Applied for a job online on Friday afternoon. Just had a phone call asking if I can come in for an interview at 8am tomorrow morning. “Of course I can! It would be an absolute pleasure” I said.

Now I’m sitting here in full on winter hermit mode. Hair like Wolverine. Big grizzly beard. I’m also between addresses and can only access a tragic selection of clothes. No suit. Dusty black winkle pickers. Borrowed tie. Smart gray trousers and a shabby blue jumper.

If it was only two or three hours later I could turn up looking as smart as a carrot. Obviously I can’t do anything about any of this now. I can lose the beard but I think a DIY haircut is a risky strategy.

Tomorrow morning is going to be interesting. A new beginning or another wasted opportunity to throw on the pile.

get down the shops quick. They’ll be open till 6pm

Cheap tesco suit and shoes from the nearest 24hr store?

Well the barber I use is open till 7pm so why are you whinging?
Get a haircut man!!
Perhaps call them back and ask if its possible to move – but it depends on what the job is for too though – a mechanic, fitter, etc not the same as the IT crowd on here…..

Yeah, depends entirely on the line of business. In mine, I’d try and get a haircut quick and then just brazen out the clothes, since it’s a result of the short notice- “Not quite my usual job interview suit, sure you understand!” etc. Be the guy that gets it done anyway. Carry in the shit-eating confidence that says “You’re not doing me a favour giving me an interview”. But then in other jobs you’d get laughed out.

Irrespective of job, there’s no excuse not to suit up. Buy one on credit card, preferably with labels that are attached with string so you can take them off and re-tie them when you take it back for the refund. Sort suit before hair if you can at least style it into something tidy.

Job in the Media Space??

Go as you are Sir, you’ll fit right on in there however a must is that you turn up on a Fixie. 😆

Get a haircut and borrow some clothes. Now.

Lots of shops still open, go and get a suit and then see if you can get a haircut. If you’re applying for jobs you’re going to need a suit so you might as well buy one now.

I’m too far away from town with its array of barbers and clothes shops so I made a special effort to go in the opposite direction to my nearest hair salon. I think it’s some kind of beauty parlour but I had a suspicion that they might be able to sort me out. I’ll never know now because they were shut.

The best I could do is a shirt and tie from Asda. I’m a stranger to Asda’s clothing section but it’s not offensively bad. I’m going to keep it in mind for 20 years time when I’m a silver haired ‘rad dad’. I’m clean shaven but still have impressive hair.

Ironically my original plan for tomorrow was to collect my various bags and hold alls from storage places and make sure I had all my decent clobber close to hand in case of an interview. Looks like I’ve been well and truly caught out. Damn the internet and its light speed communication.

I’m currently self employed and in survival mode. I only applied for this job as it looks like an interesting, hands on, technical position for a very cool company. It is in the ‘action sports’ sector so hopefully they’ll not be hung up on my cobbled together attire.

I’ll report back when it’s over with, no matter how embarrassing.

They’re probably on here keeping an eye on the progress of this thread 😉

good luck with the interview.

If it is in the action sports sector, turning up in a suit may even be viewed negatively (“doesn’t understand the ethos of the company”).

I find it a bit sad that in 2014 one is still expected to ‘get a haircut’. What’s wrong with washing/brushing it to make yourself presentable? rather than an antiquated act of supplication?

If it is in the action sports sector, turning up in a suit may even be viewed negatively

No worries about that. My only suit is hanging in a wardrobe 15 miles away and no one is home.

I find it a bit sad that in 2014 one is still expected to ‘get a haircut’.

Believe me, I’m not a hair person.

Which is why when my phone rang I looked like this;

😆

Of course I can!

…was your first mistake. a) Don’t agree to such short notice, it shows that you’ve nothing better to do, and b) why would you start applying for jobs before you were ready?

There’s an argument for explaining that you’re not at your best because you had no notice, but that might be counter-productive as it says “hi, I’m unprepared.”

If it’s for an action sports company you could always turn up in some riding gear and on your bike might have to be a fixie though 🙂

Good luck!

It is in the ‘action sports’ sector

As the interviewer says come in blow the windows in and come in on the end of a rope, knife gripped in your teeth pin them to the desk blade to the throat and ask them when they’d like you to start.

CountZero – Member

Good luck!

Oh yeah! Well done that man

I’d go as I was, and just explain the situation. Probably with an email warning them beforehand. It’s the sort of honest, human approach that’s appreciated by the sort of people I want to work for. YMMV.

so how did it go?

One of the first things out of the bosses mouth was “We don’t really do ties around here. Nice and casual”
Which is nice but I still wouldn’t dream of turning up in everyday clothing.

Anyway, I answered all the questions with zero uhmming and ahhing because I do actually know what I’m talking about. I answered all of their little scenarios with real life examples then asked them a load of questions which spiralled into a nice, friendly back and forth.

The place looks amazing. Lots of cool vehicles, loads of toys, young and healthy staff. I’ll be a bit less vague if I get the job. Don’t want to curse myself (secretly scared that someone from there will be on here).

Redbull?

Redbull?

Not before an interview, you don’t want to start twitching like a coke addict, unless it’s a job in new media and you want to fit in.

Alpkit…………..I wonder? 🙂