Political & Elections

longprime · Guru

RE: What do you wear for a tech interview?

busdriver11 · Guru

I agree, samurai. Take it and run, before they change their mind. I just got off the phone with him, and he said that he accepted, and that someone he knows well got an offer also. I hope she accepts. Plus, he said he knows people working nearby and has people to room with, so that is cool. They gave him a window to start work of May till September, so maybe he will come home for a long visit until he gets sick of us! I hope this company stays afloat.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

In this economy, a good job offer is gold.

busdriver11 · Guru

"It's still early, and there may be still some time for other companies to come forth. Or if he outgoing, I'm sure he could find something else with his credentials.

Why pass up all the T-shirts and momentos just by stopping by the recruiting bench? Is there still the January TOC fair?"

I'm not sure what could come through that is better, as far as salary and position. He seems excited about the company. Of course it would be better for US if he got a job nearby, but I don't think that is his top priority. And no, he's not particularly outgoing. He's got a boatload of T-shirts, and momentos, and has got to be completely sick of interviews. I don't know the ethics of accepting one job offer, and then continuing to try to better deal them. If it even is an ethical issue.

longprime · Guru

It's still early, and there may be still some time for other companies to come forth. Or if he outgoing, I'm sure he could find something else with his credentials.

Why pass up all the T-shirts and momentos just by stopping by the recruiting bench? Is there still the January TOC fair?

busdriver11 · Guru

New York City. Yikes! Luckily, though, it sounds like there are a number of kids from his school already working there, and some who interviewed (who hopefully will be working there too). I feel like he will be swallowed up in a big city like that, but if he knows some people already, that would be really great.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

So where will son of Busdriver be located?

busdriver11 · Guru

Thanks, hope. It sounds like an interesting and exciting job for him. What a great relief. Wish it was closer, but you can't pin yourself onto one location nowadays.

hope · Guru

Congrats to your son, busdriver. That is pretty cool. :)

busdriver11 · Guru

That's true, cat. You never know. The things we panic about are sometimes completely irrelevant!

I don't worry about the cost of living so much, longprime. If you never buy anything, living is cheap, even if you have to share an apartment with a couple others.

catahoula · Guru

Sometimes, the things we worry about don't end up mattering at all.

Good luck to him.

busdriver11 · Guru

Maybe I really have no idea what is going on out there. My son didn't get a job offer from the company in NYC that he wore a suit for, but got a job offer from the NYC company that he didn't wear a suit to. It is a good offer, six figures. I am so happy he will have a job when he graduates, but apparently I didn't know what I was talking about anyways!

When will we ever stop worrying about our kids?

longprime · Guru

good for your son.

and may many more offers come to him.

Keep son aware of quality-of-life and lifestyle. Pay scales are drastically different by regions and metropolian areas.

-- Edited by longprime on Monday 22nd of October 2012 10:57:05 PM

busdriver11 · Guru

"An interview is special, you don't necessarily have to dress like you've been invited to join the company already."

Totally agree. You aren't there yet.
So, he's in NYC now. I haven't asked him what he's going to wear, because I think my nagging is falling on deaf ears, but I have my fingers crossed!

cbreeze · Veteran Member

Yes. definitely wear a suit to interviews in NYC.
My son wore a suit to an interview for a company (not tech)based in Newport Beach CA. He was taken to a restaurant where a waiter gave him a black napkin for his dark suit. After he got the job, he wore polos and jeans (sometimes shorts) and flip flops to work like everybody else at the company.
An interview is special, you don't necessarily have to dress like you've been invited to join the company already.

-- Edited by cbreeze on Saturday 13th of October 2012 09:40:00 AM

busdriver11 · Guru

I think it shows respect also, and I don't see how it can hurt. I think he will decide it's wise to wear a suit for GS and hedge fund interviews, at least. They seem to dress up far more out there in NYC than we do in the Pacific NW. Really, if they're paying for your ticket and hotel, you ought to jump through a couple of hoops.

I will ask him about the sports coat idea. He may be willing to do that. I doubt he cares about looking cool or mature, that isn't a priority, but maybe he'll think about it. I've probably done as much lecturing as I can and am most likely merely the adult voice on the Charlie Brown cartoons. Wah wah wah, wah wah wah. You know what I mean.

hope · Guru

My older son is in IT. He got a good job as a sys admin after doing several internships for the company. He wore a suit to the interview- something he went out and bought at a local department store (he didn't consult me :) ). I thought it was smart - it shows respect for the people hiring you, I think.

-- Edited by hope on Friday 12th of October 2012 07:57:12 PM

longprime · Guru

His Mom is visiting him for the weekend. Hope she examines his wardrobe and she does, its not going to be pretty scene.

pima · Guru

I would do a compromise, sports coat and slacks. There are some really sharp looking coats out there that will give him the look of professionalism without feeling over dressed. Bullet has several sport coats, black/white houndstooth, brown herringbone, tan micro suede. Add a white shirt, nice pants and a tie he can be fine either way...takes off the tie for a casual look, add the tie for more professional look.

It won't make him look pompous or un-cool. It might even give him pause, and say this looks youthful and professional. He might think he will throw the tie in his pocket and when he gets there if Mom is right he can put it on, Mom is wrong, he still looks in place. If he is like our DS sending him the suit will stay in the bag because they know better. Sending him separates may make him re-think his position. Get a "cool" blazer. Not a pure black, navy or gray one. I would buy a micro suede in tan or chocolate with khaki or black pants. As he matures, he will like that even more because it also looks sharp with jeans and a white tee for date night. It isn't a DAD jacket.

Bullet does this every Friday at the Pentagon. His office has a rule wear a tie on Friday and they can/will cut it off. His position however, may require him to attend a last minute brief with Generals. This option allows him not to stick out in the office if he doesn't brief, and not to look under dressed if he does brief.

OBTW bus, your idea comes from the yrs you were in the AF. It is quite common in our community.

-- Edited by pima on Friday 12th of October 2012 06:50:41 AM

longprime · Guru

Can't help you on clothing.

NYC Banker Bro works mostly to midnite and out of sight of other people.

DS remains a left-banker with REI as his favorite store. and his mommy's favorite store is Northface and Columbia. disbelief

longprime · Guru

GS took money from TARP. Their structure is currently being backstopped by FDIC/taxpayers. So if GS wants some freedom in doing whatever it does, GS has to change because the taxpayer demands it. Volcker Rule. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/volcker-rule.asp#axzz291pyj3JC

Many financial institutions are being restructured because of their risk to USA economy.

busdriver11 · Guru

Really, Goldman Sachs broken up? That's interesting. I wonder why they would do that.

I could have written your post, winchester. I have said those words exactly. But upon reading endless information online, I realize that there is a different world in the tech field. You don't wear a suit to a Google interview. I think the attitude shows arrogance, but apparently they want you to fit into their culture, which really is a group of rather arrogant brainiacs. Though t-shirts to an interview is considered a little too aggressive.

My vision of cleaning up is perhaps different than this generations. Not a hair out of place, the perfect suit. All of my interviews, everyone there was wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt. God forbid anyone wore a different color, you knew they weren't getting the job. Then again, we weren't hired for our brains.

I'm being proactive and just FedEx'ing him a garment bag and anything else I can come up with. I don't know, maybe I'm not happy about him working in NYC anyways. The west coast is far more casual and much closer to me.

winchester · Guru

Personal opinion.

I am stunned that this is even a question.

Wear a suit. Clean up. Period. It is a sign of respect.

Not wearing a suit or otherwise "dressing up" is a sign of disrespect, or arrogance, or ****iness, or all of the above, and in an "in your face" sort of way.

Once he's in, part of "the club," then he can dress as the other clubmembers do.

longprime · Guru

Graduates of your son's school have less of a need to prove themselves in clothing. From what I have heard, GS will be broken up. Their parts are going to need a lot of support staff.

busdriver11 · Guru

So...my son is graduating this year (my wallet breathes a sigh of relief), and he is interviewing for jobs. He's only interviewing for tech positions, mostly for tech companies, hedge fund and financial companies, telecom. Now we have a disagreement on how he should look for interviews. My thought is that you look as good as possible, maybe even overdress. Wear a suit to the hedge fund and financial companies, fit into the culture. He seems to think that he doesn't have to dress up much, and that it might even hurt him if he does, since he's going for technical positions. It's kind of the snobbery that I've seen with some of the brainiacs, that think they can go on brains alone and they don't/shouldn't have to look good. When he cleans up, he looks like he could be a GQ model, but he doesn't seem interested in cleaning up. Drives us crazy.

He's got his second interview with Goldman Sachs, and we think he MUST play the game with a company like this, and wear a suit. And no, not one that was stuffed into a backpack and taken out wrinkled. Maybe with some of the tech companies you can wear a nice shirt and khakis, but you really have to shave. And a fresh haircut would be good.

I always think, how you look is something you can control for an interview. If you are going for a good job, there is plenty of competition and you shouldn't blow it by looking like you aren't taking it seriously. But I admit to not knowing about interviewing for tech positions, is it really different?

Dear son, if you're reading this, I hope I'm not annoying you (though I am quite sure that I am). But you're so stubborn, you're driving me crazy!