5 ms·

"wear a t shirt and jeans" I was always told "dress one level above the job you're applying for". Is that different in the tech world or the startup world?

by nkorth 13y ago

NateDad 13y ago
I think he meant in general, not at the interview (though more senior people can get away with it in the interview too).
Monk_NT 13y ago
I don't know, I think it's different if you are applying for a job in a big corporation or for a smaller firm/startup. Bigger firms will usually have a more strict dress code (the place where I currently work short pants are frowned upon, except in case of system integrators) In both cases I usually go for jeans/shirt combo (but not a t-shirt, bigger firms/older people find it unprofessional in my experience), but that's just me.
rejschaap 13y ago
When people say "dress one level above the job you're applying for", I can't help to imagine what the levels are. I came up with something like this, from high to low: - 3 piece suit - 2 piece suit with tie - 2 piece suit, no tie - suit pants and dress shirt - khaki's and dress shirt - jeans and dress shirt - jeans and t-shirt - shorts and t-shirt - stained shorts and wife beater shirt I always wonder where the bow tie fits in though, or are they just always inappropriate?
- tjr 13y ago
  http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/wadler/Pics/philtiebig.jpg http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/wadler/Pics/philtiebig.jpg
- electronvolt 13y ago
  Bow ties are generally considered formal evening wear, not business attire, much like tuxedos. I'd also actually put the 2 piece suit with tie over a 3 piece suit (with or without tie) in terms of formality/business-attire-ness: 3 piece suits are also not traditional business wear, while 2 piece suit+tie is the IBM/'50s iconic business look, and what you'd see most CEOs/etc. wearing.
- hnal943 13y ago
  I think they mean one level above you in the hierarchy. What are the managers in the company wearing?

"wear a t shirt and jeans" I was always told "dress one level above the job you're applying for". Is that different in the tech world or the startup world?

by nkorth 13y ago

"wear a t shirt and jeans" I was always told "dress one level above the job you're applying for". Is that different in the tech world or the startup world?

NateDad 13y ago

I think he meant in general, not at the interview (though more senior people can get away with it in the interview too).

Monk_NT 13y ago

I don't know, I think it's different if you are applying for a job in a big corporation or for a smaller firm/startup. Bigger firms will usually have a more strict dress code (the place where I currently work short pants are frowned upon, except in case of system integrators) In both cases I usually go for jeans/shirt combo (but not a t-shirt, bigger firms/older people find it unprofessional in my experience), but that's just me.

rejschaap 13y ago

When people say "dress one level above the job you're applying for", I can't help to imagine what the levels are. I came up with something like this, from high to low: - 3 piece suit - 2 piece suit with tie - 2 piece suit, no tie - suit pants and dress shirt - khaki's and dress shirt - jeans and dress shirt - jeans and t-shirt - shorts and t-shirt - stained shorts and wife beater shirt I always wonder where the bow tie fits in though, or are they just always inappropriate?

tjr 13y ago
http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/wadler/Pics/philtiebig.jpg http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/wadler/Pics/philtiebig.jpg
electronvolt 13y ago
Bow ties are generally considered formal evening wear, not business attire, much like tuxedos. I'd also actually put the 2 piece suit with tie over a 3 piece suit (with or without tie) in terms of formality/business-attire-ness: 3 piece suits are also not traditional business wear, while 2 piece suit+tie is the IBM/'50s iconic business look, and what you'd see most CEOs/etc. wearing.
hnal943 13y ago
I think they mean one level above you in the hierarchy. What are the managers in the company wearing?