Interview Etiquette

[Blueberry]

I'm lucky, I've only HAD to wear a suit a handful of times at my job. I work at a VERY liberal law firm. Yay for casual EVERYDAY!!!!

Why can't we have those in North Carolina????? The one negative on my recent review was that they didn't think I dressed "professionally" enough. WTF???? I wear a suit everyday. The person reviewing me had the audacity to suggest that I employee her personal shopper. Ummm....no.....I have no desire to wear clothes that are her "style" - very bright colors, wide belts, large houndstooth print, etc. UGH - NOT for me! Guess black/gray/navy doesn't cut it when you work in her department.....

Oh yeah - interviewing advice - I've been doing a lot of that lately...Here's what works/doesn't for me...

1) Most women do come with a small handbag and a portfolio. Perfectly acceptable.
2) Men - DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT come to an interview in a seersucker suit with a straw hat...
3) While you're at it, don't tell a female interviewer that you want to be a part of the "good ole boys network...
4) Or that you don't think women make good attorneys (I'm not making this up)...
5) Women - DO NOT dress like Ally McBeal - Skirts OR pants are OK, but it better be a matching suit and the skirt really shouldn't be so short you have to pull it down when you sit...
6) Don't wear heels so high you wobble when you walk (some other employees in my office could learn from that one too)...
7) Hose are required with skirts for an interview. Black seems to be OK now, if going neutral - "oyster" tends to be a good color (on the pale side of suntan seems to be in style now)...It should not be the really dark I've been out in the sun all year no one could be this tanned "suntan"...
8) Lay off the perfume (Miss Giant Houndstooth could stand to learn that lesson - I gag in my office for 15 minutes after she leaves)...
9) Once you've been given a position with the firm for after law school, DO NOT wear a dress cut down below your bra line *in the front* to the office Christmas party....

That should do it :/ Of course, it depends on who you interview with and his/her style. Most of the men in my office wouldn't notice if I wore sweatpants to work.