Method Analyst (Engineering) Interview - Yay or Nay outfit?

Hey all...ok so I'll have an interview coming up for a position in Engineering and was wondering about your opinion on the following.

I had to write a test in order to be selected for an interview so I wore this to the test...




Now here's what I would like to wear to the interview...(Of course I'll be shaved, shoes polished and cleaned up around the edges...but color combo wise...what do you think?

Thanks in advance.

For an interview I'd wear a white shirt or light blue. I think the color of the tie is too bright.

KerryT, welcome to Styleforum.

Both are fails.

Test Combo

Too late now but for future reference:

• Never wear a pinstriped jacket as a sport coat. Why? It is an orphaned look and a no-no.
• Wrong shade of blue on that shirt and the tie is dead. Lighter, Wear Sky Blue or White.
• Pants are too long and too casual.
• Shoes are hideous. They are blobby and Bicycle-toed squared toes. Burn them.

Interview

• Suit is not properly (if at all) tailored. Sleeves too long. Overall boxy shape. Pants too long.
• Shirt too dark again. Wear a white, off-white or sky blue shirt and plain grenadine burgundy tie.
• There are those hideous shoes again. You need to wear something else or buy new shoes.

There is everything wrong with your choices thus far. If you expect Engineers wages, you had better look the part, even though most of the time you will probably not even wear a suit at the office, you should have at least 2 decent suits in your wardrobe.

For an interview, wear a plain Navy or Charcoal Grey suit. Wear a pair of black Balmoral shoes.
An example of a decent Balmoral is the Allen Edmonds Park Avenue




http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF270_1_40000000001_-1


Buy a pair of properly fitted shoe trees for the shoes.



Polishing Tip:
Polish only the Cap Toes with either Black Wax Polish or Dark Marine Blue Cream Polish. This will give an elegant two-tone effect.
Best of luck on the interview.

Here are your priorities, in order, the first three being the most important:
1. Undo the bottom button on your suit. This is very important and requires minimal effort on your behalf.
2. As stated above, buy a new shirt. Preferably white, or light blue.
3. Buy a new tie. At present, the tie is too bright and has too much sheen to be considered appropriate for an interview.
4. Your suit is salvageable, but please take it to a tailor or seamstress and shorten the sleaves so that they end at your wristbone. In other words, about 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch of your cuffs on your dress-shirt should be visibly protruding from under your suit. Also, have the tailor or seamstress shorten your pants. Tell them that you would like a 'half break' - they will know what you are talking about.
5. Buy new shoes, the Park Avenues posted above are ideal.

Some of the previous responders got a bit carried away.

Only 2 things are actually important:
1) White shirt
2) Less bright tie (and even this isn't critical)

The other suggestions will definitely make you look better, but will not be noticeable to 90% of people, and failing to implement them will not in any way disqualify you during an engineering-oriented interview.

One thing about engineers: none of them know how to dress. As everyone else has said: stop buttoning the bottom button on your suit - permanently, buy a white shirt, a subdued tie and some nice shoes and you'll be golden.

My friend is a petroleum engineer who makes 4x what I do as an attorney. He wears Lauren by Ralph Lauren suits and Tommy Hilfiger ties. He also bought his wife a Ford Flex so maybe his tastes are bad in every regard.

Good luck in your interview.

As an engineer there is less pressure on what you wear. As a trade few know how to dress so your suit will suffice for most lower positions. get it altered to actually fit.

The short is too dark, lighter blue for an interview and ideally a more subdued tie. Above all, burn the shoes they are dreadful abominations and should not be worn ever. MoL's suggestion is, as ever, a good one for replacements,

Put the blazer and trousers away unless your interview is to be security guard, it looks dreadful.

Thanks for all the feedback gents....some were brutal...lol...but taken as a lesson.

Key points - Lose the shoes! White shirt! Less bright tie!

Get suit fitted as a bonus.

Get new suit altogether as a jackpot.

Interview's on the 10th so I've more than a week to get some of those items crossed off.

Cheers.

Piling on late:
The first tie is too short. Measure it, and in the future buy ties that are an inch or two longer, in 100% silk (if for interviewing).

Next time buying a suit, get a solid in navy or dark gray. Patterned on an interview suit usually is inappropriate. Edit: also, it should be at least 75% wool (when used for such a formal purpose). The (solid) white dress shirt advised should be virtually all cotton and unlike the blue shirt pictured should not have a (relatively casual) button-down collar. Also, it should have barrel cuffs, not French cuffs, and it should be sized (e.g., 16/34, not L).

mensimageconsultant said:

Piling on late:
The first tie is too short. Measure it, and in the future buy ties that are an inch or two longer, in 100% silk (if for interviewing).

Next time buying a suit, get a solid in navy or dark gray. Patterned on an interview suit usually is inappropriate. Edit: also, it should be at least 75% wool (when used for such a formal purpose). The (solid) white dress shirt advised should be virtually all cotton and unlike the blue shirt pictured should not have a (relatively casual) button-down collar. Also, it should have barrel cuffs, not French cuffs, and it should be sized (e.g., 16/34, not L).

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips. Unfortunately that is currently the only "proper" suit I own. I have other black dress pants but no blazer to match. Here's a question...do you think it would be wiser to go with a solid black pants/white shirt/blue tie combo (no blazer) versus the pin stripe suit/white shirt/blue tie combo?

Thanks again for the added tips.

Don't do black pants and white shirt; you would look like a waiter.

Don't worry too much about shoes despite they are goddamn ugly.

The easiest fix to look 10x better would be getting a none shiny dark tie in navy or wine and a white/off-white/light blue shirt with your suit.

p.s., don't button the bottom button of your suit jacket.

chogall said:

Don't do black pants and white shirt; you would look like a waiter.

Don't worry too much about shoes despite they are goddamn ugly.

The easiest fix to look 10x better would be getting a none shiny dark tie in navy or wine and a white/off-white/light blue shirt with your suit.

p.s., don't button the bottom button of your suit jacket.

Click to expand...

Cool. Will update once I got it sorted. Roger that on the bottom button. I may just opt to get the suit altered versus new shoes...depends on what I can source tomorrow. Gonna be up bright and early to get this wrapped up tomorrow.(Y)

Hopefully this thread has also helped others who were maybe afraid to put themselves out there.

Cheers.



KerryT said:

I had to write a test in order to be selected for an interview so I wore this to the test...

Click to expand...

Kerry
What kind of test did you take? Professional Engineer certification?



Coburn said:

Kerry
What kind of test did you take? Professional Engineer certification?

Click to expand...

Doubtful for a method analyst. My guess is some type of software test, or perhaps a process test case scenario.

PE certifications aren't all that useful outside of certain industries. Mine being one that they are a requirement in.

And it's not just engineers that tend to dress poorly. Take a look at 90% of the workforce, and weep.

Coburn said:

Kerry
What kind of test did you take? Professional Engineer certification?

Click to expand...

No actually, this was a test made by the company itself. It comprised of a few questions (12% roughly) on:

The company itself and their products (testing if you've done your research)
Safety

Followed by the remaining questions based on the following:

Technical Drawings
Manufacturing of metals - (including lean manufacturing principles and such)
Production Line/Supply Chain

65% was the passing mark in order to be considered for an interview. 65 questions totaling approximately 120 points so I'd have had to get at least 78 points to pass. They are hiring 15 persons to fill Method Analyst positions so getting to the interview stage is a great start. 1 interview only with HR + 4 superiors so I need to make my best impression.

However, I will be going toward getting my P.E. certification over the course of the next few years. I'm currently completing a M.Eng.