Dressing for an interview

LostNinja

So I have an interview coming up for a managerial level position in a manufacturing facility. The interview is set up as a day long process starting with a facility tour followed by individual meetings with several department heads, and ending the day with an interview with the head of the facility.

So normally I would go suit and tie no question about it as I would rather be over dressed than underdressed, however the facility tour will require me to have on hard toed shoes as a safety precaution. Having on a suit jacket in summer also makes me worried about being sweat drenched by the time I meet with the facility head at the conclusion of the interview.

Right now I'm leaning towards sticking with a suit and jacket with a dark shirt to make it less obvious if it gets dirty or I get sweaty, but the hard toed shoe thing is my main question. Should I just wear my dress shoes and have steel toed boots in my car just in case, or should I wear the boots and just have the shoes in my car to change into afterwards?

I really just don't want to look unprepared, but at the same time I don't want to lose a professional look. I know I'm probably being neurotic and overthinking this, but please help me get dressed H/A.

Six

If you're in doubt, call the person you're meeting with and ask.

Draygo

They might not want you wearing a tie or anything that can easily get caught in a machine. Do as six says, call. Its already out of the ordinary because of the hard toe requirement for your standard interview.

VeritasVR

LostNinja wrote: »

So I have an interview coming up for a managerial level position in a manufacturing facility. The interview is set up as a day long process starting with a facility tour followed by individual meetings with several department heads, and ending the day with an interview with the head of the facility.

So normally I would go suit and tie no question about it as I would rather be over dressed than underdressed, however the facility tour will require me to have on hard toed shoes as a safety precaution. Having on a suit jacket in summer also makes me worried about being sweat drenched by the time I meet with the facility head at the conclusion of the interview.

Right now I'm leaning towards sticking with a suit and jacket with a dark shirt to make it less obvious if it gets dirty or I get sweaty, but the hard toed shoe thing is my main question. Should I just wear my dress shoes and have steel toed boots in my car just in case, or should I wear the boots and just have the shoes in my car to change into afterwards?

I really just don't want to look unprepared, but at the same time I don't want to lose a professional look. I know I'm probably being neurotic and overthinking this, but please help me get dressed H/A.

I had a similar management-level job in a manufacturing facility. Everyone wore white, often grease-stained buttoned shirts over whatever they wanted to wear under, as well as steel-toe shoes and safety glasses. Managers and line workers alike.

However, everyone who interviewed for management-level positions and got the job wore a suit and tie for the interview and for the tour.

KafkaAU

I'd also consider leaving at home all jewelery for the day, even a wedding ring.

Kick_04

I would call if you had not already.

I have never heard of tour or interview that made you wear steel-toe shoes. Also you are allowed to walk through an area without steel toe shoes under certain circumstances (which tour does count as). My company is in the process of being sold, can garuntee the VPs on the tour out in manufacturing in $300 dress shoes don't have steel toes in them.


Me personally I would wear the jacket and tie, when I get there put the jacket on the back of chair. Most places if need be the secretary will have spare jackets or lab coats to put on overtop for tours, along with the hard hat and glasses.

LostNinja

I emailed them to confirm the interview and went ahead and asked as you all suggested. He said to definitely have steel toe boots. So I guess I'll wear them with my suit and see if I can change into my dress shoes after the tour, or if nothing else do it during the lunch break that's scheduled. If the tie is an issue I can always take it off, better to have it and need to take it off than not have it.

Thanks for all the help!

zepherin

I've started doing slacks, dress shirt and sports coat, composite toed boots, no tie for interviews where I need to wear boots.