Interview dress

[Treguard]

My suit jacket no longer fits me and if honest I don't have the funds at the moment to buy a new one. Do you think if going for a conductor/guard role, not having a jacket will really matter too much? I really only have one tie as well! Haven't had an interview in 4 years.

 

[Sotac464]

My suit jacket no longer fits me and if honest I don't have the funds at the moment to buy a new one. Do you think if going for a conductor/guard role, not having a jacket will really matter too much? I really only have one tie as well! Haven't had an interview in 4 years.

Shoes, trousers, shirt and tie with a coat/jacket which you can take off when you are there will be enough.

Good luck.

 

[Treguard]

Thanks. I have a winter coat from M&S that is very smart so should be ok with that. As I haven't had to wear black shoes in a while, the ones I have are falling apart a bit...one of the lace holes has gone a bit so they aren't very straight looking. It was either that or wear the walking boots I have but they aren't black (but do look smart). Tbh it was a last minute decision looking for other work, and it's come before payday so a bit unprepared dress wise.

 

[Bigfoot]

You'll be surprised what you can pick up in a charity shop or ask a close friend.

I'd rather wear second hand shoes for a few hours than be turned down because they had two candidates to choose from and I was the worst dressed. (It really can be that close, I know it was for my role having spoken to my interviewing manager)

 

[Treguard]

You'll be surprised what you can pick up in a charity shop or ask a close friend.

I'd rather wear second hand shoes for a few hours than be turned down because they had two candidates to choose from and I was the worst dressed. (It really can be that close, I know it was for my role having spoken to my interviewing manager)

Cheers. I've managed to borrow a tie, and will check out the charity shops on Tuesday when I go out to do the station visit as part of the pre-task

 

[EM2]

Cheers. I've managed to borrow a tie, and will check out the charity shops on Tuesday when I go out to do the station visit as part of the pre-task

As an example, I picked up a brand-new Marks & Spencer jacket, with the tags still on showing that it would have retailed for £85, for a tenner from my local British Heart Foundation shop.

 

[class 9]

Make your best effort to get a suit, first impressions really do matter in an interview. As said above charity shops do have some good gear, also Primark do cheap suits that don't look cheap.
Oh, best of luck.

 

[james123]

I agree with most of the comments given here: you should ensure you are properly dressed for the occasion and to me that would be a smart suit with smart shoes. Shoes and suit etc don't have to be top end expensive brands but they should be smart and clean and fit you. As suggested above there are many options for securing appropriate footwear and clothing that are inexpensive. There are very few viable excuses for failing to sorting out the right dress and it may cost you the job. Take no chances.

 

[whhistle]

But to throw what others have said out of the water, I went without a tie once and got the job.
All depends what the company are looking for. For example, going to a Virgin interview without a tie could be counted as extra bonus points as Mr Branson doesn't like them.

I don't think I have ever worn a jacket, and wouldn't hinge a success/failure on whether you wore one or not. I tend to wear nice trousers (IE, proper "work" trousers) and a shirt / jumper combo; a nice jumper though, doesn't have any brand name or crazy design. Sometimes a tie, sometimes not. If a 2nd interview, usually no tie.

Don't wear trainers - even if they're plain black "plimsole" type.
Don't wear uniform. I have attended two interviews in the past with two candidates that wore their uniform - one even had their badge attached. It's not that you look poor and can't afford a different set of clothes, it looks more like you don't really have any other life apart from work.

The single most important factor in any interview, in my opinion, is getting the interviewer to like you. If there were two identical people (in terms of knowledge), one in a suit, one that is in a smart jumper/shirt/trousers combination, but the latter made a better impression, I'd bet my wage they would get the job.

 

[james123]

But to throw what others have said out of the water, I went without a tie once and got the job.
All depends what the company are looking for. For example, going to a Virgin interview without a tie could be counted as extra bonus points as Mr Branson doesn't like them.

I don't think I have ever worn a jacket, and wouldn't hinge a success/failure on whether you wore one or not. I tend to wear nice trousers (IE, proper "work" trousers) and a shirt / jumper combo; a nice jumper though, doesn't have any brand name or crazy design. Sometimes a tie, sometimes not. If a 2nd interview, usually no tie.

Don't wear trainers - even if they're plain black "plimsole" type.
Don't wear uniform. I have attended two interviews in the past with two candidates that wore their uniform - one even had their badge attached. It's not that you look poor and can't afford a different set of clothes, it looks more like you don't really have any other life apart from work.

The single most important factor in any interview, in my opinion, is getting the interviewer to like you. If there were two identical people (in terms of knowledge), one in a suit, one that is in a smart jumper/shirt/trousers combination, but the latter made a better impression, I'd bet my wage they would get the job.

I agree with the idea that likeability and suitability are most likely to be more important but why take the risk. You never know what it could come down to so take as few risks as possible and hedge the bets in your favour. Dress the best that you can for the occasion.

 

[whhistle]

True but if a company says "you didn't get the job because the other candidate wore a suit jacket and tie" then that is their way of saying they tossed a coin.

 

[james123]

True but if a company says "you didn't get the job because the other candidate wore a suit jacket and tie" then that is their way of saying they tossed a coin.

But you still didn't get the job. Also I doubt they would put it like that but they may think your effort or commitment to the job is lacking as well as your professionalism and presentation. Simply not worth the risk.

 

[Bromley boy]

Personally I would never attend an interview wearing less than a suit and tie with polished shoes. Whatever the excuse, turning up scruffy and dishevelled wearing shoes with holes in them won't create the impression of being a desirable candidate for the position.

I agree with the posters who suggested raiding a charity shop or borrowing from a friend. Appearances count and your interviewer might not approve of a less formal dress style. On the other hand nobody will ever criticise you for looking too smart.

 

[Bromley boy]

True but if a company says "you didn't get the job because the other candidate wore a suit jacket and tie" then that is their way of saying they tossed a coin.

They won't say that they will just make an excuse "other candidates better suited for the position" etc. Why take the risk?

 

[JetStream]

A suit jacket wouldn't be the end all; I've seen quite a few people with shirts, ties, trousers and a coat.

Also, love the username!

 

[Stuart-h]

What about a decent jacket from any of the supermarkets?

 

[theironroad]

My suit jacket no longer fits me and if honest I don't have the funds at the moment to buy a new one. Do you think if going for a conductor/guard role, not having a jacket will really matter too much? I really only have one tie as well! Haven't had an interview in 4 years.

I'll echo what others have said, and borrow or get some stuff from a charity shop. Maybe even be a bit cheeky and ask if you could borrow some stuff from the charity shop for a small donation.

The guard/conductor role is really very heavy on customer service and a major part of that is being smart and presentable at all times, so anything less at interview will get noticed.

Good luck.

 

[mind the gap]

I haven’t got much to add regarding what to wear, apart from shirt and tie, no jeans or trainers.

However one tip I have heard in the past. Pop to the toilet before you go in. Not to actually use the toilet, but have a look in the mirror to check for overall look ie tie straight, hair tidy

Oh and whatever the condition of the shoes, make sure they are nicely polished..

Good luck..

Mind the Gap

 

[sargentsiri]

Hi buddy,

I've been to many interviews without a jacket, i simply don't like them, find them bulky & annoying to never wear one! currently sat at my new job i got 7 months ago, you guessed it, without wearing a jacket!

I'm not to sure where your located, but if its anywhere near me, your more than welcome to borrow any shoes, trousers or ties I have. Anything to help you out & make you more comfortable & confident on the big day!

 

[Username_taken]

I recently had an interview for a conductor job and I wore black chinos with a very light blue shirt, navy tie, boots and a smart black coat. I got offered the the job so must of looked smart enough.

 

[Lmc1976]

So I’m not at the interview stage yet but have an upcoming assessment centre for a conductor job.

As far as I can tell I will be doing a SCAAT, RAAT and ticket selling tests and nothing else.

Would a suit, shirt, tie etc be a bit excessive for this do you think?

 

[BestWestern]

True but if a company says "you didn't get the job because the other candidate wore a suit jacket and tie" then that is their way of saying they tossed a coin.

It's their way of saying "the other candidate made more effort and bothered to dress properly", I would suggest.

With respect, I fear your advice isn't great. There are very few interviewers who would be offended by a candidate looking their best, there are however plenty who would be offended by them not having bothered to dress properly for the occasion. In reply to your point about getting an interviewer to like you being more important, I would point out the long standing theory that people make that decision within the initial few seconds, based on first impressions. Dress is a huge part of that. It's an interview, sauntering in looking a bit on the casual side is rarely a good tactic.

We're talking here about a customer service role. It will involve wearing a company uniform, almost certainly with a tie. Turning up to the interview looking as if you don't like wearing them is unlikely to help. It's a very competitive area, the volume of applicants almost always far outweighs the number of positions. To the OP, I would suggest a clean, nicely matched outfit - including a smart tie! - is essential (and common sense, frankly). If you can manage a matching waistcoat or blazer then great, but the smart outer coat already mentioned should suffice if not. Very best of luck!

 

[Treguard]

It's their way of saying "the other candidate made more effort and bothered to dress properly", I would suggest.

With respect, I fear your advice isn't great. There are very few interviewers who would be offended by a candidate looking their best, there are however plenty who would be offended by them not having bothered to dress properly for the occasion. In reply to your point about getting an interviewer to like you being more important, I would point out the long standing theory that people make that decision within the initial few seconds, based on first impressions. Dress is a huge part of that. It's an interview, sauntering in looking a bit on the casual side is rarely a good tactic.

We're talking here about a customer service role. It will involve wearing a company uniform, almost certainly with a tie. Turning up to the interview looking as if you don't like wearing them is unlikely to help. It's a very competitive area, the volume of applicants almost always far outweighs the number of positions. To the OP, I would suggest a clean, nicely matched outfit - including a smart tie! - is essential (and common sense, frankly). If you can manage a matching waistcoat or blazer then great, but the smart outer coat already mentioned should suffice if not. Very best of luck!

Cheers all for the advice. Yep ordinarily I'd have smart jacket and shoes, but applying for the role was a very last minute decision and a bit before payday unfortunately. The jacket I used to have no longer fit me and I haven't had to wear smart black shoes in a good while. Don't have any problems wearing them for the role

 

[tsr]

A couple of hints:
- The conductor job involves a fair amount of slogging around carrying heavy bags, walking between trains in rain/snow/a heatwave, fixing stuff which nobody else wants to fix, etc. You don’t need to look elegant as such, but sometimes what counts is being practically dressed and turning up smart and on-time whatever the conditions. Conductor managers will not be offended if you turn up in a smart coat rather than a suit jacket if it’s a cold day. Turn up early as well, and you’ll be fine.
- Show a decent personality. If your clothes don’t quite say who you are, try to divert attention with personality and eye contact, and then confidently talk to your interviewer. After all, they know catching someone’s attention could help you calm someone down and make the difference between a fight and a good night on the last train on Friday evening.

So I’m not at the interview stage yet but have an upcoming assessment centre for a conductor job.

As far as I can tell I will be doing a SCAAT, RAAT and ticket selling tests and nothing else.

Would a suit, shirt, tie etc be a bit excessive for this do you think?

No. Not at all excessive.

The last time I did a day of psychometric tests (albeit a few years ago now, and for a railway company which no longer exists), they were in the process of whittling down 2000 candidates to 2. The company picked about 50 of those 2000 for the tests. Some people obviously failed on the technical stages. Others were ground down by testing their resolve, making them sit at a water cooler in a featureless office for an hour. Others were tested in a role play.

But what was also startling was how the less smart candidates got whittled away after the technical tasks had begun. Neither the other person who got the job, nor myself, were “jeans and t-shirt”, much closer to “fairly smart workwear”.

Everything is watched when there is a four-figure shortlist. Be your best!