Interview in the Blazing Heat of Summer

[rdawson808]

Hey, I have an interview in a couple weeks. Unfortunately that means putting on a suit. In the summer. In DC. It will likely be 90 or so degrees and humid.

I really want to wear a cool cotton or linen suit (or seersucker which I know won't go over well) but I'm not sure.

Can I get away with a light brown or maybe navy cotton suit in a fed. interview? In the end I don't have to get this job, so if I put someone off by wearing something that isn't considered formal enough it won't be the end of the world. But the job does sound cool so I don't won't to intentionally blow it.

bob

 

[odoreater]

I don't know what you have in your wardrobe, but a tropical weight wool suit in navy sounds like it would do the trick.

When I went on interviews for my summer associate position, all of the interviews were conducted in early august and the callbacks were mostly in late august so it was pretty damn hot out in NYC, but I just toughed it out and wore a regular navy suit.

I would think that seersucker is way too casual and things like linen and cotton are way too prone to wrinkling and might not look good for an interview because they are too casual looking and don't give you that sharp clean-pressed look that a wool suit would give you. The bottom line is that it's just a few hours, so even if it's hot you can get by. Also, is the interview outdoors? If not, I don't really see why the heat matters so much if it's in an air-conditioned office.

 

[Tomasso]

Wear whatever you think is best and then take an air conditioned cab to the interview, even if you must splurge.

 

[Manton]

Almost any Style Forum member going to an interview for a job in the federal bureaucracy is going to be better dressed than his interviewer no matter what he wears. And the liklihood that the interviewer will notice or care is very slim, unless you wear a morning coat.

I usually advocate playing it extremely safe in job interviews, but safe means the lowest common denominator, and in D.C. that is low indeed. If you don't need the job, just wear what you want. Seersucker is probably an aggressive "I don't need you" signal, but anything else would be fine.

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by Manton

Almost any Style Forum member going to an interview for a job in the federal bureaucracy is going to be better dressed than his interviewer no matter what he wears. And the liklihood that the interviewer will notice or care is very slim, unless you wear a morning coat.


Are you trying to revive morning dress as business wear

?

 

[rdawson808]

I guess I'll suck it up and wear something tropical weight. I don't need the job, but I wouldn't mind having it. Now I'll worry about my "short" 20-30 minute presentation. Yech.

thanks guys,
bob

 

[designprofessor]

OK, this has "hire" written all over it, going by Murphy's law here. Since this is a no pressure situation for you, you'll probably beat out the applicant that is loosing sleep on it the night prior. With this in mind, dress in your basic blue, but throw something in to prepare them for the seersucker you'll be wearing on your first day!

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

Be tough. No one will notice how much you sweat if you keep your jacket on. What I did in the same situation: I kept my jacket off until I arrived in the building, and then I put it on. The building will have AC anyway, won't it?

!luc

 

[rdawson808]

I will tough it out. But I predict sweat will run down my face. I am one of nature's sweaters. I can't help it. I'm sure the building will have AC, so that will make my life easier, and the Metro is air conditioned too, so that's good.

Now I need something in navy. I've been wanting to buy a navy suit anyway.

bob

 

[Duveen]

Bob,

Good advice from Luc - carry the coat and tough it out. I am traveling on business in the South a lot these days and have found that, while unpleasant, it is not impossible to get by with a proper suit in a lighter-weight wool.

Plan to stop in the restroom just as you get in the building (ask the front desk attendant/guard, not the receptionist in the office that you are visiting).

Go in, wash your face, dry off and fix your hair. Straighten your tie. That little psychological ritual does me a world of good before going in to presentations, and will actually serve a useful purpose if you are worried about sweating.

 

[new obsession]

Originally Posted by rdawson808

But I predict sweat will run down my face. I am one of nature's sweaters. I can't help it.

I am part of the same club, which is why my back left pocket is ALWAYS occupied by a handkerchief. Which then creates the question - What about this one in your front pocket? you carry two handkerchiefs?

 

[rdawson808]

Duveen, that's good advice thanks. I haven't been on an interview in more than 4 years and those were in the middle of winter so this feels very new to me. I'm nervous of course.

NewO, I carry two of them as well. One in the breast pocket that just stays there, then a cotton one in my hip pocket for the usual use of mopping my brow.

I just wish one could safely say "I get really hot easily, therefore I wear a lightweight suit--but I still wear a suit," without your interviewer thinking you haven't put the effort into it. Like this. Actually I might buy this one anyway. Looks like a good deal and it comes in a 46S.

bob

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Once again, a silk-weight undershirt will help. Cut the hair shorter, too, if you can do so without looking military or worse than you do now.

 

[Renault78law]

A silk-weight undershirt will surely NOT help. I don't buy the baselayer/wicking argument for one second; it's only marketing. Insulation is insulation, and will only make you feel hotter. I wore undershirts for years before seeing the light. Same goes for working out/endurance sports.

 

[rdawson808]

Well, I figure an extra layer is an extra layer and it will keep me warmer. That said, the benefit of keeping the sweat from my dress shirt outweighs the slight cost of making me a tiny bit warmer. I will sweat either way, so it is more important to hide that. Silk vs cotton? I have no clue.

bob