Job interview on teams. Suit and tie?

I’ve got a job interview on Monday over teams. If it was a normal interview in normal times I would 100% show up in a suit and tie.

Should I wear a Suit and tie on teams?

The job would be over the phone and email. My mate mostly wears shorts while he does it.

Thanks for any suggestions

I would for 2 reasons. One because that’s what you would do if it was face to face. Secondly it would help me get into the right frame of mind to perform well. Good luck

Jacket and tie.

Donald Duck it.

Maybe do it in –

I’d wear a shirt but no tie or jacket. People seem more interested in what’s behind you in the background than what you wear.

I recruit into the ultra conservative world of investment management and in the 50 or so Zoom/Teams meetings I’ve had recently no-one is in a tie, and barely anyone is in a shirt. Dress code is out of the window and a polo shirt is considered dressed up.

When lockdown started I was advising people to dress up as if it was face-to-face, the feedback I got from hiring managers was that it was OTT and not needed at all. Formal dress is another casualty of Covid I suspect.

Work it…

Formal dress is another casualty of Covid I suspect.

One of the few good things to come out of this mess.

I wore a shirt for both of mine. As someone said they both ended up in a discussion of the bookcases.
got the job

I vote for a nice shirt but no tie.

Your interviewer will probably be in a football top, judging by our top brass.

Your interviewer will probably be in a football top, judging by our top brass

I’ve had guys who when I’ve met them face-to-face are super conservatively dress, suits, ties, red spotted ties, pocket square, etc. are wearing round neck t-shirts and in one case, a cap in Zoom calls. The rule are out of the window.

Donald Duck it

This was my wife’s suggestion as well!

Interesting to here dress codes are changing!

I had an interview for a lawyer job this afternoon and was wondering about this but just wore a shirt and tie (with grotty shorts)

To be honest my zoom was poorly set up with the master volume well down so I had to lean forward to hear him so all he got Was a close up of my face for an hour. Could’ve been naked

If i was interviewing someone i’d go shirt but no tie but depends on the company to a degree?

Let us know how it goes and what they wore – it’s going to be the new norm so am interested to see what the atmosphere is like 🙂

As various BBC interviews have shown, it doesn’t matter what you wear, it’s all about the bookcase behind you.

So… prominently displayed copy of Mein Kampf, Jordan’s autobiography and a Large, elaborate gold frame containing a signed picture of Cannon and Ball

Depending on the company and position, at least a shirt. Tie is more subjective. Good luck.

To be consistent with the rest – its all about the background, and wear a neutral shirt.

(Edit: to expand on that a bit – a pure white shirt can cause havoc with the exposure of your iPad, laptop, whatever camera and software – If I wear a white shirt on a webex the white is blinding)

Also, consider your lighting – no bright lights behind you (i.e. don’t sit with your back to a window), but be softly lit from the front.

I would say Nice shirt no tie, jacket if it is not too warm in the room.
Don’t wear shorts in case you need to get up for something such as passport or driving licence to show that you are eligible to work in the UK.

Have interviewed a few people lately sweating away in in bad fitting suits / unsightly rooms and bad headphones. Personally I’d focus prepping in in the below order:

No 1:
Make sure your sound and wifi are good. If you room looks awful put a virtual background on. No point acing 2 if they can’t hear you. Don’t have fan on desk. It will kill your mic.
No 2:
Make sure you are prepped on co / industry / role.
No 3.
Make sure you look good and are not sweaty. This does not mean suit and tie. If you are going to air conditioned HQ for an interview at a FTSE 100 co then wear the suit / tie.

In your own home at close to 30c just stay away from non-iron or heavy sticky shirts. Video call quality is not good enough for most calls to tell difference between linen / cotton. You can be wearing pants / shorts under the table for all the other person knows.

Good luck.

I vote for a nice shirt but no tie.

This. Wifi connection is more important than attire. But wear a collar and brush you hair. Remember that the camera will show you closer than you would otherwise sit. This helps with seeing interviewer’s responses. I use a standalone webcam on top of my monitor. I don’t really care for the up your nose viewpoint. If you can, raise your laptop otherwise, either on a stand or on a book pile. Use a separate keyboard and mouse.

I used to always say that nobody ever didn’t get a job for wearing a suit and tie. But then we did some interviews during the Beast of the East and the 2 guys that turned up soaked and freezing in suits were obviously maroons, and we hired the girl who turned up in her snowboarding gear.

I’ve just started interviewing people on teams and care even less about what is being worn by the candidates than i normally would.

I’m in engineering and would definitely say anything more than a decent clean shirt at this point would be a waste. Even a just a t-shirt that isn’t obviously soaked in sweat looks fine now.

Enjoying some of the lockdown hair.

A little obvious in places but some good basic tips for video calls here https://youtu.be/XzWJoFUGEXo

I had a Zoom interview 2 weeks ago. I did it at work, in a polo shirt of the company i’m leaving. Aced the interview and got the job I wanted. They aren’t fussed about shirt and tie, just look presentable and make sure the surrounding environment isn’t a tip.

Just a shirt, no tie, what is the point of a tie, its something from tom brown schooldays or back in the past where they where used by bullies and teachers to drag kids along with.

I used to always say that nobody ever didn’t get a job for wearing a suit and tie.

The last job interview I went to for at a well advertised betting Company’s corporate HQ the bloke laid into me for wearing a suit.  The interview feedback was that I wouldn’t fit in.

100% shirt and tie. Treat it like any other interview. Shows you’re committed and taking it seriously.

I had an interview at the start of lockdown (and got the job). The panel commented on my appearance and thanked me for making the effort despite the circumstances.

My managers wear a shirt and tie when interviewing on zoom.

If it helps, I’ve presented a couple of 50+ external attendee webinars in professional services during lockdown.

Open necked office shirt, carefully tidied spare room in background and well positioned webcam to hide the crap lurking in the corners.

Pre Covid I’d normally present suit and no tie except for a few more conservative events where a tie would be added.

I’ve done business meetings with partners of law firms and bankers in hoodies with their children walking through shot in the background. The world has changed. You probably do need to keep kids out and not go for a hoody.

Admittedly I’m not one of our firm’s sharpest dressers and I’m more relaxed than many. If you turned up to a video interview in a tie and jacket at the moment I’d think it a wee bit odd. I wouldn’t turn up in a Slayer t shirt either…

Of course it will depend on the industry and culture of your prospective employer. A look at the interviewers linked in profiles and pics might for you a clue on their style. I’ve softened mine from corporate look to more relaxed to reflect current styles.

I’ve had 4 during lockdown, best suit, shirt, tie and new loakes for all. Got me in the right frame of mind. I’ve another Monday too, instructions say to dress smart as if it were face to face. I feel a bit patronised by that!

As for seeing the interviewers responses. I had an inkling one of my interviews wasnt going great when one interviewer had their WiFi drop for a few seconds, freezing their video…..mid yawn. 😳

If you turned up to a video interview in a tie and jacket at the moment I’d think it a wee bit odd. I wouldn’t turn up in a Slayer t shirt either…

This. They’ll be much more interested in your prep, how you set up the call and your background than if you have a tie on.
We’re getting to the point where I’d not wear a tie to a face-to-face either but that’s a different discussion.

I did one a couple of months back in my normal (for lockdown) very casual gear, having been told that ws OK, and I actually found it very difficult to get into the right frame of mind. I hadn’t appreciated how much putting on suit and tie and travelling to the venue helped get my game face on and really thought I had stuffed it up.

If I was doing another, I think I would make some effort- proper, smart shirt if not a jacket or tie.

I did get the role, which suggests everyone else was truly rubbish

Good luck!

If I were the interviewer, At the end of the interview, I’d be so tempted to ask people to stand up 🙂

I’ve had a few interviews for WFH roles (and a few offers) recently.

Casual shirt for every one (I did once have shorts, sandals and orange Planet X socks), IMHO smarter shirt would also be fine.

Wearing a suit while sat at home is ridiculous, if a company expects this then they have got this and probably a lot of other things wrong.

Far more important is to make sure internet connection is good and preview the view through the camera. I think a headset looks better and can help hear better.

Yeah, I am using a Bose in-ear active noise cancelling headset for all my Teams meetings. They are a lot less visible in calls than the huge over the ears things that a lot of other people wear.

For the light, try and get/use something that does not make your face look like you have jaundice. “Colder”/more natural bulbs in a desk lamp might be better for that than the “warmer”, more orange ones.

For bandwidth, if you are the only person in the house, that’s fine I guess, but if you have kids, chop their access to games/internet for the interview slot. It is really easy to see when my work colleague’s kids get home from school during meetings, his video chops up and he has to drop to audio only.

I use my phone as a wifi webcam. Makes a massive difference to quality of the camera and means you a bit freeer with your positioning rather than crouching over the laptop.

Face a window or lamp infront of you behind the camera to light you well.

Make sure your Dan Brown collection is well placed.

Organise a small child to rush in and jump on your lap, continue as if nothing had happened to show your cool under pressure.

90% of video calls in our house are conducted with the dog on your lap.

She is fascinated by them.

I’ve interviewed a couple of people via video call recently, both were wearing suits.

Interviewing for positions at an engineering consultancy

I wouldn’t think any less of them for wearing a t-shirt, open necked shirt etc.

Make sure the camera is looking down and you could do a little rehearsal to discover your best side.

White or light blue shirt, plain sensible colour, eg navy, tie.

Ticks both the “smart” box and so straightforward and unchallenging to the eye that it avoids the “awkwardly overdressed for a video interview” box.

Have a couple of sheets of white paper, not visible on screen, on the table in front of you to get a bit of light going up. It avoids any down shadows and really helps in a vain kind of way.