The dinner before the interview

Originally Posted by Fangio

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Thanks for all of the tips. Just to reiterate, I know what business casual is, but having interned with companies in Texas I know their definition is different than mine. While I would love to wear a sports coat I don't currently own one or have the time before tomorrow night to purchase one.

My real question is nice slacks and a shirt, or suit without a tie? I'm working with two suits a grey and a black.

Me?? If those are the choices...I would go suit/shirt/no tie. I hardly ever wear a shirt/slacks and no jacket!
IT'S STILL AN INTERVIEW!!

Originally Posted by Fangio

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It is for an entry level engineering position.
You guys apparently missed this. I will give odds that at least half the competition shows up either wearing sports sandals or those "shoes" with the individual toes that LabelKing likes. This is an easy one. Brown chukka boots, khakis and a striped shirt with a button down collar. No tie. Wear a sports coat -- not blue and definitely not a blazer -- and take it off during dinner. If you don't have any brown chukka boots, wear brown shoes, preferably fairly dark. Do not wear tennis shoes or the like and do not wear black shoes, especially not your one pair of black shoes that you typically wear with your suit. You will be probably better dressed than the people from the firm but no so overdressed that you look out of place. The point of this dinner is to see if you have any social skills at all -- often an issue with engineers -- and to see how you interact with your peers. You don;t want to be the life of the party but you do want to be charming and friendly. If you can integrate a few wall flowers into the conversation during the course of the evening, they will probably make you a manager. Good Luck and let us know how it turns out. NB: DO NOT wear a suit with no tie. That is wrong in this situation on too many levels to count.

Suit no tie.

Originally Posted by Bounder

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You guys apparently missed this. I will give odds that at least half the competition shows up either wearing sports sandals or those "shoes" with the individual toes that LabelKing likes.

This is an easy one. Brown chukka boots, khakis and a striped shirt with a button down collar. No tie. Wear a sports coat -- not blue and definitely not a blazer -- and take it off during dinner. If you don't have any brown chukka boots, wear brown shoes, preferably fairly dark. Do not wear tennis shoes or the like and do not wear black shoes, especially not your one pair of black shoes that you typically wear with your suit.

You will be probably better dressed than the people from the firm but no so overdressed that you look out of place. The point of this dinner is to see if you have any social skills at all -- often an issue with engineers -- and to see how you interact with your peers. You don;t want to be the life of the party but you do want to be charming and friendly. If you can integrate a few wall flowers into the conversation during the course of the evening, they will probably make you a manager.

Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.

NB: DO NOT wear a suit with no tie. That is wrong in this situation on too many levels to count.

Won't work. OP may own a mirror!!!!

Originally Posted by Bounder

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This is an easy one. Brown chukka boots, khakis and a striped shirt with a button down collar. No tie. Wear a sports coat -- not blue and definitely not a blazer -- and take it off during dinner. If you don't have any brown chukka boots, wear brown shoes, preferably fairly dark. Do not wear tennis shoes or the like and do not wear black shoes, especially not your one pair of black shoes that you typically wear with your suit.

The dude said he doesn't own a single sportcoat. What makes you think he owns OCBD's and brown chukkas, or brown shoes in general?

Originally Posted by MinnMD

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Jacket, button-down shirt, no tie, gray dress pants or khakis, dress shoes. If you don't have a sport coat or Navy blue blazer, you could use the jacket from a Navy blue suit. As for the suit without a tie, it would be okay but probably a tad overdone. If you show up and the jacket appears too formal, just hang it on the back of your chair.

MinnMD

+1. As a hiring manager, I wouldn't touch someone who didn't care enough about this delicate mating dance to wear a sportcoat. Even if you were going to Stubbs on "bring your own bib" night.

And two more words - eye patch.

Don't dribble or blow your nose in the napkin.

Chew loudly, fart proudly, order lentils.

If you are correct then a decent pair of trousers and button down shirt. Sports coat would be over doing it.

Try to establish what 'business casual' means at the firm by which you are seeking to be employed.

They seem to really be buttering you up as if the supply of labor is scarce. I would think this is a warning sign. Forget it, blow off the interview.

are you guys kidding me? this guy is interviewing entry level at an engineering firm (and this isn't the actual interview).

He is going to be there with a bunch of college kids and most of them probably don't even own a sport coat.

There are probably going to be a bunch of people in khakis and a striped dress shirt. A few in black pants and maybe a solid blue dress shirt...maybe a few dudes will even thrown on a tie (no jacket) but that is pretty much it. Have you guys been to an entry level recruiting event in the last 15 years? The guy who said he wouldn't hire anyone who wouldn't wear a sport coat to dinner must have zero employees...

Sure, you can wear a jacket if it fits well and looks good--nobody will have a problem with this. But you don't have to rush out and buy one for the interview as they are not going to care (they might even be interested in things like, oh say, your personality or your skills).

For an engineering pre-interview dinner:

Slacks, shoes, button down shirt - thats what I would wear. I'm not style maven but I've done these dinners. You don't get hired because you dress well, but if you dress poorly it will count against you. I don't know any "tricks" for engineering but in general follow the lead of your prospective employer (for ordering alcohol, etc etc).

Make sure you wear something different to the interview. Don't recycle the slacks or the shirt. In my experience it hasn't mattered if you wear the same shoes.

Jesus Christ,

Wear a pair of nice gray dress slacks (preferably no cuff and non-pleated) and a white button-up shirt, tucked in, no tie, black belt, black shoes (something like AE park aves). Problem ******* solved.

Originally Posted by Bounder

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You guys apparently missed this. I will give odds that at least half the competition shows up either wearing sports sandals or those "shoes" with the individual toes that LabelKing likes.

This is an easy one. Brown chukka boots, khakis and a striped shirt with a button down collar. No tie. Wear a sports coat -- not blue and definitely not a blazer -- and take it off during dinner. If you don't have any brown chukka boots, wear brown shoes, preferably fairly dark. Do not wear tennis shoes or the like and do not wear black shoes, especially not your one pair of black shoes that you typically wear with your suit.

You will be probably better dressed than the people from the firm but no so overdressed that you look out of place. The point of this dinner is to see if you have any social skills at all -- often an issue with engineers -- and to see how you interact with your peers. You don;t want to be the life of the party but you do want to be charming and friendly. If you can integrate a few wall flowers into the conversation during the course of the evening, they will probably make you a manager.

Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.

NB: DO NOT wear a suit with no tie. That is wrong in this situation on too many levels to count.
This post is what I'd do, except I'd wear a checked shirt and any shoe. Good luck!

Since the dinner is tonight, what about ordering drinks?

If the interviewer orders a drink first, I would do the same, limiting myself to two and not finishing the second one. But what if the OP has to order first?