Dress Code - Interview over coffee Forum

[seatown12]

What day of the week is it?

[Anonymous User]

What is the appropriate dress for meeting several partners for a beer? I have had a screener with this firm, and set up a meeting with several partners when I notified the firm I was going to be in the area. Full suit and tie, or ditch the tie and go business casual + suit jacket?

[rpupkin]

What is the appropriate dress for meeting several partners for a beer? I have had a screener with this firm, and set up a meeting with several partners when I notified the firm I was going to be in the area. Full suit and tie, or ditch the tie and go business casual + suit jacket?

Wait . . .you set it up a meeting at a bar with several partners? How did you arrange that? (The answers to these questions are potentially relevant to your dress code question.)

[Davidbentley]

What is the appropriate dress for meeting several partners for a beer? I have had a screener with this firm, and set up a meeting with several partners when I notified the firm I was going to be in the area. Full suit and tie, or ditch the tie and go business casual + suit jacket?

Latter unless you're in DC.

[Anonymous User]

Wait . . .you set it up a meeting at a bar with several partners? How did you arrange that? (The answers to these questions are potentially relevant to your dress code question.)

I didn't set it up at a bar, I suggested meeting with some attorneys and they decided to meet for a drink.

[rpupkin]

Wait . . .you set it up a meeting at a bar with several partners? How did you arrange that? (The answers to these questions are potentially relevant to your dress code question.)

I didn't set it up at a bar, I suggested meeting with some attorneys and they decided to meet for a drink.

There are a lot of factors here that could affect the attire choice (region, firm culture, practice area, venue for drinks). Although business casual would be fine 95% of the time for this kind of thing, I'll recommend a suit and tie just in case your circumstances fall in the 5%.

[kalvano]

It's a job interview. No one is going to fault you for showing up in a suite and tie.

[lolwat]

It's a job interview. No one is going to fault you for showing up in a suite and tie.

Showing up in a suite might be bad if the interview is at a bar.

But yep, agree.

[h2go]

It's a job interview. No one is going to fault you for showing up in a suite and tie.

Showing up in a suite might be bad if the interview is at a bar.

But yep, agree.

I'm in NorCal. People would definitely find it weird if you showed up to a bar in a suit. I would strongly recommend against it if that's where you are located.

[rpupkin]

It's a job interview. No one is going to fault you for showing up in a suite and tie.

Showing up in a suite might be bad if the interview is at a bar.

But yep, agree.

I'm in NorCal. People would definitely find it weird if you showed up to a bar in a suit. I would strongly recommend against it if that's where you are located.

Eh. Even in NorCal it depends a bit on the firm and the practice group. Also, I think some folks are imagining a crowded hip bar. Given the context, it's much more likely that this will take place in fancy hotel bar or something, where a suit and tie would be less conspicuous.

[sublime]

Yea, I'd show up in a suit and tie, and you can always take off the tie.

Better to be one step overdressed than one step underdressed.