Justin C. Pearson, founder and CEO of recruiting service Mission Box Solutions, compared a virtual interview to a first date. That’s why he advises dressing to make an impression. What do IT professionals think about this and how do they dress for an online interview?
Justin C. Pearson, founder and CEO of recruiting service Mission Box Solutions, compared a virtual interview to a first date. That’s why he advises dressing to make an impression. What do IT professionals think about this and how do they dress for an online interview?
«Friendly reminder: Don’t wear hoodies or t-shirts to interviews,» Justin reminds us, adding that for an online interview, you should look good from the waist up and «hope you don’t get asked to stand up.»
I think it works both ways, I’ve interviewed at a few companies where the interviewer was in a t-shirt or hoodie and, in the process, they just got out of bed.
I’ve worn a lot of t-shirts on first dates, and most of my interviews. It may depend on the industry.
I usually wear hoodies and t-shirts both as a candidate and as a recruiter and I have a solid career. Do not trust this man, he is selling you lies and is extremely unprofessional.
How about finally forgetting about the dress code in 2025?
I always hated it, especially when someone forced me to wear what was comfortable for them and not for me.
Okay, I know there are positions that represent a higher level. But my clothes don’t reflect my job knowledge. All my life I’ve loved to wear comfortable clothes, tracksuits, Bermuda shorts, flip-flops, T-shirts, etc. That doesn’t make me any worse at my job.
And by the way, when it comes to dress code, farmer’s jeans are at least as «elegant» as sweatpants.
If someone wants me to stand up during an interview, the interview is over. If you can’t trust someone you hire, it’s done from the beginning.
The same goes if they want to look around my room. They’re not my friends—they’re colleagues. I’m not invited into my office.
I also wear a shirt as a rule, but no tie unless they ask. With technology, that’s more than enough.
I personally wouldn’t recommend going to an interview with your shirt off, but you do.
If you have an interview scheduled with me, please wear what makes you most confident and forget about your outfit so you are completely in the moment.
I definitely understand your point, but as a former creative director who has hired dozens of creative people for very creative roles, depending on the position, if they showed up in a suit, I might be more suspicious of them than if they showed up in a hoodie.
As always, know your role, research it, and dress accordingly. Sure, I wear two- and three-piece suits to interviews, but I usually go for executive positions. That also doesn’t mean I’ll wear them every day, but I dress for success.
Why is what a person wears considered an indicator of respect, knowledge, skills, desire, determination, ambition, ability, investment, etc.? It has nothing to do with any aspect of ability to do a job and is akin to judging the same things on haircut, hairstyle, facial hair, piercings, tattoos, etc.… Wear what you like… Wear what you are comfortable with… Wear something that allows you to be your best self. That is all we should be looking for.
More important than clothes for me (in the case of remote interviews) is a good microphone, a good camera, good lighting, and a clean environment instead of a virtual background.
