Dress Code for Engineering Interviews

CEO advice for interviews that no one is saying out loud: Do not wildly overdress. If my whole team is in hoodies and sneakers and you show up in a three piece suit, it does not say “I am serious.” It says “I did not do my homework.” You should aim to be one notch above the team, not five levels ahead. Here is how I think about it: 1. Try to get a warm read. If you can, get connected to someone who works there and simply ask, “What do people usually wear to the office or interviews?” 2. If you cannot, scour the internet. Check LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and recent company content. Look at office photos, behind the scenes, event clips. 3. If you still cannot tell, ask the recruiter. It is completely fine to say, “What is the usual dress code? I want to be respectful of the culture.” 4. Dress like you understand the room. If most people are casual, go smart casual. If most are business casual, go one step sharper. Look like you belong there, just slightly more polished. 5. Let your skills be the loudest thing. You want them to remember what you said, not just what you wore. This is not really about clothes. It is about showing you can read context, adjust, and respect the environment you want to join. Which camp are you in: “you can never overdress” or “do your research and go one notch above”?

Question I get often for interviews, especially the first one, which is most likely over video: "Dude, what do I wear?" Here's a quick thumb guide on how you can infer what to do: - Stalk their LinkedIn. Look at employee profile pics. Are they wearing suits? Hoodies? Branded polos? That’s your baseline. - Dig through company pics. Check their “About Us” page, Instagram, or press releases. See what leadership wears in public. -Look at people with your job title. On LinkedIn, same role + same company = your dress code cheat sheet. - Decode the job posting. “Fast-paced” and “innovative” usually means casual or smart casual. “Professional” or “corporate” means you gotta break out the jacket. --- Then know that different industries have different rules: -Finance, law, consulting: Suit up. Period. There's a reason the show is called "Suits" - Tech, creative: Smart casual. Button-down, blouse, blazer — no tie unless it’s clearly their norm. - Manufacturing, logistics, skilled trades: Polo or collared shirt. Look sharp but practical. Show up in a suit and you risk looking like a corporate stiff who cannot relate to the workforce and culture. - Startups: Casual, but level up one notch from what they normally wear. Everyone in a t-shirt? Wear a polo. Everyone in a polo? Wear a button-up. --- Golden rule: It’s easy to take off a blazer mid-call. It’s impossible to add one without looking like you just got dressed. (True story- this happened to me in a meeting with a group of investors. I showed up in a suit with no tie and everyone was in a polo. Definitely felt out of place. In the first 10-15 min, I took off the jacket and rolled back my sleeves, and was more at ease with everyone.) Aim one step more formal than you think you need. First impressions count. Make yours look like you showed up to win. --- If you are interviewing people, what do you expect them to wear?

Recruiter Tip: Dress at or above the level of the interviewer when meeting in-person or virtually. There are caveats, however. Company culture will influence interview attire. I once had a client in the construction industry tell me under no circumstances should a candidate wear a suit to an interview. Their rationale was they didn't want anyone to stand out while they were in the office. Some companies have a laidback work environment, however the interviewer may believe candidates lack professionalism when they don't wear a suit. What do you do when you don't know? First, if what to wear is not stated or implied, then my default recommendation is to wear business professional attire. Second, if your intuition is telling you dressing up will not be well received, then I suggest you ask when scheduling the interview. #recruitertip #interviewattire #dresstoimpress