Business Casual for interview attire?

[virion]

I decided not to wear a suit or tie and I was probably the most casually dressed at my interview. Having said that, I was uncomfortable for a grand total of (the first) 30 seconds. I looked sharp regardless (nice sweater slacks and leather shoes, collared shirt), plus I was comfortable (physically and otherwise), but I'd have opted for a tie in retrospect. For my second interview, I had received an email specifically saying I probably don't want to wear a suit - no one tends to and I might feel out of place. Only one guy did and he really didn't seem out of place, other than maybe to passing undergrads. For my next interview of the same "caliber" I think I'll stick with the same but with a tie. Probably won't wear the tie for some programs.

[dhm0219]

I decided not to wear a suit or tie and I was probably the most casually dressed at my interview. Having said that, I was uncomfortable for a grand total of (the first) 30 seconds. I looked sharp regardless (nice sweater slacks and leather shoes, collared shirt), plus I was comfortable (physically and otherwise), but I'd have opted for a tie in retrospect. For my second interview, I had received an email specifically saying I probably don't want to wear a suit - no one tends to and I might feel out of place. Only one guy did and he really didn't seem out of place, other than maybe to passing undergrads. For my next interview of the same "caliber" I think I'll stick with the same but with a tie. Probably won't wear the tie for some programs.

What kind of programs were these interviews for (what department?) and do you mind saying what schools? For the first one, was there any notice about how you should dress? Business casual?

[virion]

A top 20, east coast biomedical sciences program. And as an update: I was accepted! Quite quickly... So clearly I didn't leave too much of a stinking impression as the only guy there without a tie (many had suits). I'm not too great at judging how formal women's attire is, and obviously they're able to experiment with their options a bit more. But I'd say some were dressed at a similar sort of level?

The notice indeed said business casual.

Edited January 27, 2012 by virion

[dhm0219]

A top 20, east coast biomedical sciences program. And as an update: I was accepted! Quite quickly... So clearly I didn't leave too much of a stinking impression as the only guy there without a tie (many had suits). I'm not too great at judging how formal women's attire is, and obviously they're able to experiment with their options a bit more. But I'd say some were dressed at a similar sort of level?

The notice indeed said business casual.

Good to know. Slacks, a blazer and tie seems like more than enough at basically every interview, then?

How about for some of these really long (3-4 day) affairs? I assume people only dressed up for the day they were being interviewed? I only have one suit and one blazer so I'm not going to be able to pack for three days worth of formal-ish attire!

[virion]

Good to know. Slacks, a blazer and tie seems like more than enough at basically every interview, then?

How about for some of these really long (3-4 day) affairs? I assume people only dressed up for the day they were being interviewed? I only have one suit and one blazer so I'm not going to be able to pack for three days worth of formal-ish attire!

Yeah, I don't have any Ivy interviews (yet/probably at all) but generally days 2-3 involve quite a bit more walking and touring of the campus/city it seems. The interview coordinators for a few schools have mentioned that those later activities are casual. You might find yourself at an evening dinner party at a professor's house, though. Dress code would probably vary by program for something like that, and probably be clearly stated.

[Business2Biology]

a

Of course the faculty won't be dressed up in fancy suits but that's not the point at all. The point is that you need to show them that you want to impress them and that you cared enough to put on your best. Dressing down only shows the opposite - even if you didn't mean it at all. You can never be too overdressed for an interview.

Nothing personal, but I couldn't NOT respond to the vehemence of this statement - bold and large font!

Speaking from over a decade of corporate, including senior managment:

You CAN be overdressed, particularly if you have been given specific indication that the expectation is "Business Casual". In this instance, a suit suggests that you actually DON'T care enough to pay attention to the guidance you've been given. And isn't that a big part of what being a grad student is all about?

What you are wearing does not ultimately determine whether or not you get the job/grad school offer, it is YOU that they want to understand. YOU need to feel comfortable enough to be YOURSELF and still "play the part" for what works in that particular environment.

If they have told you "Business Casual", DO NOT WEAR A SUIT.

[jayeyesee]

^ AMEN

I don't see why people can't just follow directions. Most program coordinators will include the dress code and generally it is Casual/Business Casual. If you even see the word "casual", you can pretty much rule out wearing a suit. One of my programs even went as far as to include "a suit is really not necessary". If they give you instructions.. FOLLOW IT! You are lucky they even discussed the dress code in your invitation.

[spew]

a

Nothing personal, but I couldn't NOT respond to the vehemence of this statement - bold and large font!

Speaking from over a decade of corporate, including senior managment:

You CAN be overdressed, particularly if you have been given specific indication that the expectation is "Business Casual". In this instance, a suit suggests that you actually DON'T care enough to pay attention to the guidance you've been given. And isn't that a big part of what being a grad student is all about?

What you are wearing does not ultimately determine whether or not you get the job/grad school offer, it is YOU that they want to understand. YOU need to feel comfortable enough to be YOURSELF and still "play the part" for what works in that particular environment.

If they have told you "Business Casual", DO NOT WEAR A SUIT.

1. You're an environmental/marine biologist.

2. You're a girl.

So your idea of "how appropriate is a suit" is probably really messed up, lol.

^ AMEN

I don't see why people can't just follow directions. Most program coordinators will include the dress code and generally it is Casual/Business Casual. If you even see the word "casual", you can pretty much rule out wearing a suit. One of my programs even went as far as to include "a suit is really not necessary". If they give you instructions.. FOLLOW IT! You are lucky they even discussed the dress code in your invitation.

If you go to somewhere in the middle of this thread I clearly say you should just follow whatever instructions they say...

[TXTiger2012]

Wow, spew's response is totally unnecessary. I too am 1. a marine biology student and 2. a girl, but how does that disqualify me from speaking about appropriate interview attire for my male colleagues? I'm sure it would be very easy for you to tell that a young woman was inappropriately dressed for a grad school interview if she was wearing, say, a cocktail dress? Or, at the other end of the spectrum, a t-shirt and jeans? Its just as easy for us "girls" to tell that a guy is over- or under-dressed for an occasion. As a previous poster mentioned, how you dress can reflect on your "fit" with the potential program, and if you are too dressy or too casual compared to what was suggested or how other members of your group are dressed, the faculty and staff may make some judgement based on that (fairly or not). I would worry much more about having that kind of condescension come through in an interview than how you are dressed.

[Business2Biology]

1. You're an environmental/marine biologist.

2. You're a girl.

So your idea of "how appropriate is a suit" is probably really messed up, lol.

As I may have mentioned in the second line of my post, my opinions are based on "over a decade in corporate"...

I was a Director of Information Technology at a multinational, Fortune 500 company. In case you don't understand, that roughly translates to the following:

• Total staff (direct and indirect reports) of 50 people in the US, Asia, and Europe.
  
• Management and oversight of $10 million projects, including regular meetings with vendors and contractors
  
• Standing weekly meetings with the CFO
  
• Standing monthly meetings with the CEO
  
• I interviewed people and, sometimes, I hired them.
  
• My wardrobe, at the time, consisted of $1,000 suits and the "Business Casual" for Fridays.
  

But perhaps you are right, Spew, and because 1) I CHOSE to leave that environment, and 2) do not have a Y chromosome, somehow my judgement is suspect.

wtf lol

[kgumps2012]

I was always told to "dress for the job you want, not the job you have". In the case of grad school, I would treat it just like a job interview. They are essentially hiring you (and paying you a stipend in most cases), to do research for the school and earn the school prestige. I was reading on the web-pages on a few of the schools I applied to that they want to see a mature individual who is focused on their goals. I believe going with a suit-like appearance is very important. Dressing too casually may give off the impression that you are not yet mature enough to make serious decisions about your life. I know they are looking for "fit" in a program, but that comes from your personality and research interests, not from what you are wearing. I know if I get an interview I will probably be wearing a pant or skirt "suit" with nice flats depending on the weather.

[eeb2012]

what about programs that specify CASUAL? not business casual, just straight up casual. (side note: I am talking about 2 top 5 eeb programs)

[aberrant]

what about programs that specify CASUAL? not business casual, just straight up casual. (side note: I am talking about 2 top 5 eeb programs)

what's the problem with casual dressing if they specified casual? lol.

[Pitangus]

what about programs that specify CASUAL? not business casual, just straight up casual. (side note: I am talking about 2 top 5 eeb programs)

At my casual visit girls mostly wore dark denim with sweaters or blouses, and the guys wore khakis or denim with button-up shirts and sweaters. I don't remember any ties, unless they were under sweaters. One or two girls wore dressier slacks. No suits on anyone.

Shoes were flats or tall boots for girls; I'm not good at describing male footwear so I'll say I saw mostly plain looking brown shoes.

I'm glad I didn't wear anything very dressy because we did a lot of walking and mostly group mingling/socializing (as opposed to one-on-one interviews), so I think I would have felt uncomfortable in dress slacks and heels, which would have been my go-to for business casual.

I don't think the rank of the program matters; if they specify casual then you should be fine with any clean, conservative outfit that would allow you to be comfortable regardless of the activities planned for your visit.

You can always bring a pair of dressier slacks/shoes that match with your shirts just in case, which is what I did, but I never felt the need to wear them.

[coonskee]

I think that wearing dark, clean, no-holes-in-the-knees jeans are definitely okay for the situation - but I'd avoid very washed-out, ragged looking pairs. You still want to look like you give a damn!

[MountainGuy32]

Just going to throw this out there. While I was interviewing for an integrated biomedical program - it was business attire. Men and women were dressed very well, in suits or nice blouses/skirts. This was the norm. I don't think it is bad to over-dress unless you are explicitly told it is going to be casual/business casual.

[NeurosciNerd]

For the girls, what did you wear? I have two interviews coming up. My problem is I have a very feminine body (think a slimmer Christina Hendricks). When I wear a skirt that would be considered conservative on most women, I look provocative (even a lose-fitting knee-length skirt). Sweaters can even be a little risky for me, even in turtlenecks.

I planned on wearing my suit since it's simple and black, and hides most of my curves. I don't quite know what to wear for the dinners and luncheons though. I don't want to look frumpy, but I don't want people to think I'm trying to get in by showing off my body.

[hwbulls]

For the girls, what did you wear?

I wore black pants, black shoes, a button-up shirt, and a looser v-neck cable knit sweater. I'm not especially femininely built, though I felt that the buttonup hid a lot of otherwise provocative skin. I also had a black blazer if I needed it, but it ended up being warm and I just carried it around with me all day lol.

[dhm0219]

I (male) have been to three interviews now, and would not recommend wearing jeans. At all three the attire ran from khakis and a dress shirt (most casual) to suits and ties. Maybe 15-20% on the khaki end, 30% wearing suits, and everyone else somewhere in between (kahkis tie and blazer, slacks and dress shirt, something like that).

I have no idea how to evaluate the formality of female attire, but I don't remember anyone wearing jeans.

[quibblyquills]

I (male) have been to three interviews now, and would not recommend wearing jeans.  At all three the attire ran from khakis and a dress shirt (most casual) to suits and ties.  Maybe 15-20% on the khaki end, 30% wearing suits, and everyone else somewhere in between (kahkis tie and blazer, slacks and dress shirt, something like that).

I have no idea how to evaluate the formality of female attire, but I don't remember anyone wearing jeans.

Making blanket statements like this is rather silly. It's entirely dependent on your field and the programs. I've also been to three interview sessions so far and not a single person has worn a suit, and the one person I saw with a tie consistently looked out of place compared to everyone else. Jeans have also been worn by at least half of the people. Go with what you know about your own field, or better yet, simply ask your host or the people arranging your visit, it won't hurt, and it will give you better advice than agonizing over conflicting responses here.

[JSmoove]

Making blanket statements like this is rather silly. It's entirely dependent on your field and the programs. I've also been to three interview sessions so far and not a single person has worn a suit, and the one person I saw with a tie consistently looked out of place compared to everyone else. Jeans have also been worn by at least half of the people. Go with what you know about your own field, or better yet, simply ask your host or the people arranging your visit, it won't hurt, and it will give you better advice than agonizing over conflicting responses here.

Clearly, EEB is an outlier program. I don't think the fact that those programs are a more rare exception is a reason to say that his advice is a silly blanket statement. For all of my interviews, the dress has generally been business casual. in fact, at Mount Sinai, most people wore suits (though I went more casual and wore a button up, suit pants, no jacket and didn't feel out of place), even on the more casual intro day when we went to dinner with grad students. For the vast majority of programs, I would recommend NOT wearing jeans. If they give you instructions about what to wear, then obviously follow them, but only one of my interviews said what to wear. In those cases, I would go business casual. If you want to go more formal and wear a suit, you won't feel out of place, but it isn't necessary. You can also dress down a suit a little bit by playing with color or dress up business casual by wearing a blazer, if you want to split the difference. Personally, from seeing people on interviews, I would rather be a little overdressed than underdressed. There were two girls at my interview at Rutgers who wore jeans and boots and they looked really out of place amongst the rest of us.

P.S - for girls, do NOT wear high heels. You'll be walking around a lot and going on campus tours, so you'll get really uncomfortable a few hours into the day. Wear sensible shoes. A short 1inch heel is fine, but much more than that is overkill and will draw attention because people will pity you.

[coonskee]

P.S - for girls, do NOT wear high heels. You'll be walking around a lot and going on campus tours, so you'll get really uncomfortable a few hours into the day. Wear sensible shoes. A short 1inch heel is fine, but much more than that is overkill and will draw attention because people will pity you.

I'm going to edit that with "do NOT wear high heels if you don't know how to wear them." I wore 4" pumps with a skirtsuit, but that's because I wear heels enough that I can run a block in them if I have to. My roommate wore 2" pumps with a thicker heel because she doesn't wear heels as often as I do. If you NEVER wear heels and don't know how to walk in them, you're going to look silly - stick with a nice pair of flats. If you think you might wear heels, practice wearing them around your city/town before you leave so that you're sure you can handle them. If you're nervous about wearing heels, listen to your gut and don't wear them.

In terms of advice on what to wear (sorry if I already posted this - don't feel like going back and checking), I really like Dr. Isis' advice on shoes: http://isisthescientist.com/2012/01/04/ask-dr-isis-hot-interview-shoes-and-more/

My problem is I have a very feminine body (think a slimmer Christina Hendricks). When I wear a skirt that would be considered conservative on most women, I look provocative (even a lose-fitting knee-length skirt). Sweaters can even be a little risky for me, even in turtlenecks.

My advice for this is to avoid anything too tight. Doesn't mean yo uhave to wear a burlap sack, but a looser-fitting sweater/turtleneck will look a lot less provocative. You can even try a v-neck with a button-down underneath! You can also try to wear the skirt with flats instead of heels (don't know if you've done that already), since heels tend to accentuate curves and all.

Also, my suggestion for button-down shirts for any size woman:make sure your boobs aren't popping out. I've seen a lot of people who are clearly "between" sizes in the chest area (a small is fine everywhere except boobs, but a medium seems a little too loose, for example), and when they opt for the smaller size, they get this really awkward fold-out around their chest area through which you can see their bra (hopefully that phrasing makes sense). Check for itt when you're shirt-shopping, and when in doubt, go a size bigger!

My roommate and I both went with the method of tucking our shirts into our tights for the interview - yes, I know it sounds really sexy, but it helps to prevent your shirt from riding up and looking baggy and weird; it also makes it look less bulky if you tuck it in right, so you can't see the lines through your skirt.

</advice>....back to work!

[Tyrell Baker]

smart casual wear would be ok i think

[eco_env]

Clearly, EEB is an outlier program.

Yes, we are awesome outliers. Though I tend to be overdressed for an ecologist, except shoe-wise- I wear sneakers or sandals all the time.

[JSmoove]

I'm going to edit that with "do NOT wear high heels if you don't know how to wear them." I wore 4" pumps with a skirtsuit, but that's because I wear heels enough that I can run a block in them if I have to. My roommate wore 2" pumps with a thicker heel because she doesn't wear heels as often as I do. If you NEVER wear heels and don't know how to walk in them, you're going to look silly - stick with a nice pair of flats. If you think you might wear heels, practice wearing them around your city/town before you leave so that you're sure you can handle them. If you're nervous about wearing heels, listen to your gut and don't wear them.

True. I'm really flat-footed, so it hurts for me to wear heels after about half an hour. So to correct myself, wear comfortable shoes, whatever that means for you, as long as the heels aren't insanely high. Just realize that you will be walking and standing around for long periods of time.