https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 15 May 2026 16:36:47 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847519 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:08:36 +0000 Gaylene 847519@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Adelfa, I totally agree that an unmatched suit can strike exactly the right note for the "quasi-formal" interview. But there are unmatched suits and there are unmatched suits. I've seen candidates show up for their interview presentations in horribly mismatched jackets and skirts that looked thrown together at the last moment. I'd also be careful with the wool skirt/sweater/tights/Frye boots combo because that look tends to make a female look like a student instead of a candidate for a faculty/staff position. As Unfrumped points out what you wear for an interview and what you wear when you have the job are different things.</p> <p>One of the reasons I like the suit idea is that it puts women on more or less the same footing as men. Most men will wear a suit, or a blazer/khaki combo, for an interview. A woman in a matched suit can stand with the men in suits, or she can remove the jacket and go with the cardi/soft-shirt/skirt version if the males are in their khakis; either way, the focus stays on her competence instead of her outfit. The unmatched suit can be trickier because it requires a more deft hand to ensure the elements work together. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847511 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:56:58 +0000 adorkable 847511@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So I think we have it.</p> <p>The first afternoon:<br /> <a href="http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/2/optimized/1354552_fpx.tif" rel="nofollow">http://slimages.macys.com/is/i.....52_fpx.tif</a> with my charcoal suit jacket, black tights, and silver-grey flats.</p> <p>The second (longer) day:<br /> a charcoal-and-cream small houndsooth wool pencil skirt with a red top &amp; the same jacket and flats. some kind of tights - will have to take a good look at my options.</p> <p>Plus accessories. But I'll get there!</p> <p>And thanks for all the well wishes. The event means much more to me than the outfit! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847480 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:59:37 +0000 Adelfa 847480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In my non-academic environment, the "unmatched suit" says all the right things in an interview. It says, "I'm trying, and I take this opportunity seriously, but I am not stuffy or unimaginative." </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847437 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:24:49 +0000 unfrumped 847437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What Gaylene said! Interview outfit and what the people wear after they get the job are two different things.<br /> I would also consider unmatched jacket and pants but should be done very well and not random.. very nice quality and excellent fitting separates can look better than a cheap suit, of course. But my choices would be based on the outcome, a polished professional look, and not just to avoid a suit per se. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847413 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 03:51:29 +0000 Gaylene 847413@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sixty (plus) prof here who usually gets to sit on the hiring committees for this sort of thing. As others have pointed out, a lot depends on the culture and size of the institution and on the particular job and field. Generally smaller institutions are less formal than larger ones, and science/humanities are less formal than business/engineering folk, but there are always exceptions.</p> <p>My suggestion would be to wear the suit with a soft blouse in your most flattering color. Wear lowish, fairly conservative, well-polished pumps instead of boots; your shoes need to be ones you can wear for 8-10 hours comfortably, otherwise your discomfort will show on your face during the presentations and meetings. A tall, well-polished, refined boot can work for some people, but it is a more risky proposition. Keep accessories minimal and refined. Be impeccably groomed, right down to your nails. If you have long hair and tend to flip it around when nervous, tie it back. Use a lip balm so you don't keep licking your lips. Everything will be noticed, most often by the least groomed person on the interview committee. Leave the backpack at home and use a briefcase to hold your papers and equipment; leather is nice, but a classic, dark zippered nylon case is just fine.</p> <p>Find room in your briefcase to toss in a cardigan and a scarf. If, once you are there, you think the suit is too formal, you can take off the jacket and scrunch the sleeves of your blouse for a more casual look. If the room is cool, you can add the cardigan to finish the outfit or wear the jacket with the sleeves rolled up. If the room is warm, and your skirt/shirt outfit sans jacket looks unfinished, add the scarf. If every other female candidate is wearing a dark suit, you can also use the scarf create a more memorable image--"that candidate with the red scarf" idea. If you spill something on yourself during lunch, you can always replace the shirt with the buttoned cardigan--a godsend if you have an afternoon presentation since salad dressing and silk blouses seem to have a positive affinity for each other. If you will be having dinner with your interviewers, you might also want to consider adding necklace, or interesting earrings, to your skirt/blouse combo for another look.</p> <p>If the interviews extend into a second day, a pair of trousers that work with your suit jacket and/or cardigan can be a nice change because the interviews tend to become less formal as both parties get to know each other.</p> <p>And, most of all, remember that you wouldn't be going through this process if people didn't think you were a credible candidate for the position. Concentrate on your audience instead of yourself and help them see how you'd be an asset to the department. Be kind to other candidates and, if something doesn't go right, smile, fix what can be fixed, and then move on with confidence. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847361 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:44:32 +0000 saramir 847361@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Another post-doc (social scientist) chiming in...I've just been on two of these interviews, 1 to the midwest and 1 to the West. Definitely err on the side of being more formal - they will not hold it against you as you are the interviewee and they will be expecting you to dress up. In my field, no one wears suits on the job (except for very special occasions) but all interviewees are expected to wear suits.</p> <p>Be as comfortable as you can. If your boots are comfortable, wear them even if they are a little casual - and all the more reason to dress up the rest of your outfit. </p> <p>Also - save your best outfit for the main day, when you have your job talk and most interviews. Depending on how it goes you may have time and want to change into less-formal clothes before dinner. What worked for me was having a pair of black slacks and 2 cardigan twinsets - 1 was for the night before my big day, dinner with the chair, and then I ended up having a last-minute appointment the day after and I was glad to have a fresh outfit.</p> <p>And...GOOD LUCK!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847335 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:16:11 +0000 cinnamon fern 847335@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm a humanities academic on the east coast. To me, #2 sounds way too casual (and women are penalized for being too casual much more than men, especially if you're in a male-dominated field). I would wear definitely wear a jacket. I don't think a suit is necessary, but I don't think it would be a negative.</p> <p>Show us pictures if you need to channel your pre-interview stress! And congrats on the interview, especially in this awful market. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847240 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:24:26 +0000 Makrame 847240@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Coming from the sciences side, I am always for "mismatched suit". In other words, blazer and pants or blazer and skirt that have different colors/textures. Black pants/grey blazer, grey skirt/navy blazer, that sort of thing. To me, this hits the right note between informality and being dressed up for the important occasion. For my interviews, I did black pants with a microcheck blazer one day and grey pants with black blazer next day (the black pants and blazer were from a suit).</p> <p>I always have doubts about boots for more formal occassion, and Diana is right about the mike - you want either a blouse that is tucked into the skirt so that you can put the microphone pack on the waistband, or some other place for clipping the mike.</p> <p>My personal favorite from a recent series of presentations in relatively bad-weather areas (Canada etc.) was wearing dress pants with these boots.<br /> <a href="http://www.zappos.com/clarks-dara-iii-dark-brown-leather?ef_id=c0FQH-wvHwkAAE@W:20130213002611:s" rel="nofollow">http://www.zappos.com/clarks-d.....13002611:s</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847223 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:07:54 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 847223@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The northwest is less formal, for sure, but you still might want either a jacket or suit pants/skirt. Can you break up your suit? I think it depends a lot on the department you're interviewing in. At the university I worked at in northern California, the scientists were usually super-casual but the humanities and social scientists were still pretty dressy when they had presentations etc. And the business school was not surprisingly very corporate suit-ish. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847220 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:05:29 +0000 adorkable 847220@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks folks! I'll post pictures later or tomorrow if I can figure out how to take them myself.</p> <p>These are, unfortunately, my nicer boots. Living in Southern California, my shoe wardrobe is 90% sandals. Including almost all of my dressy shoes. Oops. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847206 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:56:49 +0000 Diana 847206@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Like Tanya, I am also a post-doc in science at a east coast institution. I have recently gone to a few "preparing for the job interview" panels and the basic advice for dressing was "wear what you are comfortable in". If that is a suit, then wear the suit, although everyone said that a suit was not necessary for academia. But if you feel awful and fidgety in a suit, then go for separates. Personally, in my field, I would wear a suiting material skirt/trousers + nice blouse with a coordinating (but not matching, as in a suit) blazer. The blazer could be removed if it feels too dressy. I feel that the full suit is a bit too formal and I personally would not be comfortable in it. I would probably choose trousers over a skirt because then I could wear booties underneath them for comfort. </p> <p>(Also, an important tip I learned from one of these seminars: make sure you wear something you can clip the microphone pack to for your talk or something with pockets to hold it. Apparently this is often a problem if you wear a skirt because it's heavy enough that it might drag your waistband down.)</p> <p>ETA: I think I'd go for sleeker boots. Veronica Slouches are pretty rugged, and I think I'd wear something more polished. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847199 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:53:48 +0000 Isis 847199@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am a professor and see a lot of academic job interviews. Most interviewers do not wear suits in my field, although a few do. Other fields (medicine, engineering) are more conservative and you would wear a suit.</p> <p>I think if most people are telling you not to wear a suit, then I would not, especially since you do not feel great in your suit. I would wear your dressy wool skirt, a blazer (not a sweater), and a blouse. I like the authority that a blazer projects. It can be a knit if you want the sweater comfy factor. Not sure if the Veronica slouchy boots are too casual or not. Can you post pics of potential outfits?</p> <p>Is it likely to be raining and do you have a cute trench and umbrella? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847190 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:43:34 +0000 Tanya 847190@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh I know! The thing is, in my opinion, if you do not know what the interviewers are expecting, a suit would be safer. I do not think anyone would hold it against you even if they were expecting more casual dress, as suits are pretty much the norm and you are interviewing for a very serious position. On the other head, I think wearing something more casual when a suit is expected might show some lack of seriousness. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847178 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:39:38 +0000 adorkable 847178@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Might depend on the field - almost everyone I've talked to has told me not to even think about wearing the suit, but a handful have told me to wear it for sure.</p> <p>The wool skirt is a knee-length suit-type skirt. It's dressier than most of what I own.</p> <p>It's also worth noting that I'm originally from the East Coast and now live on the West Coast. It took me a while to get used to dressing down to West Coast standards... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847169 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:35:46 +0000 Tanya 847169@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am in academic field ( a post doc currently) and I would certainly err on the side of conservative and wear a pant suit. ( wore a pant suit for all my post doc interviews). I am in the North East though, so I do not know if that make any difference. I beleive your option #2 is way too casual. </p> <p>You can dress the suit down with flat-ish shoes/ booties, and softer shirt, so that you are comfortable.</p> <p>Good luck!!! (hoping to be in your shoes 2 years from now). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/academic-job-interview-seattle-weather#post-847166 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:30:51 +0000 adorkable 847166@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'll try to post some pictures when I get home, but ...</p> <p>Next week I have an on-campus interview for an academic job in the lovely Pacific Northwest. These interviews are two-day, grueling affairs in which you give multiple lectures for different audiences, run from meeting to meeting, and eat all of your meals with people who are interviewing you.</p> <p>I have absolutely no idea what to wear.</p> <p>Comfort is a factor.</p> <p>I have the vague sense that the Northwest is less formal than other areas, and I think a suit is probably not appropriate. (In many academic fields, suits are questionably appropriate. I own one and can wear it, but I'm not sure it's the smartest choice.)</p> <p>I'd love opinions from people familiar with the northwest, academic culture, or (ideally) both! Especially as regards level of formality.</p> <p>Ideas: </p> <p>1. The suit. I still feel like I'd rather not, but it does work...<br /> 2. Leather boots (Frye Veronica slouch, if you're a boot person), tights, a wool skirt, and a sweater or blouse.<br /> 3. Help? Other?</p> <p>In general I am more of a skirt and dress wearer than a pants wearer but I certainly own options of both sorts. </p>