Placement "informal" interview?

MercilessKiller

Hi there

I was referred to speak to a company regarding my placement for next year. I've been emailed by the CTO of the company asking me to come to an "informal" interview next week!

I'm fantastically excited but have only had experience with formal suit and tie type interviews! What's the difference? Can I expect the standard questions? What should I wear yardy yardy

Thank you, and also thanks to the people who helped with my CV! Did the job!

jrrowleyws

I'd wear a casual shirt smartish trousers/jeans and shoes. It's informal so its likely you'd be the only one in a full suit, but you've still got to make some effort so to speak!

Chall

I wouldn't recommend following the above advice, sorry to jrrowleyws, personally I'd go with open collar suit with no tie, they say informal but that doesn't necessarily mean they want you to dress informally and besides, it's always helpful to make a good impression, jeans isn't going to do that whereas an open collar suit will do,

MercilessKiller

just to add its a small networking engineering company so I can assume most people there won't be in suits?

Not sure which to do now

Chall

Hmm, that is a tough one, I'd probably lose the suit jacket, keep the shirt, trousers and shoes, and then a normal jacket with it, that way you don't look too out of place yet still make a good impression.

floyd

My step father gives talks on how to present yourself to make the best impression in a variety of situations, e.g interviews, weddings, everyday job etc and he always advises me that its pretty hard to overdress for something but very easy to underdress. To overdress shows a great deal of respect for the person you are speaking to and that you are willing to make an effort to impress. To underdress just gives the impression that you couldn't be arsed
I would go with the advice given by Chall, not asking for a full 3 piece here, just something smart with a jacket and nicely pressed shirt you don't want to seem too pretentious. If you are short of cash or don't have something nice Matalan have great stuff for such occasions.

Good luck

MercilessKiller

Trip to matalan at the weekend for me

[Deleted User]

We have a corporate policy that you should always dress one level above the person you are meeting. If they are wearing casual, you wear '
business casual', if they're business casual, you go for the suit with open collar, if you expect them to dress like that, go for a suit and tie.

I'd agree with jrrowleyws - sounds like a 'business casual' occasion... admitadly, when i went for an 'informal interview' for my MSc placement, i went in jeans and a shirt ; that was fine.

snu

Research their recruitment process.
For my Industry interview i had an informal interview/talk, then a "formal" interview. I dressed up quite a bit for the informal one, so when it came to the formal one i had used my big guns so to speak...
Check the process, if it's likely that you are going to have another interview with these people, dress smartly - but maybe minus the jacket - then add the jacket for the second interview...
:cool:
They will probably ask the usual questions - only ask you questions about yourself and the course between them.
Any most importantly.... no matter what you wear, always keep eye contact, and have some questions pre thought up.... as they love it when you ask questions, makes it seem that your are geniunly interested.

melancholly

i did an interview day thing a few years ago which asked for informal dress - almost everyone came in suits and looked smart. certainly no-one came in jeans or anythign like that. suit trousers and a shirt without a tie should do - it's better to look a bit too smart than for them to think you;re a bit of a slob!

MercilessKiller

-Long sleeved black shirt
-Silver striped silk tie
-Smart Trousers
-Smart Shoes

Do the job? Or should the shirt be white