[Anonymous]

Ninjas,

Here’s my dilemma… Big 4 office interview tomorrow, the normal group setting day of events. The invitation for the interview stated the dress was “business casual” and none of us want to be “that guy”, so here are my options…

Note: the staff wears jeans on days they are in the office

I can be:

Guy #1: suit & tie

Guy #2: suit, no tie

Guy #3: slacks and button down

Guy #4: dirty work jeans and fraternity t-shirt

This will be my first time meeting with a partner at the firm. I wouldn’t think much about it but I’ve read a post of someone a while back about showing up to b. cas. office interviews and everyone being in suits…

My first opinion is to be guy #2, semi casual and semi formal. I don’t know if showing up in a full suit would be disrespecting their business casual atmosphere.

Your opinions are highly appreciated.

[thechapman]

I was in the same situation about 18 months ago. Interview on a Friday, everyone in the office wears jeans on Fridays, but the thing said “business casual”. I wore a full suit, as did almost every other person. Play it safe

On a side note, I don't think it matters what it says the dress is. You always wear a suit to an interview.

Passed - 2014

[Anonymous]

thechapman,

You are 100% correct! I'll be wearing a suit and tie.

Thank you for the late night wake up.

[Topsya]

@ARCPA2B

ONLY #1: suit & tie

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[fuzyfro89]

If they SPECIFICALLY say business casual… then wear business casual. My office day at Deloitte was that way. No one will look at you funny if you don't wear a suit/tie.

You can do it up a little… by wearing a nice blazer and nice pants/shoes. Since you're in college, you may not have blazers… so a suit without the tie will also work (easy to put on/take off when you get there).

[fuzyfro89]

If they SPECIFICALLY say business casual… then wear business casual. My office day at Deloitte was that way. No one will look at you funny if you don't wear a suit/tie.

You can do it up a little… by wearing a nice blazer and nice pants/shoes. Since you're in college, you may not have blazers… so a suit without the tie will also work (easy to put on/take off when you get there).

[Anonymous]

It doesn't really matter if you wear business professional or business casual. My first day of work at PwC said to wear business casual. About 80% wore business casual and the other 20% wore business casual + tie (no suit). No one wore a suit. However – you're interviewing though so maybe business professional would be better.

[Mary 2496]

As an interviewer, I always want to see a gentleman in a suit and tie, regardless of what my staff is wearing that day. The suit is definitely the way to go here.

[acamp]

Not to mention the interviewer (as mentioned above) could be expecting a suit with no knowledge of what recruiting communicated to candidates regarding attire.

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[Anonymous]

I went with the suit and tie, as well as the other guys there. The interview invitation did specifically say business casual but I am glad that I went with the suit and tie. Of course no one said anything about it, I guess my nerves were just getting to me last night. Now it's time for the waiting game.

Thanks ninjas.

[Mary 2496]

Nice choice! I'm sure you looked stellar! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

My interview with PwC is Friday, and I was given the same instructions, business casual for the office visit.

I emailed my “buddy” (the first year associate assigned to show me around for the day….a guy who was in a couple of my classes last year, actually) to make sure. He suggested that I wear business casual. He said that he was in the same situation when he interviewed last year. That there will be people wearing suits, but those people are the ones who didn't read the instructions or chose not to follow them.

Shirt and tie (no suit) for me, it is.

[Anonymous]

I would wear a sport coat or blazer and slacks with no tie.

It's the ultimate hedge.

You might as well add a pocket protector if you're going to wear a tie with no coat.

[Anonymous]

re: pocket protector……I plan to wear my hipster glasses, so not a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

I would probably go old school and rock a green visor and arm garter vs hipster glasses. [joking]

I'm kidding about both, but in all seriousness be prepared to be remembered as “Glasses” or “the guy with the glasses” if they are too hipster. It's generally not a good thing to be remembered by your fashion accessories as opposed to your personality/qualifications/etc. While many claim to be progressive, most accounting firms are fairly conservative.

If it were a suit/tie event, you could probably rock a bow tie and not get any funny looks. Some partners do.

In any event, good luck. [not joking]

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

I get what you're saying and agree. I was definitely overstating their conspicuousness as a reaction to your pocket protector comment. I actually wore them during my on-campus interview (with a suit) and presumably didn't leave a bad impression.

[Author]

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