BIG YES BOMB!!!!!

ShipComprehensive543 · 2025-03-09T20:06:26+00:00

I would think, oh wow, they are trying really hard. They must really want this job.

the_elephant_sack · 2025-03-09T20:28:58+00:00

overdressed is better than underdressed

Visible_Record8468 · 2025-03-09T20:41:46+00:00

I had a college kid show up in a suit once for a cashier position...I think it's trying to be respectful

mikedtwenty · 2025-03-09T22:37:51+00:00

Counter point: what's with all these interviewers wearing ball caps or looking like they just woke up?

Ok_Firefighter334 · 2025-03-09T20:30:23+00:00

Interview them as usual. Maybe comment on how good they look.

janice1764 · 2025-03-09T22:42:48+00:00

Overdressed is better than underdressed. Shows you are interested and did your best. First impressions matter

EffectiveOne236 · 2025-03-10T01:22:56+00:00

I've had people show up in a suit and tie for a low paying job, it makes me think they want it and to make good impression or that they didn't understand what the job they applied for was. First impressions matter and I always grade harder on someone who comes underdressed than over dressed.

One time this guy showed up in the coolest purple suit. We all complimented him. At the end of the interview we all agreed that his suit was the best thing about him. Didn't hire him. Clothes don't make the man but they do get attention when you walk in the door. It's all about using that to your advantage. Don't be an empty suit.

unfortunate_kiss · 2025-03-10T03:36:34+00:00

I definitely agree with others that overdressed is better than not. However, as a hiring manager for entry level positions, I try really hard not to be judgmental based on what someone is wearing as long as they are clean and presentable. Nice clothes are expensive, but showing up with a positive attitude and a good personality is more likely to make an impression.

olde_meller23 · 2025-03-10T01:23:56+00:00

I've always wanted to show up to a job interview in a wedding dress to see how it panned out.

JediFed · 2025-03-10T05:11:21+00:00

It shows respect both for the position and the interviewer. You'd get more consideration at least from me if you showed up in a suit.

TemperatureWide1167 · 2025-03-09T20:03:33+00:00

They told me one time that it's good to be remembered. One guy I knew in school used to wear a pink pimp blazer with a cane and dress shoes, so I went and got one myself. It was a job that I wasn't really interested in as I had already taken another position, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. It was about as amusing as you'd expect.

I apologized for wasting her time but she was having to keep herself from laughing and shook her head and said, "Even if the time was wasted, it was at least memorable."

meanderingwolf · 2025-03-10T03:19:21+00:00

You treat them the same way you would someone who is under dressed. You make note of it and you continue to conduct a professional interview. There are far more important factors to consider than dress, but it does reflect negatively if extreme either way.

thpethalKG · 2025-03-10T05:50:01+00:00

Dress for the position you want, not the one you have..

It's better than showing up for an office interview wearing yoga pants or pyjamas

Sanyasi091 · 2025-03-10T06:20:15+00:00

Dress for the job you want . Not the job you have .💀

nandolando4 · 2025-03-10T11:07:42+00:00

I’d think they prepared for the job and care about it! No one willingly wants to wear a 4 piece suit haha. Even if our dress code is pretty casual, most times candidates don’t know that at the interview stage. I honestly don’t pay too much attention to the clothes, I really only care how they’re responding to questions / the conversation we’re having.

Appropriate_Drive875 · 2025-03-09T23:19:39+00:00

For a janitor role I'd be assuming that this was the only suit you owned, and it was for weddings, funerals and special church services. It would convey that this is the only nice peice of clothing you owned. While i personally wouldn't take offence to it, it might unknowingly signal that you are in more dire straights than you'd want an employer to think.

not_a_mundane · 2025-03-10T04:20:24+00:00

I always feel a little bad like I should’ve let them know they didn’t have to put so much effort in. Although one time, someone did ask the expected dress for the interview, and I told them and they still overdressed. Then I judge them a little bit for not following directions. But I wouldn’t say that was the deciding factor for the job.

CommanderGO · 2025-03-10T05:18:16+00:00

The main thing is that you should not be dressed less than the person interviewing you.

redditsuxandsodoyou · 2025-03-10T05:40:59+00:00

I've never seen anyone hold this against an applicant, but you do get laughed at behind the scenes

Nipredil · 2025-03-10T08:12:25+00:00

If someone overdresses, they usually start feeling uncomfortable and get even more stressed, which does not help. While this is ok for a fresh graduate and interviewers usually try helping more, it looks bad in your mid 40s when you should know the industry better and should seem confident in your skills.

Hiring managers look for skills AND someone pleasant to be around. If you feel bad about your outfit, everything about you can change. Your body language, the way you speak, ect. Not by a lot, but people unconciously tend to pick up on that and you could lose to someone who looked more relaxed and was more genuine. I had a manager who said, we can teach the job to anyone who is smart enough, but we can't teach people manners and social skills.

So no, you are not getting rejected for overdressing, but for stressing and acting self contious (unless you look 100% ridiculous like you show up in a suit to be a lumberjack and they ask you to demonstrate your skills as an interview and you end up chopping a tree in a suit).

We once had an overdressed guy in a suit, he made a joke, took off the jacket and did the interview. His skills didn't stand out, but everyone remembered how cool he acted, how funny he was and how good we all felt around him and he ended up getting hired after the 2nd round.

seaearls · 2025-03-10T11:03:10+00:00

Dress for the job you're really aiming for, right? My man's gonna be the CEO someday!

Scoobymad555 · 2025-03-10T11:43:10+00:00

I've had people turn up to interviews in suits and I've had people turn up in things I'm surprised they even left their home wearing. I don't discriminate either way but out of courtesy/respect to the people I'm interviewing, I will be dressed either smart/casual (i.e. tidy jeans and a proper shirt) or in a suit. I don't think you can really overdress as such though - I mean sure, turning up to a MacDonalds counter job interview rocking a full 3 piece and tie may be a bit over the top but, you're not going to be remembered negatively for it as such - perhaps considered eccentric/keen/over-eager but it's better than being remembered for looking like you were dragged through a bush backwards having spent the night getting wasted.

FujiKitakyusho · 2025-03-10T12:58:14+00:00

Regardless of the nature of the prospective job, at an interview, I'm not dressed for the shop floor. I'm dressed for the interview.

Bradders33 · 2025-03-10T13:21:02+00:00

When I have been hiring. I'd not give it too much thought if the candidate was over dressed. I'd notice if someone was under dressed, but it wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker.

When I was younger, I worked in corporate IT roles, when I changed career to marketing and comms, I recall going for an interview at a design agency and didn't give my interview outfit a thought, I just wore a suit, like I always did.

I stuck out like a sore thumb, it was a trendy set up and, quite frankly, I looked an idiot in a suit!

Stoicpenguin0 · 2025-03-10T14:10:14+00:00

It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. All of my interviews that I properly dressed for resulted to job offers. But of course, interviewing skills play major part too.

Accomplished-Knee740 · 2025-03-10T14:50:49+00:00

i don’t think i’ve had an in person interview in years, even healthcare just does it online now at least around me. just throw on a sweater or some nice top and call it a day haha

evil__gnome · 2025-03-10T15:33:47+00:00

It depends. The first company I worked at was a super casual tech company and when I interviewed, HR explicitly told me to dress more casual "because the engineers get nervous whenever they see someone in a suit walking around". I'm sure she was exaggerating, but she was telling me what the culture was like and expecting me to show that I understand and can adapt. Years later when I was interviewing people to join the company, I definitely took into consideration whether the candidate understood the assignment and came dressed appropriately. If HR tells you no suit and you come in with a suit, I'm not thinking that you really want this job, I'm thinking you can't follow directions and you might not be a good fit.

Now, I work at a banking-adjacent company so the dress code is a little more formal (but still not business-formal). If I interviewed you here and you wore a suit, I'd think you probably come from a more formal part of the industry and are just trying to show respect for the opportunity.

imveryfontofyou · 2025-03-10T00:01:20+00:00

This is an interesting topic--I've never been on the hiring side, but I've definitely been on the interviewee side! Lol. I didn't even know it. I had a corporate job for years making a pretty decent amount of money and I always interviewed for corporate jobs, I interviewed for a receptionist position and I went in dressed like I would for other jobs; nice blouse, blazer, skirt, stockings, had notes on the position, etc.

The interviewer was wearing jeans and was so insanely unprepared that I realized my mistake pretty quick. I didn't even want the job after that, tbh.

Pitiful_Long2818 · 2025-03-10T01:46:10+00:00

I take it as a compliment and not anything to address otherwise:

RichardBottom · 2025-03-10T04:42:56+00:00

Helloooo Ms. Lady.

TheAviaus · 2025-03-10T05:09:49+00:00

If you're putting time and effort into how you dressed, that speaks positively to me regardless if it might be "overdressed". Same goes for makeup, hair, etc.

Of course if it's totally not in line with the field/type of work, I may question how much research/understanding one has about the role. But if it's a job where you would expect someone to be dressed up, and you've just taken it a degree further then I see no harm, as I can always have you dial it back.

On the other hand, everyone can dress down or like a slob, that's not impressive and to me would show a lack of desire and care.

Taskr36 · 2025-03-11T23:06:10+00:00

To me, the applicant comes off as someone serious about wanting the job. Overdressed is absolutely better than underdressed. I'm not saying anyone should show up in a tuxedo for a lawncare interview, but dressing a few steps better than required is just fine.

danielleelucky2024 · 2025-03-09T23:43:22+00:00

If it is the extreme level as in your example, i don't know what to think. But i assume you just wanted to make a point so i will consider it is not that extreme to answer. This is what would run through my mind. "Oh. The kid is inexperienced, somewhat naive. Poor him. He will adjust soon if he ends up working here. Alright, thats it. Lets move on to the interview to focus on his qualification vs. what we are looking for"

montanagrizfan · 2025-03-10T03:31:27+00:00

I might think they lack social awareness and would wonder what other strange quirks they might have but only if they were really overdressed like your example. A guy in a 3pc suit with fancy shoes snd a brief case applying for a job at Jiffy Lube probably isn’t going to be a good fit.

BIG YES BOMB!!!!!

Sunday, March 09, 2025

To the interviewers of r/Interviews: How do you react when a job applicant shows up overdressed for the desired position? (Example: In a 4-piece suit, with the cardigan being the 4th piece, for a janitorial position?)

To the interviewers of r/Interviews: How do you react when a job applicant shows up overdressed for the desired position? (Example: In a 4-piece suit, with the cardigan being the 4th piece, for a janitorial position?)

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