Corporate Casual
 

On Friday I will have the third of a series of interviews for one particular position at another company. The only difference between this interview and the last 2 is that it will actually be in person, rather than on the phone. So, panic mode has officially commenced.

I asked the HR representative that interviewed me the second time what the dress code is for the company and was told the code is "corporate casual." Um...what is corporate casual? Can someone give me an idea of what I want to wear to this interview? Would a skirt, blouse and suit jacket be overdoing it? Would a nice pair of pants and a sweater be underdoing it?

Also, does anyone know how to effectively negotiate salary?

IME, it means the men wear golf shirts and dockers, and the women wear whatever the hell they want and sometimes they get away with black jeans on a Friday.

I will do whatever it takes not to return to that world. Annnnd.....Good Luck!

My advice. Forget they told you its casual Friday and dress like you are going to an interview. You can dress down once you get the job.

Re: Corporate Casual
 

If you're a man, I'd go with the sweater. It's kinda Bill Cosby, but safer than bringing up the whole gender-roles issue. If you're a woman, I have no idea. Every time I try to offer fashion advice to a woman, I end up getting kneed in the balls. You think it's easy being a pig? Well, it's not.

Advice from another woman who's been dressing "Business Casual" for years. I'm assuming Corporate Casual means the same thing.
The guys are right - it does mean something like Khakis and a blouse or sweater. Some wear a skirt ('cept I gave them up in protest over stockings and painful shoes a few years ago). I'd dress a little better for an interview. A blazer and skirt would be ideal but a regular suit is good too.

Good Luck, Sneaky Pete

I was always told this:

Whatever the dress code for the company is, dress one step above that for your interview.

So if the code is jeans and a polo (type) shirt, then go khakis and a button up shirt. If it's X-casual then go with a good suit. If it's a suit and tie type of job, then knock em dead with your best suit.

In any case, good luck with the interview!

Check out <a href="http://www.area29.com/sfwporn/">this site</a>...

It has all kinds of great advice on how to dress for success, and how best to conduct yourself during the interview:

<img src="http://www.area29.com/sfwporn/images/01.jpg">

Thanks for the advice, guys. And the pictorial diagram. I think perth may not approve of that method.

Actually, I am not at all nervous about what I am going to say in the interview, but I am scared to death of how I will look. I am so use to wearing jeans everyday. This seems to be a semi-professional position and I don't think I look so much like a business woman. I dye my hair blue-black, and already look much younger than I am. I hope I can pass myself off as a respectable employee. :)

Any other advice on the interview, itself?

Pee before you go in.

Other than that ... I assume you've done some research on the company, know the kinds of things that they do ... try to give responses that indicate how well you'll fit.

No matter what the dress code for the company itself is, this is still an interview.

Female version of a business suit is the way to go, skirt and blazer if you don't.

But I can't reinforce strongly enough, pee before you go in, and oh yeah, check your teeth for broccoli.

My best advice is to not pass yourself off as anything but yourself, and if they don't like that they can go fuck themselves.

Dress up to the hilt.
Apologise for being overdressed but " I've never worked in a 'corporate casual ' environment. I'll hit the shops if i'm appointed though."

"pee before you go" is as important than being absolutly honest... Don't try to be smart and give the answers you think they want to hear. It won't work. Just be honest and straight.

do what beestie said! look professional and you can't go wrong.

Your original question dealt with dress, but since so many others have offered other kinds of job interview advice, I'll chime in with my own (I'm such a follower).

Be prepared with reasonably intelligent-sounding and totally rehearsed answers to the dumbest questions you've ever heard on previous interviews or heard about from others. Probably my favorite:

"What did you accomplish at your last job that you're most proud of?"

(Uhhh...I wrote half a novel and played 6,014 games of computer solitaire on company time without getting caught?)

"Also, does anyone know how to effectively negotiate salary?"

I hate a question about the salary what I'd like to have! What's an appropriate answer?