What shoes to wear for a job interview

[Anonymous]

A small county? What does that even mean?

Of course we don't rely solely on the attire - don't be obtuse. But yes, a suit sends a signal that one is professional and taking an interview seriously.

What's the matter? Been turned down for jobs and have a problem with underdressing at interviews? You sound rather defensive.

[Anonymous]

I too will be interviewing soon and asked my son's teacher re: suit. She said to go with the suit - but now I am wondering if a pants suit would suffice?

I am very tall (nearly 6 ft) and am quite self conscious about my height and will NOT NOT wear any sort of heel so I am wondering if I could get away with a pants suit?

Does a pants suit count as a suit?

[Anonymous]

Pants suit is just fine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to say, I disagree with some of this. I also work in education as an administrator and just had to hire someone. I was APPALLED at how many of the candidates (all women) came in without suits. And I am in my late twenties, so I'm not looking at this from a perspective of someone who is not really in tune with fashion today. I just think that for a professional job interview, you need to wear a suit. Maybe half of your interviewers won't care- but is it worth automatically disqualifying yourself from the other half?? Along those same lines, of course you have to wear nylons! I would never dream of going to a job interview without a suit and hose.

And I do not think this is comparable to Sen. Lott's office - just because an employer would like to see you dressed up for an interview does not mean you have to dress that way every day. Think about men in banking or consulting who dress business casual every day- do you think they didn't wear suits to the interview?! This honestly boggles my mind.

10:27, you really missed the Lott comment. The poster simply said that those were the rules in the Lott office and, therefore, the poster would not pursue a job there or in similar environments.

I've done a lot of hiring. My view of the interviewee also takes into account their age: a younger applicant, for financial reasons, may not own a suit and, therefore, I am not going to penalize him/her. I am looking for folks who are neat and clean in their appearance. I'll tweak my expectations depending on the job opening. When I have interviewed, my goal was to dress one level up from the interviewer.

[Anonymous]

So you'd prefer to see some 22 yo, entering a profession that pays squat, in a cheap suit instead of a more "fashionable" dress with open-toed shoes that's clearly the more appropriate summer attire?

haven't been turned down for jobs, PP
In fact, I've climbed the educational ladder over the years in dresses, pants suits and GASP - open-toed shoes!

You're the one with the small mentality.

Anonymous wrote:A small county? What does that even mean?

Of course we don't rely solely on the attire - don't be obtuse. But yes, a suit sends a signal that one is professional and taking an interview seriously.

What's the matter? Been turned down for jobs and have a problem with underdressing at interviews? You sound rather defensive.