tailored suit would make you look sophisticated, but if you’re wearing a crappy off the rack Kohls suit that’s all baggy and stuff, you’re just gonna look like a goof.
It depends on the company. Fewer and fewer companies go beyond "business casual" these days. Large law firm? I would wear a suit. Ycombinator startup? Likely put you at a disadvantage.
In my opinion looking different puts you at a disadvantage, that's why so much debate about women in stem(science technology engineering and maths), and also about minorities
As someone who’s interviewed and been interviewed for numerous roles; wear a suit, even if the job is collecting garbage.