I have an interview next week, so I pulled out my "interview suit." Um, not so much :lol: I don't fit in it anymore. So this afternoon I went shopping for a suit. Woah! So many shoulder pads, shades of scary coral and lavendar, shimmery fabrics and LEOPARD PRINT. Seriously? So I'm rethinking the suit idea now. It's July in North Carolina, think I can get away with a pretty dress? If the dress is non-revealing and below the knee I don't see what the big deal is but my mom swears it's a no-no.
Honestly, I would tough it out in a suit. If you were to wear a dress, I would wear a cover up sweater and definitely nylons.
I didn't wear a suit. Never have, never will. I wore heels, pencil skirt and a nice blouse. I could NEVER see myself in a suit. Can you have your old suit tailored?
I think the cultures vary from place to place within the US. In Michigan, it was suits all the way. Suits and nylons. Out here in my part of CA, NO suits. Dh was made fun of at his current office for interviewing in a suit. They think it's stuffy or something. Out here I wore really nice skirts and blouses/cardigans from Anthropologie, although you could get them from anywhere, really. But I was also looking at private schools with more of an eclectic style. I guess now that I've been doing this for a while (interviewing, kind of doing my own thing outside of schools and districts) I would make sure NOT to wear a suit and choose an outfit that really reflected my teaching style. But again, that's this area. In Michigan, I don't think it would fly.
Try pairing a dress with a light jacket if you feel you need that. I got my current job wearing a dress instead of a suit.
DO you have a JC Penny's or Dillards near you? They have an awesome selection of suits/ dressy pant sets. Penny's has great sales. They also have short sleeved ones. I don't know what the deal is with all the should pads, but I use a seam ripper and get rid of them in seconds. One of my short sleeved suits from Penny's is a lime green with brown pants and another is blue with black pants. I believe in dressing as professional as possible b-c it can help you stand out. http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/XGN.as...1648&cmCatLevel=3&shopperType=G&CmCatId=70656
I never wore a suit to an interview. I lived in SC and a suit is not a prerequisite. A nice dress is just fine. I also wore a dressy pencil skirt and a white button down dressy blouse with some big jewelry to compliment the navy in my skirt. I wore a dressy sandal and a big smile and I got the job!
Quote from dh, after asking him about his experience with being over-dressed: It was something I immediately sensed. I took off my suit coat and tie halfway through the interview. Someone brought it up during the interview and I realized no one was in a suit. So I quickly took off the jacket immediately, the tie at lunch and by the end of the day my sleeves were rolled up and I looked a bit more like the others. I've also heard comments after other interviews. It's important to be able to adapt to the culture of the school you're interviewing at-when I saw how the others were dressed, I slowly moved towards that style in a matter of hours. Call the secretary and ask-it's not going to be a ding against you. 'I have an interview coming and I really want to make a good impression-do you think it would be a good idea to wear a suit or would the culture of the school conflict with a more formal appearance?' Straight from the appearance-obsessed horse's mouth.
I am in NC, and have never worn a suit to an interview, yet have been offered a job from every interview I have attended (my husband is military, so we have moved back and forth to NC a few times...I got a job in VA through a phone interview...I was wearing my PJs for that one...LOL)! In fact, looking back, I was dressed way too casually for my first teaching job interview. I wore black dress pants and a blue "tunic"-length sweater and flats! I was not really taking the interview seriously since I was not technically certified to teach at that level, but I was offered a job on the spot. I have an interview on Thursday, and I plan to wear dress pants, a nice, dressy, but short-sleeve blouse, and heels. I know that the teachers at this school dress VERY casually, and the administrators do not even dress in suits. I feel that my outfit is very professional, without being so hot (it is due to be 94 or so...probably 100+ with heat index) that I will pass out!
You could buy a nice suit jacket to wear with a dress you already have. Places like anne taylor loft can have amazing clearance; I have a very nice khaki jacket I got for only 12 dollars (originally it was 80.)
I would never not wear a suit to interview. Had an interview today and P was in jeans and flip-slops!
I always wear suits to interviews, but that's just what's done around here. I feel your pain on shopping for suits, though. I can NEVER seem to find anything that doesn't read "fuddy duddy." I look pretty young, too, so trying on those suits with shoulder pads and whatnot makes me look like I'm playing dress up and it makes me uncomfortable, to boot. I think you can get away with a more "modern" take on a suit, though. I don't see any problem with buying a nice dress and wearing a basic blazer over it, as long as they go together well. A nice belt around the waist (over the blazer) to top it all off can also look nice.
I definitely think it depends on the area of the country, as someone else said. In fact, I recently went to a local job fair and I would say that 95% of the people there were not in suits. About 80% of those people were dressed VERY appropriately for an interview-type situation, though. I think that one can be professional without wearing a suit. I have even looked for suit separates in our local stores and have had no luck.
I could live with this one, it's actually sorta cute http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...cattyp=RLE&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=external|71648 This one isn't so bad either, but it's not a suit. http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...4294953661&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=external|71648 Or this one, but I have a hunch it would look weird on my frame http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...4294953661&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=external|71648
I LOVE the last one! If the heat is an issue, how about a short sleeved one? http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...AMS_Z=XGN3TOPOFRESULTS&CmCatId=EXTERNAL|71648
This is totally not interview appropriate, but I saw these all the time in Miami. http://www.metrostyle.com/metrostyl...roduct=14361&icCategory=&icSort=-creationDate
I like the second outfit and i'd likely wear that to an interview (if it weren't the freezing cold of winter here at the moment) but I do like that suit that Alice posted and that last one you posted would have been my second option. I don't like the first option.
Seriously now, I like this one... http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/...artServlet?view=20&No=20&N=1590670&R=03350465
I do too, mm. But with white, you're kind of limited as to when you can wear it. I always wear a suit to Meet the Teacher Night in September, and to Graduation in June, so I tend to avoid white suits. (That's not even mentioning the three big reasons I live with!)
Generally, I say to stay with a suit. I like all the links! I got my suits at talbots on clearance for less than $75 each and they are still stylish 5 years later. Having said that, I've been seeing some really nice shirtdresses that you could make look very professional (add a distinctive belt or scarf). I think teachers of younger students can get away with a less formal look.
Oh, I like this one too...and it looks cool and comfy for a deep south summer.... http://www.lordandtaylor.com/eng/wo...mmc=Affiliate-_-GAN-_-ShopStyle.com-_-Primary
I really like this one! It's the perfect combination of professional/modern/summer-appropriate. I'm so pale I could never pull it off, though.
My current principal interviewed me in a Hawaiian print shirt, khaki shorts, and flip flops. The AP who was there had a similar shirt, long khaki pants, and tennis shoes. I think it is just different customs in different areas. If I had worn a suit, I am not sure I would have gotten the job. I had on a nice skirt, blouse, and sandals. I never wear stockings.
Funny, that's what I was leaning towards, since I hate suits and all. What did your shoes look like? Congrats on the job!
I love that white suit! but could never make it out of the house in it, with a toddler and preschooler.
We just hired four teachers. The principal took notes on what each was wearing. She said, "if they don't take the interview seriously enough to look professional, how will they approach their classroom?" Of the 4, three had worn suits and one had worn a jacket with a skirt that weren't matchy, but coordinated. It may help to know that I live in a pretty urban, East Coast environment.
I've been to 3 interviews and on none of them I wore a suit. I just wore my best dress pants and a nice blouse (no collar, I hate collars!!), and I got 2 out of 3. Well, that was when the market wasn't as bad as it is now and also when middle school math was in demand. I was not a big fan of suits because I couldn't find any that I really liked. However, after looking at these pictures, I realized that there are very nice suits out there. I want to buy one
Well I'm back, and I didn't get a suit. :lol: I tried on several suits but they looked terrible. I am petite, so when buying a suit the only ones that fit me appropriately are in the petite section - which pretty much sucks at every store. I ended up with this: http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...=4294953662&Nao=396&PSO=0&CmCatId=70656|71644 (the one I bought has a black "modesty panel" sewn in, but this one doesn't, strangely.) I also bought a plain black shrug, just in case I saw this too. I think I'll pick this one up for everyday-teaching if it gets any cheaper. http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.asp...62+4294949521&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=70656|71644
