Interview attire

[joejabjab]

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any good threads on what to wear to residency interviews (for guys)?

Need to get a good suit in the coming months.

 

[zen76]

This was posted for the 2006-2007 interview season

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=318230&highlight=suit+guys

 

[joejabjab]

thanks!

 

[deleted87716]

It's a job interview for a professional position. Dress accordingly.

 

[McGillGrad]

ALWAYS wear a suit. Dark is good.

 

[Bertelman]

This isn't the time to "stand out" with pinstripes, etc. Tell the store personnel exactly why you will be buying the suit. They can guide you towards a professional, classic look.

 

[Winged Scapula]

In summary:

Suit: black, grey or dark blue

Shirt: white or any light color. Avoid white collar and cuffs with a blue shirt...too "flashy"

Tie: interesting but no cartoon characters, seasonal themes and please NO medically related ones (ie, the ones with stethoscopes all over them)

Socks: black or a color that matches the dark suit. White athletic socks should have you go unmatched as punishment. Bow ties are usually a no-no except in certain academic circles. Brands you as odd in many other circles.

Shoes: dress shoes; not opera pumps or patent leather, but do not wear: sneakers, Top-siders or "deck shoes", Birkenstocks, clogs, or anything with velcro straps. Shoes with laces preferred - A good lace up leather shoe in black will suffice. Wing tips optional (see Bow ties).

Jewelry: good watch. That's it, unless you are wearing french cuffs. Wedding ring ok. Remove earrings, nose rings, eyebrow rings. Prince Alberts optional.

Hair: short is preferred. Facial hair somewhat risky but if well trimmed should be tolerated, especially in more "touchy-feely" fields. If you have a sociopolitical reason to not cut your hair, please wear it clean, well groomed and back in a pony tail or braid.

 

[nala]

what do women usually wear to the dinner the night before?

 

[deleted87716]

Prince Alberts optional.

I agree. If they see that, however, you've probably blown the interview.

Pun not intended. 😳

 

[Amy]

Kent: LOVE your avatar!

 

[Winged Scapula]

what do women usually wear to the dinner the night before?

The dreaded "business casual".

This is usually interpreted as: blouse with trousers (what your mother would call "slacks"), skirt and sweater set, etc.

It is not necessary to wear a suit, although some do. If you would like to, I would make it a less dressy one than the suit you would wear for the interview - ie, made of cotton, or perhaps a dusty pastel color, etc.

In MOST places (and you can call the program coordinator where you are interviewing to check), the following would not be appropriate:

jeans (especially ones in which we can see your thong)
sneakers
low cut blouses
exercise wear
scrubs

 

[tibor75]

How clueless do you have to be to not know what to wear for a job interview?

 

[McGillGrad]

How clueless do you have to be to not know what to wear for a job interview?

Harsh words.

But people should know what to wear to an interview by the time they graduate high school.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Harsh words.

But people should know what to wear to an interview by the time they graduate high school.

Trouble is they don't....see threads in Pre-Allo to see what some of our future colleagues think is appropriate for a medical school interview.

They also don't know what to wear to work, especially the females. They seem to have trouble differentiating between work clothes and trendy clothes fit for daily wear or the clubs. I guess their parents either never had a professional job or just didn't teach them what was appropriate to wear in the work place.

 

[DrPunk]

Heres the Low down, listen up

Most PDs/interviewers realize we are strapped for cash, and most dont care to an EXTENT. THIS ALSO depends on the specialty... path vs ortho or rads vs. plastic surgery. path and rads would be a bit more lenient.

COnsider that if you are ever going to spend money on yourself, this is the most important investment of your life.. YOUR FUTURE CAREER!!!!

So in that case:

Guys, BE CONSERVATIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!


Conservative. This is Medicine. play it conservative. excuse my stereotype, but you never know if your interviewer is gonna be some oldschool elderly white man from the days of segregation, etc. Conservative!

I wore, Black, but play it safe with blue or grey, solid avoid patterns if possible, or very subdued stripes if need be. some interviewer actually commented on me going to a funeral in my black suit....

Always wear a white crisp clean white dress shirt, cant go wrong... but one time in NY I brought everything but forgot my WHITE DRESS SHIRT, which I realized the morning I was getting ready and my interview was at 7:30am, no stores were open!!!! I was staying with a friend who didnt have any dress shirts long story short I used a traditional indian long shirt (kameez)that goes down to the knees, tucked it in my pants and put a tie on it.

Always carry your suit in a suit bag as a carry on if you can, also always make a mental checklist before you leave. visualize yourself on interview day and what all you need.

agree with above avoid designs...on suit, shirts, or ties

for ties, play it safe with red, blue, or any solid not loud colors or not loud designs either. be conservative. What would the president of the United States wear? I think the power colors are red and blue, I had two ties I alternated through out the season. and kept as backup for stains etc.

Shoes: True Dr Cox, is right, I wore no lace dress loafers, while not conservative, they looked sharp...Get laced shoes! you dont know how petty some of these jerks can get. play it safe.

socks: black or blue, nuff said

watches: i was told not to wear one so you wouldnt look at it during your interview. keep one on hand so your not late though.

Go as clean cut as you can... Man Dr Cox covered everything, Shes like everywhere and on top of everything as always. Touche Dr Cox, Touche.

 

[deleted87716]

I wore, Black, but play it safe with blue or grey, solid avoid patterns if possible, or very subdued stripes if need be. some interviewer actually commented on me going to a funeral in my black suit....

For men, funerals are about the only place that a truly black suit is appropriate. For interviews, go with navy or charcoal gray.

Here are some good examples of proper interview attire: http://careers.astate.edu/interviewattire.html

The guy in the bottom row also shows us why it's not a good idea to stick your hands in your pockets. 😉

 

[tibor75]

If you are completely clueless, just go to Men's Warehouse and tell them "I'm going for an interivew. No, not a Wall STreet type. A typical job interview"

As long as you wear something dark you'll be ok. I think I wore a dark olive suit for residency interviews. I actually got a few compliements as everybody else wore navy / black. I don't know why people feel you have to wear something boring when interviewing.

 

[PediBoneDoc]

please everyone listen to what your colleagues have recommended. we do notice. if you are a bow tie wearer, it better be a hand tied bow tie and you better know how to wear it. a word to the women, conservative. please stay away from the flashy colors (no loud pinks or reds) and please keep you assets covered appropriately.

you want to stand our because of your application, accomplishments, and personality. you don want to be referred to as "the guy with the black shirt and white tie" or "the girl in the red dress". it is preferable to be referred to as "the guy who wrangles cattle in south dakota" or "the girl who volunteered for 2 years in an african bush hospital"

 

[nala]

Trouble is they don't....see threads in Pre-Allo to see what some of our future colleagues think is appropriate for a medical school interview.

They also don't know what to wear to work, especially the females. They seem to have trouble differentiating between work clothes and trendy clothes fit for daily wear or the clubs. I guess their parents either never had a professional job or just didn't teach them what was appropriate to wear in the work place.

I agree. I see other female students on the wards in wrinkled clothing, very tight/low cut shirts, sparkly metallic eyeshadow, SNEAKERS, messy/unkempt hair, etc. I don't quite understand either. One day a girl wore shorts to work! Shorts! And then she complained to me that one time she had an eval which said she didn't dress professionally. I just smiled.

And thanks for the advice about what to wear to the dinner the night before the interview - I wasn't sure if it would be business casual or if I would need to wear another suit.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I agree. I see other female students on the wards in wrinkled clothing, very tight/low cut shirts, sparkly metallic eyeshadow, SNEAKERS, messy/unkempt hair, etc. I don't quite understand either. One day a girl wore shorts to work! Shorts! And then she complained to me that one time she had an eval which said she didn't dress professionally. I just smiled.

Perhaps its because women tend to have more options (or so I've heard), but I've never had to talk to a male student about what is appropriate to wear to work. Men are stuck with the tie, shirt and trousers combo. They usually make a mistake with their shoes or occasionally the collarless shirt.

Then again, I couldn't imagine ANYONE wearing shorts to work and thinking that was professional. Amazing. 🙄