pre-interview dinner

[masterofmonkeys]

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Just a neurotic question about dress.

I showed up to my home program's pre-interview dinner hopelessly overdressed and out of character for myself based on the 'business casual' rule of thumb. All the residents were in jeans and a couple even in hoodies.

I'm much more at home in a decent pair of jeans and a plain shirt of a vaguely more-than-casual nature. Which is how I also show up to monkeyology conferences.

I'm more than capable of wearing a pair of khakis and a button down/nice polo. But that isn't a very authentic image of myself and especially if that would leave me overdressed, I'd rather not.

 

[YOOOUK09]

There's a similar post elsewhere.

I think business casual is a good rule of thumb, but I'm actually just as comfortable in khakis as jeans.

At the two interviews I've been to I've been told that residents have a large say in ranking applicants - one even said that the attendings screen academically, and then the residents actually make the rank list. The dinner is the time for you to show that you get along well with others - so however you do that best is important. Personally, I want to put out an image of "together, professional, but fun" and I think I do that best in business casual.

 

[notdeadyet]

Just a neurotic question about dress.

I showed up to my home program's pre-interview dinner hopelessly overdressed and out of character for myself based on the 'business casual' rule of thumb. All the residents were in jeans and a couple even in hoodies.

I don't think that you'd necessarily need to take your dress cue's from folks already in the program, right? You're still in the application phase, correct? You probably should be dressed sharper than those with their hands on the levers.

You can always stick out like a sore thumb in a suit or in jeans, but it's usually hard to go wrong in khaki's and a nice dress shirt. Which is ironic, because who actually wear's that stuff if they're not required to?

 

[billypilgrim37]

it's usually hard to go wrong in khaki's and a nice dress shirt. Which is ironic, because who actually wear's that stuff if they're not required to?

People who date?

Just guessing, I was married at 23, so I'm not sure what this whole dating thing is all about. It's probably a lot like pre-interview dinners.

I met almost nobody on my pre-interview dinners who made a douchebag of him/herself*, so I wouldn't worry. I'm sure there are exceptions, but the vast majority of applicants survive these experiences unscaithed 😉

*Assuming, of course, I did not personally make a douchebag of myself.

 

[chameleonknight]

People who date?


[/SIZE]

I lol'd.

 

[notdeadyet]

People who date?

Really? Wow. I just associate that gear with pure work stuff. If I have to don clothes that I usually wear only when paid to, my date's probably not the right one for me. But to each their own.

Just guessing, I was married at 23, so I'm not sure what this whole dating thing is all about.

I married relatively late. Trust me. You're missing nothing.

It's probably a lot like pre-interview dinners.

If a date feels like a pre-interview dinner, it's probably not going well, no?

 

[strangeglove]

You will risk nothing by dressing business casual for this occasion, and it shows that you are interested enough to take some care in your dress for the occasion. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt, on the other hand, may score you some points for coolness and "being yourself", but you risk appearing cavalier about perhaps the most important moment in your career. This is not high-school. Better to err on the side of dorkiness. And most people will be wearing business casual, you will find.

 

[billypilgrim37]

If I have to don clothes that I usually wear only when paid to, my date's probably not the right one for me. But to each their own.

As I said, this was pure speculation. I'm smooth as glass. Broken glass.

If a date feels like a pre-interview dinner, it's probably not going well, no?

I dunno, there was at least one interview dinner where there were as many bottles of wine as there were people at the table...

 

[Doc Samson]

I dunno, there was at least one interview dinner where there were as many bottles of wine as there were people at the table...

Ah, how I miss those Longwood interview dinners.

 

[billypilgrim37]

Ah, how I miss those Longwood interview dinners.

Two points for DS 😉

"Longwood. Come for the stories of Mass Mental. Stay for the Merlot."

or

"If we don't fill, that's just more wine for the rest of us!"

You know you want a billboard.

 

[Doc Samson]

Two points for DS 😉

"Longwood. Come for the stories of Mass Mental. Stay for the Merlot."

or

"If we don't fill, that's just more wine for the rest of us!"

You know you want a billboard.

When I was there, I believe it was "work hard, play hard." 😉

 

[whopper]

I remember at one of my interviews, the guy sitting next to me (another candidate) smelled bad, was wearing a jacket & pants that looked like hand me downs from the 50s, his shoes looked like he bought them at a Goodwill, and he just had that serial killer/weird guy look.

Hey, if some guy doesn't have the money to have a decent suit, I understand but the fact that he stunk to me indicated something was very very wrong with him.

 

[BDD]

I'm going to wear jeans to my pre-interview dinners.

 

[Afrikyn]

It seems that this post is mostly centering on guys. A little advice for the ladies as well. For me, in all situations I would rather be overdressed than under-dressed. I basically wore something that I would wear to work for my interview dinners (mostly slacks and a blouse.) I looked at it like it was a work function so it's how I felt comfortable. That being said, there were some people that wore jeans and being on the resident side of the interview table it was not something that I would automatically knock them down on. I say dress in such a way that you will be comfortable as long as it's not so comfortable that you forget that it IS an interview (no matter what they say in the email.)

 

[masterofmonkeys]

Been wearing some nice dark jeans and either nice sweaters/long sleeve shirts or button downs. Which is a much more natural mode of dress for me in casual settings among highly trained/educated individuals. I've been right on the mark to slightly overdressed at all of my dinners so far since the first (3). I'm going to stick with it. my n will increase by 2 by the end of the week so I'll update if anyone cares.