4 ms·

If the other programmers indeed do wear tshirts and jeans, as she reported, then I don't think it's accurate to say that the company has a dress code. Her attir

by scott_s 12y ago

If the other programmers indeed do wear tshirts and jeans, as she reported, then I don't think it's accurate to say that the company has a dress code. Her attire is appropriate for a tshirt and jeans culture.

bunderbunder 12y ago
Perhaps. Playing devil's advocate, though: I've worked plenty of places where some individuals can get away with t-shirt and jeans but the overall business tends toward business casual, and there is still an expectation that you get dressed up for a job interview. Personally I think that's entirely acceptable. It's not a double standard, it's simply a policy that acknowledges that there are different social contexts. A job interview might fall into a different context from your day-to-day experience. Another case in point: My colleagues and I curse quite a bit at work, but that doesn't mean any of us would consider it appropriate to curse at a job interview. Not saying this is exactly how it played out in reality, and there's always the question of unequal enforcement of equal standards.
- runamok 12y ago
  I always dress for an interview one step above the "norm" as a nod to the formality of the occasion. So if everyone dresses in jeans and a t-shirt I might wear slacks and a polo or jeans and a button down shirt. If they wear business casual I'd probably wear a suit (though probably sans jacket).
dudul 12y ago
Casual wear is a dress code. It is common practice to ask the HR people scheduling the interview what kind of dress code is applied at the company. Companies will pass on someone for wearing a suit if their are expected to be dressed casually. It happens all the time at startups. Being overdressed is a non starter sometimes.
- scott_s 12y ago
  I think that passing on someone for being overdressed is equally silly. This post and thread cover the points I would make: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7930430 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7930430
  - dudul 12y ago
    As I said: "One may think it's stupid but this company has a dress code and wants its employees to look put together period." I don't disagree that it's idiotic, but this seems to be the company's policy, they have the right to be idiotic. Many comments pointed out that it is customary for an applicant to ask if there is a dress code prior to showing up for the interview. This person didn't know that, that's ok, she's inexperienced, still going to school. Maybe it was her first interview, I don't know. The thing is, a grown-up would learn from this experience and say "next time I'll ask my HR contact if there is a strong policy regarding clothing", but no, not this very special snowflake. The world has to bend over to accomodate her uniqueness.
    - scott_s 12y ago
      And as I said in my reply, the way she dressed seems to match the way people were dressed at the company - as reported by her. Companies do not have the right to be idiotic in all ways. As touched in the thread I posted, I think that we're flirting with those ways. Tshirt and skirt are usually appropriate for women where tshirt and jeans are appropriate for men, in American culture. If a company says that is not so, then I think there is potential for a gender discrimination claim. We have laws which say companies are not allowed to be arbitrarily idiotic.
omonra 12y ago
Interview attire != what you wear once you have the job It's like dating - what you wear on the first date is not what you can expect your spouse to expect/tolerate once you are living together.

by scott_s 12y ago

bunderbunder 12y ago

Perhaps. Playing devil's advocate, though: I've worked plenty of places where some individuals can get away with t-shirt and jeans but the overall business tends toward business casual, and there is still an expectation that you get dressed up for a job interview. Personally I think that's entirely acceptable. It's not a double standard, it's simply a policy that acknowledges that there are different social contexts. A job interview might fall into a different context from your day-to-day experience. Another case in point: My colleagues and I curse quite a bit at work, but that doesn't mean any of us would consider it appropriate to curse at a job interview. Not saying this is exactly how it played out in reality, and there's always the question of unequal enforcement of equal standards.

runamok 12y ago
I always dress for an interview one step above the "norm" as a nod to the formality of the occasion. So if everyone dresses in jeans and a t-shirt I might wear slacks and a polo or jeans and a button down shirt. If they wear business casual I'd probably wear a suit (though probably sans jacket).

dudul 12y ago

Casual wear is a dress code. It is common practice to ask the HR people scheduling the interview what kind of dress code is applied at the company. Companies will pass on someone for wearing a suit if their are expected to be dressed casually. It happens all the time at startups. Being overdressed is a non starter sometimes.

scott_s 12y ago
I think that passing on someone for being overdressed is equally silly. This post and thread cover the points I would make: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7930430 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7930430
- dudul 12y ago
  As I said: "One may think it's stupid but this company has a dress code and wants its employees to look put together period." I don't disagree that it's idiotic, but this seems to be the company's policy, they have the right to be idiotic. Many comments pointed out that it is customary for an applicant to ask if there is a dress code prior to showing up for the interview. This person didn't know that, that's ok, she's inexperienced, still going to school. Maybe it was her first interview, I don't know. The thing is, a grown-up would learn from this experience and say "next time I'll ask my HR contact if there is a strong policy regarding clothing", but no, not this very special snowflake. The world has to bend over to accomodate her uniqueness.
  - scott_s 12y ago
    And as I said in my reply, the way she dressed seems to match the way people were dressed at the company - as reported by her. Companies do not have the right to be idiotic in all ways. As touched in the thread I posted, I think that we're flirting with those ways. Tshirt and skirt are usually appropriate for women where tshirt and jeans are appropriate for men, in American culture. If a company says that is not so, then I think there is potential for a gender discrimination claim. We have laws which say companies are not allowed to be arbitrarily idiotic.

omonra 12y ago

Interview attire != what you wear once you have the job It's like dating - what you wear on the first date is not what you can expect your spouse to expect/tolerate once you are living together.