Ask HR

Q. Is it appropriate to dress business casual for an interview?

Marya Calhoun, Director, Human Asset Management and Development, Vericom Corp.

A. Although dress codes range from business professional to casual with jeans, it is not appropriate to dress business casual for an interview. I recommend that you dress professional for all interviews. It’s the employer’s first impression and what they will remember. You are your personal marketing tool. Make it a professional one.

Mark J. Herold VP HR Cypress Communications Inc.

A. Typically, no. My guidance is to gravitate toward business attire unless told otherwise. Candidates sometimes have the opportunity to receive guidance from the individual arranging the interview. Indicate you plan to arrive in business attire unless advised otherwise. In the absence of additional information, take a conservative approach.

Angelo Frangi, PHR HR director / HR business partner - the Americas Intercontinental Hotels Group

A. It is never appropriate to dress business casual for a job interview. In today’s competitive employment landscape, you should do everything possible to create a great first impression that ensures the interviewer remembers you at the end of the day, not the other candidates. Why place at risk one of the key variables that you can actually control during an interview?

Mike Haberman VP, director of HR Services Omega HR Solutions

A. The only time I would dress business casual for an interview is if I had been specifically told by the company representative, or the recruiter who had arranged the interview, that the appropriate way to dress was business casual. Other than that, professional dress is the best way to make the best first impression.

Note: The human resources professionals participating in Ask HR are members of SHRM, the Atlanta Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management. If you have a question you would like to ask a panel of local experts, please e-mail it to sbelhamel@bellsouth.net. For more information about joining SHRM-Atlanta, visit their membership section.