Interview- What to wear

[ryda]

Hi everyone, I'm moving up north soon and was wondering what should I bring to wear for interviews. I heard it's pretty relaxed up there. So, should I wear a suit with a white collared shirt or will jeans and a buttoned up shirt do? I've searched google and most are saying wearing jeans is a big nono.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Ties should only be worn north of the Tropic of Capricorn for funerals, and if you are trying to suck some money out of a potential benefactor!

Dress neat-casual and be well groomed for any meeting/interview with a potential employer. Collared shi(r)t and tailored slacks or shorts/long socks.

Casual Friday is probably not a good look for your first meeting with a prospective employer.

I would have thought you could not go too far wrong with the good old short-sleeve white double-pocket pilot shirt and navy work-wear trousers.

The mob I used to fly for - white pilot shirt, cream lightweight moleskins and tan RM boots was the go!

Dr :8

[Desert Duck]

I agree with FTDK - however make sure the shirt is ironed and the boots or shoes are polished.

[The Green Goblin]

If your like 90% of the Kiwis up north jandels and a beater will suffice.

Wearing full uniform and a set of stripes is usually the way to impress :)

[Hasselhof]

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk45/samminxy/mankini.jpg

[Hugh Jarse]

Collared **** and tailored slacks or shorts/long socks.Indeed! :8

Your slip is showing, Dr. :}

[YPJT]

Well Hoff, that outfit obviously impressed Isla Fisher so maybe not such a bad move after all. :}
I agree with the others except for the RM Williams boots - far too pretentious. Just go the good ol Blundies or Rossis.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Your slip is showing, Dr. http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/badteeth.gif

Ha, ha! Oh dear! One little letter can make such a difference!

Hoff, its only floatplane pilots that wear that uniform! I don't think Ryda is ready for that yet!

Dr :8

[VH-XXX]

Maybe something like this, with or without the tie for your average up-market northern states charter company.


http://www.logoembroideries.com/web%20pics/business.jpg


Or perhaps this, minus the hat, sort of what the Dr. was referring to.

http://sun-protection.net/mens_clothing.jpg


For a VB interview, something like any of these would be appropriate, particularly the one on the left if you rode in on your polo horse.

http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/menswearprada.jpg

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

For a VB interview, something like any of these would be appropriate

Sh*t 3X, I almost wet myself!

Dr :8

[Bushfiva]

Third from left seems ready for any occasion.

[romeocharlie]

It may be relaxed in the north, but I don't imagine you should dress any differently to an interview down south. Common sense people. You don't see any pilots in Cairns wearing any less than a uniform (with the exception of skydive pilots and even they wear pilot shirts).

[bullamakanka]

XXX, ha, ha , ha, good work!!!

Slacks, a collared shirt and shoes, no more is required, but definately no less.

I had people drop CV's into me when in the NT. Some came in in shorts, singlets, thongs, unshaved, or any combo of the above. If thats how they present themselves the first time they meet you how will they present to a client a year after you have employed them?? Some guys just had no idea at all about the most simple things.

Good luck on the job front. Get up there as quick as you can!!

Bulla

[ryda]

I might try that mankini, see how well that goes...

Thank you all for the replies.

I'm heading up there in a few days and I know I'm a bit slower than everyone else but maybe I'll get lucky. :ok:

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

Long sleeve pilot shirt with epaulettes (the straps upon which the bars are mounted), slacks (black or blue whatever suits the particular shirt), black dress shoes or tidy black work boots, clean-shaven, not too much **** in your hair (if any at all), whizz wheel and a pen firmly in breast pocket, logbook and headset in one hand (ready for a fly in the next 30 minutes) and the other hand ready for a handshake. Most importantly have a meaningful SMILE.

Whether or not you wear the bars is up to you. I wouldn't but the person I'm describing above (who got her appointment with the CP and Owner simply because she was dressed so damned ready for work when I opened the door) did.

At this point I have to say that despite all I said above you can't really go wrong with a suit and tie. I initially agreed with the Dr about being North of the Tropic of Capricorn but in hindsight such a well healed person would certainly make the right first impression... unless you're going for a mustering job then go with the pilot costume.

Good luck to anybody serious enough about their job hunt to consider this thread.

FRQ CB

PS I've also considered the whole Virgin no tie policy but I've come to the conclusion that if I ever get called in for an interview with them I'll still wear a tie and only take it off in invited to do so (in which case it'd be completely embarrassing to have a clip-on so please learn how to tie a tie gentlemen)... and no aeroplane tie tacks or cuff links.

[Mr. Hat]

Keep it simple. Slacks, Long sleeve shirt with collar, business shoes, one page resume'.

[The Green Goblin]

Wearing full uniform and a set of stripes is usually the way to impress


Long sleeve pilot shirt with epaulettes (the straps upon which the bars are mounted), slacks (black or blue whatever suits the particular shirt), black dress shoes

I hope you were taking the piss!!!

'Cause I most certainly was.

Quickest way to get your resume in the bin is to appear in uniform with a set of Raybans strapped to your head. Smart casual is the preferred option, so a nice shirt and pants with polished shoes.

Have fun!

[VH-XXX]

Green Goblin, you are exactly right. If you want to join the Army and you go to the interview day, you don't wear camo's. If you want to be a Police Air Wing pilot you don't go in your flying overalls!

[hoss]

from memory i remember wearing khaki shorts, smart light blue button and collar shirt, medium socks(not pulled up) and rossi boots. the job was up in derby about twenty years ago. things were fairly competitive and i scored the job.

consider also, the boss had me in the hangar twenty minutes later cleaning aircraft and seeing how i 'mixed it' with the engineers and other pilots.

in this case a suit and tie would not have gone down too well, leave that for cns and drw perhaps.

nowadays i turn up to sims and ground schools looking like i'm off for a big night out on the town 'the mgmt/empire of the sun look'.

[sthaussiepilot]

Pretty Simple,


Nice Black shined shoes, slighlty higer shine on the toes
White (double breast pocketed) or lighter coloured blue (double breast pocketed) shirt, Ironed, Razor shar creases on the sides (no train tracks)
Navy or Black Tie (preferably navy with the blue, and black with the white)
Neatly Ironed, Navy/ Black trousers, Ironed once again with the crease all the way down razor sharp, and no train tracks.
Black Socks
Also, dont forget, you should feel "comfortable" in an interview, so make sure your comfortable in the outfit.

Nice black breifcase, or bag doesnt go astray to have with you aswell.

As mentioned.. Dress as though you were anywhere else (QF, EK, SIA).. Dress as though your in the Royal Australian Air Force.

[ryda]

What about my first meeting with the CP, not up to interview yet, good idea to still dress formal?

[Goat Whisperer]

Yeah but no.

Not shorts, not ever not even with the long white socks pulled up till they meet your lunch.

Even up north it's not 1977.

[hoss]

in the kimberley at least 9 out of 10 chief pilots would be wearing shorts and boots.

try and fit in, not stand out in a bad way. wear a tie and you'll be the talk of the town that night in the pub.

remember, remote area fashion can be quite limited. from memory in derby it was a cross between rodeo,bikie and camo.

[sthaussiepilot]

For the meeting with the CP,

No tie, still an ironed set of trousers but not to the razor edges, and a neat ironed shirt (something neat, and casual you might wear to meet the girlfriends parents etc), keep it nice and casual, keep the CP thinking your nice and relaxed, just a get to know kind of thing from the sounds of it.

I'd be listening to Hoss at the same time, he seems to know the goings on around there, but I'd still be keeping a very formal interview for the interview and a slightly less formal for the CP, but hey thats just me.

[The Green Goblin]

I wore a long sleeved shirt and a tie to my first interview, was not the talk of town at the pub that night either, but there myself celebrating a start date.

If you are a professional, dress like it!

[ryda]

So jeans and a nice ironed shirt will be ok for the first meeting with the CP(not the interview stage yet)? or am I completely wrong again...

[sthaussiepilot]

Basically, Its your decision, I personally would not wear jeans.

However, if you have a nice couple of hundred dollar jeans, that were ironed very nicely and a nice shirt to go with it, I cant see that looking to bad, however remember as the green goblin said, If your professional, dress like it... but it all comes down to how formal the CP wants the meeting to be....

[framer]

Hey Ryda,
When I did it in the NT I went for the middle ground. Ironed dress pants, ironed long sleeve dress shirt (no patterns or frills etc) , a decent belt and clean leather shoes.
I didn't wear a tie because I was aware that some operators think it's a bit w@nky. One or two page resume with no bullsh1t.
Remember that you are not heading out on he town, the person assessing you doesn't want you to look cool , they want you to look honest and reliable.
It's likely that the person you'l be talking to will be in their mid thirties or older. I'm in that age bracket and I find that some young fella's now days haven't been taught some of the basics and I have to admit I judge them on it. I'm not saying you fall in that catagory but just in case;
1/ Make sure your handshake is solid
2/ Look the person in the eye when shaking their hand.
3/About once a week I reckon I say to someone "hello how are you?" and the response I get is "G'day ,yeah good" ......................, When someone asks you how you are don't forget to ask how they are as part of your response. It shows that you are not a self centred person and have basic manners.
4/Don't put cr@p in your hair on interview day. It makes you look precious.
(If you are a girl disregard number four.)
What I have written above may seem like unimportant old-school bollox to many but I have put it up there because it might help someone if they are unfortunate enough to be interviewed by someone like me. In any case I don't think it will count against you if your interviewer is more............um.....progressive:)
Good luck mate.

[ryda]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll keep everything in mind...including that mankini

[The Green Goblin]

So jeans and a nice ironed shirt

If you dress like a bogan and are hired, chances are that the company is run by bogan's, pays a bogan wage AND the aeroplanes are maintained by bogan's that fly other bogan's around. Pretty soon you will be tired of being treated like a bogan and wish you had of dressed a little nicer for that other mob you checked out down the road.

[b_sta]

Jeez, what's wrong with just wearing a goddamn suit like every other industry in the world? Better to be overdressed than underdressed.

[hoss]

are we talking about remote/outback australia or big towns/cities.

i'm assuming places like derby, halls creek, horn island, karumba etc.

i'm also assuming ryda is male;).

be yourself and if you end up in halls creek in a suit and tie get a photo of it for us. it would be an amazing sight.

[framer]

be yourself and if you end up in halls creek in a suit and tie get a photo of it for us. it would be an amazing sight.:D:D:D...............

[captwawa]

yeh dont put **** or crap in ure hair.. might smell and turn people off..

however i would think if u normally use product in your hair then use it as u normally do....

[VH-XXX]

Don't wear jeans. There are clothes out there other than jeans. The only time you should be thinking about them is when they are on a nice looking young girl. Jeans are for teenagers and Chimbu.

[sthaussiepilot]

and the early morning chiefton drivers collecting the crayfish or papers ;)

[invertedpancake]

Sorry to dig up an old thread. I’ve recently moved up to Darwin and have started doing the rounds dropping off my CV. Up until now I’ve been wearing the standard uniform minus the epaulettes instead of a business shirt. I’ve just noticed a few people online saying this is a big no no these days. I was curious if this is a cardinal sin that would have ruined my chances at the places I’ve visited.

[Squawk7700]

Those people “online” probably don’t have actual aviation jobs.

[172heavy]

Sorry to dig up an old thread. I’ve recently moved up to Darwin and have started doing the rounds dropping off my CV. Up until now I’ve been wearing the standard uniform minus the epaulettes instead of a business shirt. I’ve just noticed a few people online saying this is a big no no these days. I was curious if this is a cardinal sin that would have ruined my chances at the places I’ve visited.
It really doesnt matter what you wear. It's attitude and a bit of luck being in the right place at the right time that will get you hired. Having said that, boots, pants and button up shirt would be the minimum. I'd probably avoid the pilot shirt all together (personal opinion). A $20 long sleeve lightly coloured check shirt from Connor has served me well multiple times in the GA space.

[CFD]

I don't think it matters that much, I know of 2 people dressed just as you propose that got a job in Darwin in the last 6 months. Otherwise agree with 172heavy - hopefully its the attitude they are interviewing apart from in my personal opinion the pilot shirt doesn't matter. If I was doing any interviewing up here I would say as long as you were tidy and presentable that would be ok, personal opinion I would avoid a tie..... but thats just my opinion from having lived up here for some years.

[Duck Pilot]

Bit of advice with regards to interviews for those who haven’t had much exposure to them, be yourself, be honest and think about what the employer’s expectations are and give them an indication that you know what their expectations are. It’s not rocket science!

It’s not a 1 way street, any good employment relationship is always a 2 way street regardless of the job or industry.

[invertedpancake]

Thanks for the clarification everyone, good to know it’s not a massive deal breaker.

Bit of advice with regards to interviews for those who haven’t had much exposure to them, be yourself, be honest and think about what the employer’s expectations are and give them an indication that you know what their expectations are. It’s not rocket science!

It’s not a 1 way street, any good employment relationship is always a 2 way street regardless of the job or industry.

Very solid advice that, no point getting a job at an operator (or anywhere) only to not fit the culture. Everyone loses.

Cheers!

[beached az]

Wear pants.
Pants are good.

Unless of course it's a Skype / Zoom / WhatsApp / MS Teams thingy blah blah portal meeting, in which case pants optional.
Pants Optional meetings are the best.

All the best.
BAz :ok:

[Mach E Avelli]

If you are a chick and have the legs for it, wear a skirt, or better still a tidy dress. Nothing too 'tarty' or too gaudy. Avoid the 'power suit' look. Understated is good. Do NOT rock up in pilot kit (same advice for the blokes).
A little distraction could have the chief pilot forget to ask really difficult questions.

[Checkboard]

Assuming the Chief Pilot is male, or interested, or corrupt, I guess.

[Uplinker]

Problem with wearing pilot uniform is that anybody can buy the kit. Someone turning up in a pilot's shirt and trousers could be the best pilot in the World, or the worst - or even not a pilot at all. A person wearing pilot uniform while not actually on duty as a pilot always looks a bit suspect, I think.

Appearance at interviews needs to be smart and show that you respect the job, the company you are applying to, and the people interviewing you.

Would you turn up for work as a commercial airline pilot without a tie? It might be the norm where it is very hot, such as Australia, I don't know.

[PoppaJo]

The best pilots I ever interviewed and hired, both small prop operators, and the big French stuff, did not wear a tie or jacket. Shirt, pants, slacks, however still looked executive like. You can look just as professional without a tie/jacket, if you know how to dress. Most don’t know how to dress.

I cannot stress the importance re shoes. Buy a new pair and only wear to interviews. You can polish and clean a used pair xx many times, generally a new pair is the first thing that stood out. I can see filth and uneven shoes without even looking at them.

[172heavy]

If you are a chick and have the legs for it, wear a skirt, or better still a tidy dress. Nothing too 'tarty' or too gaudy. Avoid the 'power suit' look. Understated is good. Do NOT rock up in pilot kit (same advice for the blokes).
A little distraction could have the chief pilot forget to ask really difficult questions.
This will only work at places that hire female pilots. There are still many out there that will not touch female pilots.

[Stretch06]

and for heavens sake, iron your shirt. The amount of people who I have interview over the years that look like they just rolled out of bed is ridiculous.

[Squawk7700]

There are still many out there that will not touch female pilots.

That’s sound advice!

[Cessna 180]

The best pilots I ever interviewed and hired, both small prop operators, and the big French stuff, did not wear a tie or jacket. Shirt, pants, slacks, however still looked executive like. You can look just as professional without a tie/jacket, if you know how to dress. Most don’t know how to dress.

I cannot stress the importance re shoes. Buy a new pair and only wear to interviews. You can polish and clean a used pair xx many times, generally a new pair is the first thing that stood out. I can see filth and uneven shoes without even looking at them.

Agreed clean/shiny boots are important, however someone who had made the effort to polish an old pair of boots would stand out to me more than someone who just took the easy option and bought a new pair on the way. But yes. Your shoes MUST be clean and a bit shiny.

Anyway, like everything, personality and genuineness stand out more than clothes. Be confidant and down to earth. Be someone that to whomever you are speaking, is going to want to hang out with on a daily basis.

Neat tidy and ironed. Look like you care about yourself and your appearance. Whether that be neat shorts/slacks/jeans and a good shirt in the tropics, or a suit and tie if going for a corporate job in a wanky city.

Also if it is 40 degrees and midday in the build up, wearing a cap or hat would show me that you actually have common sense and are prepared for what is essentially an outdoor job in the heat.

[Capn Rex Havoc]

Really, a thread about what to wear to an interview! If you need to discuss this then please do not fly an aeroplane. FFS.

[Capt Fathom]

I’ve been thinking the same thing Rex. If you can’t work this part out, what hope do you have operating an aircraft in the ‘unsupervised’ world?

[Mach E Avelli]

I’m with Rex and Deep Six above. But if you think this debate is a sad reflection, go to the one about pilot watches. Somehow it has morphed from finding a watch with ability to tell future time to the merits of cutting tabs off boots. There was a time when being a pilot required an IQ above room temperature.

[mikewil]

This will only work at places that hire female pilots. There are still many out there that will not touch female pilots.

....and probably just as many who reward them with preferential treatment/hiring practices to fill quotas.

[PoppaJo]

Cover up the tattoos also. I’ve seen a few GA pilots recently in my travels not doing that, one even had a hand tattoo. Remove the hand tattoos, behind the ear tattoos before you even get near that Regional or Airline interview. HR would go into cardiac arrest at my outfit if they came across that.

[Dookie on Drums]

Cover up the tattoos also. I’ve seen a few GA pilots recently in my travels not doing that, one even had a hand tattoo. Remove the hand tattoos, behind the ear tattoos before you even get near that Regional or Airline interview. HR would go into cardiac arrest at my outfit if they came across that.

Not at Bonza!!! :}

[Checkboard]

What about the prison teardrop tattoos?

[Stationair8]

Wife beater singlet or cunning stunts t-shirt?