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Topic: anyone wear jeans to freelance gig interview?
| Author | Message |
| Thabit | Posted – 2/19/2008 3:22:24 PM | show profile Wondering if anyone has successfully gone the jeans route on an interview for freelancing -- I was thinking smart jeans, plus suit jacket & nice boots & bag. On one hand it seems silly to wear a full suit, but don't want to look like I just don't care or take it seriously... Thoughts? |
| write2rachel | Posted – 2/19/2008 3:31:53 PM | show profile I don't think you have to wear a full suit, but I wouldn't wear jeans either... how about just nice pants? |
| a.s. | Posted – 2/19/2008 3:43:49 PM | show profile I don't know if they were "smart," but I did just recently get a freelance gig in jeans. (I'm no fashionista, but they definitely don't have the typical Levi's look.) |
| Chamsah | Posted – 2/19/2008 4:46:25 PM | show profile I wouldn't... ... and I wasn't thrilled when people wore jeans who interviewed for a job working for me. It didn't seem professional, like they couldn't be bothered to throw on something a little nicer to interview for a job. Freelance or not, that's what it is. Wear a nice pair of pants. Save the jeans for your second week. |
| four cool cats | Posted – 2/19/2008 5:00:24 PM | show profile NO When I was 18 years old I interviewed at the Arizona Republic Newspaper for a position in the classified's department. My first interview went great and I was invited for a 2nd interview. For my 2nd interview I wore jeans, the interview was good and I felt like she just might hire me until she said "For future reference do not ever wear jeans when you're interviewing for a job and for this reason I will have to pass on hiring you this time, but contact me next year". I was young and dumb but I learned a lesson to never ever dress cassually to any job interview. |
| aj | Posted – 2/19/2008 5:08:15 PM | show profile Depends where you live... When I was out in LA I was told to not only wear jeans but to wear 'ripped jeans!' so it wouldn't look like I was out to take the producer's job. This wasn't for a mag but for a freelance TV gig so it's probably different but I still thought it was funny. I'd go with a business casual look. Suit is too stuffy. ------ Dream Big. Pay the Rent. www.makingitinthecity.com |
| marianna | Posted – 2/19/2008 6:06:04 PM | show profile I also live in LA and 70% of the people interviewing me have been wearing jeans themselves. Some actually wore sweats. But it also depends on the place...unless its a very cutting edge establishment, play it safe and wear black pants with fashionable accessories; no need for a suit. |
| observer | Posted – 2/19/2008 6:52:00 PM | show profile just because they are wearing jeans doesn't mean you should. wear a nice pair of slacks - you don't have to be too dressed up just look pulled together. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 2/19/2008 8:54:56 PM | show profile | email poster I wouldn't recommend jeans. I've worked at papers and mags where jeans were fine, but once I showed up to do a day's edting work at a place I had only done internet work for -- and discovered they were very fashionable and dressed up! At lunch I went and bought an outfit and felt more at ease! I recently went to a company that had previously had a very casual workplace and found it transformed after being purchased by a different company. No jeans, no lots of things! Fortunately, I'd gone conservative with a jacket, black pants, shirt. Whew. ------ http://writingporch.blogspot.com/ http://jlouiselarson.blogspot.com/ http://familyrootsandwings.blogspot.com/ |
| marianna | Posted – 2/20/2008 1:37:03 AM | show profile The thing about interviews is that your choice of clothes is seen as a sign of respect and seriousness about the job, and has nothing to do with the normal attire of the employees currently working at the same place. Even if you know that everyone at X Company wears their gym clothes to work (and at my job, they do) it still looks good if you struggle into some uncomfortable clothing for the interview. Having said that, I know Silicon Valley places are VERY different...you really need to dress like you already have the job. My lawyer friends were warned not to wear ANYTHING remotely corporate when they met with certain companies... and that included khakis. I have no idea what they ended up wearing; I fear it was bike gear... |
| The phashionista | Posted – 2/20/2008 9:46:35 AM | show profile I agree with the writer who said your outfit conveys a message that you're serious about the job and the interview. That said, you could wear a pair of wide-legged pants with a cropped jacket and some long necklaces to convey smart and professional. Or try a nice, crisp white shirt on top. Stick to neutrals with your pants (black, navy, pinstriped) and use color on your shoes, handbag or accessories. Like it or not, your interviewer will take cues from your outfit. Are you professional? Can you doggedly go after a tough interview? Are you organized? Even though you normally don't wear these clothes, even in your professional life, they're the clothes you have to wear to an interview to make a good impression. My two cents. |
| Thabit | Posted – 2/20/2008 1:28:39 PM | show profile took collective wisdom, got an offer Thanks everyone for weighing in. Ditched the jeans for a pair of suit pants, smart white blouse, they offered me the gig =) |
