Fashionistas: Is it okay to wear jeans to a job interview yet?

Don''t laugh! It''s been several years since I''ve interviewed, and since then sweatsuits have become the universal casual wear, and jeans are what you wear when you want to look a little more put together.%0D\ %0D\ But are they "business casual" yet? Can I wear a suede jacket and good jeans to a job interview?%0D\ %0D\ The interview is for a nursing position, where I''d be wearing scrubs all day, so it''s not like

[quote]It''s been several years since I''ve interviewed, and since then sweatsuits have become the universal casual wear, and jeans are what you wear when you want to look a little more put together.%0D\ %0D\ Where do you currently work, the Dollar Store?%0D
Why would you want to risk offending your interviewer?%0D\ %0D\ Wear slacks not jeans to an interview.%0D\ %0D\ You sound like a moron.
R2''s withered testicles shimmy against his knee whenever he coughs.
"Slacks"
No. It''s not okay in this situation.
Make the effort to impress -- dress up.
I''m in advertising creative. Jeans are perfectly acceptable.
OP isn''t interviewing for an "advertising creative" position. Even if jeans are okay for the nursing position, unless he knows that beforehand (which he doesn''t) he shouldn''t risk it.
[quote]sweatsuits have become the universal casual wear\ \ That is only true in the flyover state wal mart OP frequents. It is definitely not true here in L.A. I suspect it is not true in NY either
I work in a "creative" environment (in theory, at least -- don''t get me started) and I wear jeans and a blazer in the office all the time. That said, I expect people to show up to interviews in a suit, or at least a sport coat or something of the sort.
I would wear the suit sans the tie
Part of what you want to demonstrate in an interview is that you are professional and have good judgment. Even if jeans are borderline-acceptable (and it''s clear from replies so far that we have no consensus on that), that means they are also borderline-unacceptable. So, for an interview situation, err on the side of dressing smarter than jeans.
"Business casual" does not include jeans. \ \ Don''t wear "business casual" for interviews in traditional fields. You can get away with jeans and busines casual for non-tradition stuff. \ \ But for most job interviews, wear a suit, especially in this shitty economy.
"I would wear the suit sans the tie."\ \ Or possibly a tie sans the jacket.
"I work in a "creative" environment (in theory, at least -- don't get me started) and I wear jeans and a blazer in the office all the time. That said, I expect people to show up to interviews in a suit, or at least a sport coat or something of the sort." Actually I would never hire anyone who showed up in a suit! Man or woman. Not in my field. Especially in a creative environment, a suit to me says: "I'm boring and I conform." On the other hand, tattoos can say the same thing. You have to find a balance somewhere in-between. I'm a Creative Director, my assumption would be that a creative person, one who can express themselves through their clothing, would most likely have a good portfolio. To me, a man in a suit or a woman dressed like a nun, in a grey business suit with a white blouse, both signify they're too uptight to be working in a creative environment. On the other hand, I wouldn't hire a guy, like the asshole who showed up for an interview in stained chinos, with an open cup of coffee and greasy hair, no matter how fantastic his work was, you know he's going to be trouble. That sort of person reeks of arrogance. Bottom line: If you haven't learned to dress appropriately by your 20s, you need to get some help.
[quote]You can get away with jeans and busines casual for non-tradition stuff. %0D\ %0D\ No. You. Can. Not. Why risk it? What''s the point? OP, you can''t dress up a little for half a day? You seriously don''t own a pair of pants dressier than jeans? You already sound like a lazy slacker I wouldn''t want to hire if you can''t be bothered to put your best foot forward in an interview.%0D
R14, I have one thing to say to you.%0D\ %0D\ MARY!
Earrings%0D\ %0D\ Caftan
Thread Closed!
Why are all the "creative" people commenting about how someone applying for a nursing position should dress?%0D\ %0D\ R14, women in grey suits and white blouses? Seriously? Are you a time traveler visiting us from the 80''s? No one dresses like that anymore even for jobs in non-creative fields. Suits can be very stylish. If you''re that out of touch, you sound pretty stale to be in a "creative" field yourself.
I''m a software developer. I always interview in jeans. I always get the job.%0D\ %0D
[quote]No. You. Can. Not. Why risk it?\ \ LMAO. You''re probably waaaay over 40, aren''t you?\ \ There are some industries in which it is 100% okay to wear jeans to interviews.
[quote]Part of what you want to demonstrate in an interview is that you are professional and have good judgment.\ \ This.\ \ It is not difficult to find people with the skills to do most jobs. It is more difficult to find people with the right personality for a given job. \ \ We''re going to have to work with you, or work with the people who work with you, so we care a lot about how much we like you. In fact, that''s most of the interview. We wouldn''t be interviewing you in the first place if we didn''t know you had he skills, education, and experience to do the job. But do we like you? Come in for an interview where we can judge your presentation, mannerisms, social skills, and attire.
If you''re asking the question, it means you have a doubt. So don''t wear jeans. You want to walk into the interview with no doubts on your mind.
Obvious
But R21, can''t some of the traits you mentioned be revealed in how a person presents themselves, especially with how they dress? \ \ When that idiot showed up for an interview with stained chinos, basically looking as if he slept in his clothes for days, his presentation told me he was an arrogant person I didn''t want to deal with. \ \ Even if he sounded like a Rhodes Scholar, I still wanted nothing to do with him, because First Impressions DO set the tone.\ \ In my experience, way too many people are on their super best behavior during an interview, all the things you''ve mentioned: "presentation, mannerisms, social skills, and attire"...seem to go by the wayside once the person gets hired and becomes comfortable, their true self is usually revealed. \ \ Perhaps it''s the field I''m in, fashion advertising, I seem to meet lots of crazies. During my many years working in advertising, I''ve dealt with my share of sociopaths and just plain loonies. \ \ ''Eccentric'' is too kind a word!
On the other hand, why would I want to be fake in an interview? I never dress in slacks and dress shirts, or suits. Ever. I hate them.%0D\ %0D\ To me, dressing in a suit for an interview is tantamount to lying.%0D\ %0D\ I dress presentably, in jeans and a nice-shirt. Pretty much the way I''d dress every day at work.%0D\ %0D\ I don''t deal with customers or anything public-facing, so for me that seems fine. It''s a "fit".%0D\ %0D\ If you''re trying out for a customer-facing job, I''d expect you''d dress very well... and continue doing so once you got the job.%0D\ %0D\ Basically, dress for the job you want to get. %0D\ %0D\ But if you present yourself one way, and they hire you, and you show up for work completely differently, ... that seems wrong to me. Like lying on a resume.%0D
Don''t do it, OP. As someone who helps hire people, this is what will happen:%0D\ %0D\ All the interviews will be concluded and it''ll be time to talk about narrowing the choices down or actually choosing someone. Invariably, the names of candidates won''t come easily to the forefront, so you''ll end up being described as "the guy who wore jeans."%0D\ %0D\ Don''t let that be your descriptor. The suit with no tie will be a great way to look polished without seeming stuffy.%0D\ %0D\ That way, they can find a different descriptor that will concentrate on your abilities rather than they way you dressed.%0D\ %0D\ Unless, of course, you have a gigantic nose and then all bets are off.
Weighing in here due to a similar situation: I'm a laboratory research scientist who hasn't had to interview in 18 years. I've consistently gained weight to add insult to the years and have not had a reason to have "nice" clothes since I stopped going out on the town. Clothing is generally casual and functional here in SF, and I'd be wearing a labcoat, anyway.%0D %0D But the fact is that I need a job and want to make a good (respectful) impression. A suit would be overkill and would feel sort of rediculous, but I do want to look professional, organized, and to look as good as can be for a 50-year old, 5'8" 190lb male with graying hair. I'm thiinking gray slacks, or Dockers, dark "blazer" type sport coat, a white button shirt, and some type of grown-up's shoes yet to be purchased.%0D %0D Any suggestions? Have always dreaded becoming old and clueless about today's music and how to dress, but here I am.%0D %0D OP, in this economy, err on the side of conservative. Lose the jeans and go for something a bit more formal. And good luck!
R24 is an idiot. By all means, let it all hang out. Be your authentic self. Maybe your interview is at 9 am and you usually masturbate a that hour like clockwork. That''s who you really are so whip it out during the interview and fire away. Anything else would just be a lie.
r26 just FYI, I''d do you.
R27 is freaking AWESOME!
not r27, really
A suit.
http://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/what-wear-nursing-251672.html
"There are some industries in which it is 100% okay to wear jeans to interviews"\ \ Yes, but the OP is looking for a nursing job, not one that requires you to ask customers if they want to super size their order.
R27 is a fucking moron, acutally. Jesus Christ. That''s the post stupid post in this entire thread.%0D
%0D\ [quote]R24 is an idiot. By all means, let it all hang out. Be your authentic self. Maybe your interview is at 9 am and you usually masturbate a that hour like clockwork. That''s who you really are so whip it out during the interview and fire away. Anything else would just be a lie.%0D\ %0D\ Best post in the thread, I completely agree.%0D\ R24''s mother always told him he was perfect as he was.%0D
I forgot to add, I am a nursing student, ready to graduate. Our instructors mentioned to us the importance of dressing conservatively for the interview. NO JEANS!
R33
"LMAO. You''re probably waaaay over 40, aren''t you?"\ \ And thus in the age group most likely to make hiring decisions.
[quote]I'm a software developer. I always interview in jeans. I always get the job. That would be because a) you work in a field with a considerable shortage of qualified talent, even in this day and age of outsourcing to India, and b) the tech field is somewhat uniquely casual in terms of the expected attire of its workers, particularly considering that the most influential person in it today - Mark Zuckerberg - wears hoodies, jeans and flip-flops or sneakers to work. OP, I'd actually question your sartorial suggestion of a suede jacket before the jeans idea. First of all, it's spring, so a leather sportcoat (yes, suede counts as leather) is inappropriate to start with. Second, unless you're wearing recent-vintage Burberry Prorsum or the like and not, as I suspect, something you picked up at the Men's Wearhouse, your suede jacket is likely ill-fitting and tacky. For something like a nursing gig, I'd go with very basic dressy khakis (not slouchy Dockers, but instead fitted ones with attention to detail) and an understated dress shirt. Even basic white or light blue would work - but, again, avoid the slouchy or blousy look and get one that's properly fitted in the torso.
kirker
Why don''t you wear your scrubs? You know, the ones with Winnie the Pooh on them?
Yes, OP. Definitely. Do it.
I would go as "casual" as a nice button-up shirt with collar and a pair of pleated khakis. But really, a suit is the way to go.\ \ Look at the bright side, you''ll only be wearing it for an hour (tops) during the interview.
In winter, I''ll wear a nice pair of pleated corduroys and a sweater with a shirt collar peeking out of it. I''m not wearing a tie to an interview for a cashier position.
Can someone tell me why I bother getting dressed up to go to job interviews when half the time the people that do the interviewing are ugly slobs who don't bother to comb their hair, look trashy, and wear clothes that you would only wear around the house? It's such a double standard. Maybe I should start dressing like trash and maybe then I'll get the job.
Sick of this shit
There seems to be some new fad amongst the whippersnappers where they muss up their hair into the messiest rat's nest possible, gel that into place, and ... hey presto, they're hot! OP's interview is LONG over, but for a position like RN in a hospital/medical facility, I'd say business casual (suit for a guy not needed if the work isn't administrative). Jeans would pretty much be restricted to those manual labor.
I once interviewed for a nursing position in my scrubs and a pressed white lab jacket with my stethoscope around my neck, claiming I was on my way to work the evening shift. Worked. I got the job.
You could always dress like a physical therapist -- dockers and a polo shirt. Hospital types are used to that kind of clothing. It's the PT uniform, so it's "professional" wear at a hospital. But never wear a red or or royal blue polo. Too Target or Walmart or Lowes.