If you go into the interview wearing a properly fitted suit (navy, charcoal/grey, black all work), a non-obscene dress shirt and tie/bowtie (aka not crazy bright patterns colors) and dress shoes while been well groomed, you will get everything you can appearance wise for the interview. Specific tie widths, high level suit construction etc... don't matter.
Mechanical Engineer Interview suit
- Thread starter mark the shoeshine boy
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Agreed. As long as the overall picture looks good, I think the most important thing is the impression you make in your answers to their questions, and in your own questions.
Make sure you know something about the company that is going to interview you (e.g. read the annual report, if available). And think about the things you'd want to know (like how much travel does the job involve, what education opportunities are there, does the company have a mentoring program for starters?).
- Thread starter
- #43
I believe we will settle in on a good quality Charcoal suit for the young man. White shirt with a blue tie, black belt and shoes. I can handle those parts with ease.
Thank you for all of those who have participated, you input is greatly appreciated. Once he obtains his job, he can buy his own clothes and they probably won't be suits.
Thank you once again.....
Thank you for all of those who have participated, you input is greatly appreciated. Once he obtains his job, he can buy his own clothes and they probably won't be suits.
Thank you once again.....
Engineers are conservative by nature. So, I would dress the same way. For my Mechanical engineer interview I had a charcoal suit, white shirt, black suit and a conservative tie. I interviewed at a place with a factory and they give candidates tours, so if the setting is similar, wear comfortable shoes.
Lots of guys make the mistake of buying a black suit as their first suit. That is a big mistake. Black is most appropriate for ceremonies and after 5pm. It's too formal for business. A courtroom is about the only business place where it really makes sense (unless you are clergy) to wear in a work setting and even then it's still up for debate.
Charcoal is the best option for your son. It's easy to take charcoal anywhere you would wear black as well as anywhere you wouldn't wear black. Black shoes and belt makes it more formal, brown less so. Navy is a great interview option but it's less versatile. You shouldn't wear navy suits at night or to ceremonies. Navy can be dressed down but it's hard to dress it up to the formality of a black suit. Navy should be his second suit acquisition but IMO he should get solid pairs of black and brown dress shoes (with matching belts) before picking up a second suit. He's probably not going to wear a suit so frequently that he needs to worry about wearing the same thing day after day but he certainly will need dress shoes and belts for work every day and having a second option will give him a lot of nice options for his regular work attire.
Charcoal is the best option for your son. It's easy to take charcoal anywhere you would wear black as well as anywhere you wouldn't wear black. Black shoes and belt makes it more formal, brown less so. Navy is a great interview option but it's less versatile. You shouldn't wear navy suits at night or to ceremonies. Navy can be dressed down but it's hard to dress it up to the formality of a black suit. Navy should be his second suit acquisition but IMO he should get solid pairs of black and brown dress shoes (with matching belts) before picking up a second suit. He's probably not going to wear a suit so frequently that he needs to worry about wearing the same thing day after day but he certainly will need dress shoes and belts for work every day and having a second option will give him a lot of nice options for his regular work attire.
I agree with most of this ... well said.
I will, however, take issue with
Here's the thing: at night, it's generally agreed that "black is best": hence black tuxedos, and "rules" about not wearing tuxedos before 6pm. But tuxes also come in "midnight blue" .. a very very dark blue, which is "blacker than black" in many evening settings. Now, I know that "navy isn't midnight blue" ... but neither is charcoal black ... see what I'm saying? Navy is to MB what charcoal is to black ... more versatile, totally fine during the day, and still pretty decent at night.
That said, I think we're both on the same page about "charcoal suit first".
If people can tell the difference between navy and black suits at night, why can't I tell the difference between the came coloured socks in the morning?
Nobody's going to have a problem with wearing navy at night anymore. This isn't the 1930s. Investment bankers go from work to evening affairs all the time.
What does look strange is someone wearing a black suit in the daytime, unless he's a mortician.
Navy or midnight blue will get you through any situation.
How about a mechanical engineer showing up in his own version of Iron Man armor? 
You would be remembered.
You would be remembered.Thanks for clearing that up. It seemed strange to me as most advice now a days is no need for a black suit unless for a funeral.
Even for a funeral it's not strictly necessary. Back in the day people wore black armbands to funerals to signify that they were in mourning. Even back then people couldn't afford a separate suit just for funerals. Today you don't need the armband as long as you dress very sharp and wear dark colors. And I say this as a guy who is appalled to see people going to church on Sunday in anything less than a coat and tie.
I'll chime in with two things:a good haircut from a real barber-many college kids are lacking here-and "don't give them a reason not to like you." This refers to accessories like the bracelets mentioned earlier.
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_P7yWnAAd0[/video]
The only navy suit I'd avoid wearing at an evening event is one with pinstripes.
Well, unlike you, they have had a few cups of coffee.
Well, unlike you, they have had a few cups of coffee.
Unless you work in the financial or legal sector, or are a board member, I personally would avoid a pinstripe suit altogether. But that's my personal opinion of course.
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- #58
How about a mechanical engineer showing up in his own version of Iron Man armor?
I like this idea, but wouldn't the red and gold colors be just a bit garrish, wouldn't a charcoal or a black be a little more conservative?
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Rules are more relaxed nowadays indeed.
I like charcoal suits because of their versatility. Easy to combine as well.
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