The interview dress code

[OBK!]

Hi,

I am going to be going to a few interviews in the not too distant future regarding flying training and jobs! What's going to make me stand out?

I have a budget of £400 for a suit with some descent shoes included...whats best with this budget?

Thanks! :D

[Grivation]

OBK - a smile and a laugh (in the suitable context of course) will make you stand out far more than a pair of polished shoes!

[boeingbus2002]

Although u r right..dont under estimate the power of polished shoes!!
One interviewer leant over to take a look at my shoes. Its the small details that are often over looked.
Wouldnt bother with a high fashion suit, just simple and smart..dark colurs usually.

If like me you get sweaty palms when nervous, use one of those quick wet wipes before to freshen them up so your handshake dont feel all clammy!

[Island Air]

Polished shoes are a must! Any interviewer worth his salt will check out that at first contact. The rest, well, 400 quid is way over what you need to spend, pilots are not fashion models after all, and most are very far removed from same... ;)

[Grivation]

Yes but a Chief Pilot worth his salt knows any idiot can polish shoes!

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Well its suprising the number of idiots who DO turn up for interview without polished shoes. When I was interviewing I noticed every time (non-aviation jobs) and one can't help thinking that if Candidate X cannot be bothered to spend 5 minutes with some Kiwi then how concientious is he likely to be if you hire him?

Darkish suit, new white shirt, polished shoes and a haircut would be my advice.

I wouldn't worry too much about clammy handshakes - most interviewers will understand that its beyond your control. Some people have sweaty palms others have vice like palms as arid as Arizona.

I think its also worthwhile to do a litttle research or buy a book about interview techniques and non-verbal communication.

WWW

[DoMePlease]

I just finished my interview with a MAJOR national airline for sponsorship in Europe. I have been successful. Anyway, while I was there, no one wore a suit, not the management or even the hopefuls. The hopefuls all wore long sleeved shirts with a tie and yes shiny shoes. Please no loafers (you'd be surprised...). I was made to sit a few metres from the interviewers so they could see me from top to toe. This is standard at most airline interviews. Please please please dun figid. You will automatically lose the interview if you figid. It is THE thing that interviewers look for. I cannot stress this enough. You definately dun need $400. In fact any K-Mart shirt will do. So as long as it is NEW and PRESSED. It must must must be NEW. Wear a QUIET tie with small red patches/spots, though don't overdo it with the patches and spots.

FYI, the interviewers wore shirts. Some long sleeved some short. 90% of them did not wear a tie, which is the way I think it should be. Maintain an image of professionalism by not overdressing. Conducting an interview with a full 3 piece suit is overkill.

[Piper Warrior Pilot]

I heard, always wear a tie with red in it. Dont know why but thats what i heard. Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong though.

GOOD LUCK FOR THE INTERVIEWS MATE

[Gin Slinger]

This looks like good advice:

http://www.oxfordaviation.net/career/inter.htm

[nika]

Great tips but what about the girls?
Long pants or skirts? :)

[OBK!]

nika....a bikini should take care of the non-verbal communication ;) lol.

Many thanks guys/gals for your comments! I'll deffinatley take them to the interview...

Thanks again!:D

[Pilot Pete]

OBK!

DoMePlease makes some interesting points about the Far East where I am sure it is the norm to not wear a jacket and possibly not even a tie due to the climate. It goes without saying that that is not the norm here in the UK.

Valid points have already been made. Yes, shiny shoes don't make a good pilot, but they do make a good impression, which let's face it, is what you are after. £400 for a suit is more than you actually need to spend, but do go out and try lots on with someone (preferably female) with a sense of taste who can critically eye you up and down in each to say if they are 'you' or not. Above all, keep it dark (grey or blue seem best), not black! If you must get one with pin stripes make sure they are very thin and very faint, you are not trying to be a City Trader! Do make sure it fits you nicely; if you are an odd size consider getting it tailored (mainly leg length) as you can look rediculous in an ill fitting suit no matter how much you've spent. I would say belt rather than braces and DARK socks that compliment your suit and shoes, no pictures on them.......non of this 1980's sports socks(I can't believe I used to do that!!!!) Buy your tie at the same time so you can get the female to match a tie/suit/shirt combination; keep it simple and you won't go far wrong. Daffy Duck really must be held back for your first day!

It's personal choice but I would say single breasted rather than double, sensibly sized lapels and no more than 4 buttons (depending how tall you are) on the front (it's a business suit you're after, not high fashion), which incedently you will be able to wear again and again whereas fashion suits suddenly look silly 2 years later. In fact I retract, as once you are successful at interview and land that airline job your waistline will never be the same again...............! Never do all the buttons up as it looks like a coat, undo them before sitting down if you keep it on and don't wear a 3 peice or you will look like a bank manager plus offices are always heated/ cooled to be suitable for shirt sleeve order, so once you are in the interview ask if they would mind if you removed your jacket. They won't, even if the interviewer keeps his/ hers on, and you look a lot better than if you sit there melting in your jacket! You will be hot anyway due to self imposed pressure so select your shirt carefully. White or pale blue look very good, but be careful of making the Tony Blair gaffe of a nice blue shirt with really dark bits all over it as the sweat seeps through!!! White has to be the better. On that note, 100% cotton shirts feel great but look crap after 20 mins of wearing, whereas a poly/cotton mix irons very easily and doesn't crease anywhere near as much (all my issued pilot shirts are poly cotton). Don't drive to the interview wearing your jacket, hang it up in the back to keep that 'just dry cleaned' look. Oh, and above all else.........don't leave the 'Aquascutum' label sewn on the bottom of the sleeve!!!!!!!!!

Hair cut 'above the collar' not too much gel etc if you use it, good clean shave with a fresh blade to avoid 'pizza piazza' and clean finger nails/ hands unless you are an engineer type who can explain it away!!!

Hope that was of some help, Granny and eggs come to mind, but if you haven't interviewed before those are my recommendations based on 3 successful airline interviews and no failures yet..........

Good luck

PP

ps. As soon as you arrive at the venue, find the wash rooms and straighten your tie in a mirror, if your top button is clearly in view it will become a magnet for those talking to you.

[Freak On A Leash]

You could look at the problem from another angle too; what not to wear!The last thing you want is for the board to think "what kind of schmuck is this" or "look what the cat dragged in".

I don`t think that you`ll get a job based entirely upon what you wear, but looking sharp is never a disadvantage.It`s a way of giving the board the message that, yes, you understand that they are important people and show them their due respect.A haircut does wonders, and for shiny shoes... if you can shine them, then you`d better have a spitshine:D

That said, make a good first impression.Give a nice and firm handshake (nobody likes the receive a weak handshake - it gives the impression that you could care less).Take part in the interview as well, don`t just sit there and answer the questions. Remember you`re a pilot and therefore should be able to take some initiative.Be on time!Preferrably a bit early.

And last but not least, shower, scrub and shave.Cleanly boys don`t misbehave! (Stole that from NOFX)

Lotsa luck!

[scroggs]

Oh, fer Chrissakes, this is not difficult, nor is it a Black Art. Be clean, be smart. Wear a suit and tie. If you haven't got one, go and get one - as Pete says, do it with some feminine input so you don't make too much of a howler. Do NOT attempt a fashion statement, and do NOT attempt a pre-emptive strike for dressing-down in the workplace. Wear clean, polished, sober shoes. I don't care if they're loafers. I also don't care if your tie has red in it, but don't distract me with a cartoon strip on your tie - I want to read you, not your clothes. In fact, that is the whole point. Your clothes are not the centre of attention here; you are. So don't rock the boat. Let your brain do the talking via your mouth!

The same applies generally to the ladies. Pants or skirt (not too short) isn't really important, but the overall image should be sober and smart.

Also, don't put too much store on the comments of those with only one or two interviews behind them. Again, as WWW said, an interview preparation book may be a good investment.

[g10]

how about ties? would i look too keen/silly if i wore a tie with a simple repeating pattern of aeroplanes on it.

[Pilot Pete]

Yes. Spotter or Professional; which image do you want to give?

PP

[Pistol Pete]

I was thinking of going in bermuda shorts, lime-green vest with a surfing logo, sandals, a rasta wig and a guide dog. :D

[Pilot Pete]

Pete

Now funny you should mention a guide dog as I once watched a captain take a blind pax's guide dog for a 'comfort break' during a tech stop. He kept his sunglasses on and conducted the walkround check much to the amusement of the other pax..............I don't think he went as far as the 'surf dude' shirt during his command check though!!!:D

PP

[The Boy Lard]

To be honest I cant actually believe that some people would go for an interview in anything but the smartest they could possibly possibly be!

Come on guys we've spent vast sums of money getting the covetted ATPL, sent out vast numbers of CVs, worked cr@ppy jobs to keep your head above water....you finally get the call for the interview that will make sense of all this sacrifice and should you be successful you will be living your dream and youre wondering whether you should wear a suit or not?????

Tell you what, you all go with scruffy shoes, bad taste ties and string for a belt, it will cut down the amount of people I'm up against for sure!

There can be no question, spend £400 on a suit if you need to, as a percentage of the thousands spent already getting here its a no brainer!

Ta

TBL:rolleyes:

edited for poor spelling, but I'm still going to wear a suit!

[G SXTY]

Don’t ever, ever underestimate the power of 1st impressions. When the door opens and you walk in, what does the person(s) on the other side of the desk want to see? Smart, sober, professional. Self – confident but not cocky, serious but with a sense of humour. Mature. Funnily enough, a bit like the sort of character the pax expect to see walking through airports dressed as pilots . . .

Don’t ever be late - even by one minute. Firm (not wet) handshake, maintain eye contact, smile, don’t let yourself appear nervous or intimidated. And as for shoes – well if you can’t be trusted to polish them for a job interview, is anyone likely to trust you with an airliner? Would you?

Like Scroggs says, it’s not exactly rocket science.

[DoMePlease]

Since we;re on the topic of WET handshakes, does anyone out there know of a way of getting rid of wet hands?

How many people really have this problem anyway?

[abracadabra]

Pistol Pete,

What's wrong with black suits?

I may not have many great-looking clothes, but I do have a really sharp black suit. I know that as long as you look smart and professional you're halfway there, but is there something I should know?

-abracadabra

[soggyboxers]

When I used to sit on a selection board we always looked at the dress standard of the candidates. A suit, or at the very least a dark blue blazer with matching dark blue or grey formal trousers, sober tie, well pressed shirt and well polished shoes were essential. White socks were a complete, total NO, NO!

[schooner]

DoMePlease,
apparently botox injections in your palms will stop them sweating a treat (so I`ve been told anyway ;) )

Cheers all

[2BBA]

DoMePlease,

Why don't you keep a (clean!) hanky in your right trouser pocket (assuming you are right handed) in order that you can covertly wipe your palm immediately prior to walking through the interview door (withdraw your hand before entering the room). Then, before you've a chance to get sweaty again, the initial handshakes are over.

In all probability, handshakes are required at the end, so towards the conclusion of the interview rest your palm on your leg. As you get up, the movement will automatically wipe your palm dry - and will be disguised to the interviewers. Do not sit there wiping your hand on your trousers though, or obviously wipe your palm on the side of your leg before shaking - very off-putting.

This technique has got me through many a summer meeting!!

[Pistol Pete]

abracadabra:

I didn't say anything about black suits. I did say something about a guide dog though :)

I haven't got anything against black suits. I use them myself for interviews and funerals too. Saves money that way;).

abra, black suits are sharp but with a black tie you could look like an undertaker.

[RowleyUK]

What about a waiste coat?

[EMB Bras]

As Scroggs said, for the ladies :

Pants or skirt (not too short) isn't really important

Couldnt have said it better myself :D :eek: :D Yes girls, refrain from wearing Pants or Skirts!

[DoMePlease]

2BBA: I have tried wiping on a hankerchief or casually doing a quick one as I stand up, but it doesn't work. Your palms are still moist and sticky. There is no way to completely wipe 'em dry.

[no sponsor]

I own and wear lots of suits. The best colour is most definitely dark blue (not a shiny silk one), a light blue shirt, and a dark blue tie. Make sure it looks good, but also that you feel comfortable in it. What you feel like will affect your confidence. If you feel embarassed by what you are wearing, or are thinking "I look ridiculous in these baggy trousers and ill-fitting jacket" you won't be on your best form.

M&S will do you fine: £200 for the suit, a non iron shirt (which does need some ironing) - avoid the all cotton shirt which creases extremely easily - for £20, and a tie for £15. It's best to choose a suit where you can mix and match the trousers and jacket, so you can select, for example, a 36 short trousers with a regular jacket. Avoid getting clothes altered if you can, they never sit well.

I suppose, that bearing in mind there's many ex-military types about in aviation, clean shoes are a must, but avoid buffing the fronts so that you can see your face in them (this is strictly reserved for those who think they are still in the forces). Its worth taking an old toothbrush to the sides of the shoe to remove dust that has built up between the sole and the leather material, else your polishing will be pointless.

You could always get a cheap airfare to Hong Kong and get a number of suits and shirts made for less than a hundred pounds. If you are lucky, you might persuade someone to make you a pin strip with a horizontal stripe. Now, that would be a good ice-breaker for the interview...