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Junior Dev Job Interview: Which shirt do you think would be best?

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18 comments, last by Spinningcubes 7 years, 9 months ago
Yeah, I'd see it as pandering and probably like you less.

Just dress professionally and if you get the gig, then dress according to the dress code and your style.
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Choices:

A) Their latest game merchandising

B) Local food joint merchandising

C) Clean plain black shirt

Option C is the best bet. Perhaps even better, buy a new clean black shirt, and make sure it isn't wrinkled.

You might also consider a button-up shirt and possibly slacks instead of jeans, which is generally slightly positive at an interview. It shows you care to make an impression, but understand the dress code well enough to not overdress. It may not be much, but enough to decide between otherwise well-qualified applicants.

Like others above, the only times I've thought badly about candidate's clothes were once when the guy was WAY overdressed in a suit, and once when the clothes were stained and well-worn. (In both cases I asked about the clothes, the first one was embarrassed and was called 'the suit' in candidate discussions, the second didn't care and was called 'the bum'.)

D. Smart casual. Jeans, ironed shirt, normal/nice shoes (no sneakers).
Giving a good balance in what feels nice to wear and also shows you find the interview important.

A full suit is too much for the industry and a t-shirt with jeans and sneakers is too casual.
Ofcourse the above is just my own opinion and experience.

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I don't think you can go wrong being well dressed. I had an interview where I was better dressed than my interviewers, I didn't really mind and as long as you feel good in what you wear then you don't have to worry about being over dressed. They did joke at the end that I should buy some t-shirts before I start! I am working at a place now where I was slightly more casually dressed compared to everyone else and I really didn't like that, although I was dressed fine I felt like a scruff by comparison. I would hate to be having an interview while feeling like that.

Even if the work environment is casual I feel for an interview you are better off just dressing smart regardless. Better to do too much than too little and if someone showed up to me for a hypothetical interview with a t-shirt of my brand I would always have this voice in my head suggesting they are just doing it to win points and are probably not genuine. Totally personal opinion though.

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The usual advice I give is to dress one level above the daily dresscode. Game development is usually a casual environment, so "smart casual" or "casual+" is a good point to aim for. Even a nice pair of dark-colored jeans and a nice, inoffensive t-shirt is usually fine -- don't wear your favorite pair of jeans and lucky tshirt (old and both full of holes). Wear a nice pair of shoes to match, causal dress shoes are great -- wear your nicest sneakers if you don't have dress shoes.

Slacks or a dressier shirt might be a safer bet, so err on that side if you're concerned. In general, you're not going to gain or lose any points for dressing up, and usually the same goes for dressing down unless its so down as to be unprofessional. Don't wear anything that might offend, don't wear that shirt with the funny slogan on it, don't wear the thing with the stain or the hole, don't wear sandals, or a tank-top. Basically, common sense is sufficient, for those who have it -- if anything, dressing down too much docks you because it sends the signal that you might lack that common sense.

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I have never docked points from someone showing up to an interview because they have overdressed.

Think this statement says it all.

Even if you are interviewing for a Junior position, dress as if you are for a very senior one. It shows a lot about you.

I think you have placed some good thought in your choices, but missed the fact it is business, people want to hire you to help the company make more money.

Dress like you are ready to do that and you should win.

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I always wear my suit for interviews but that's mostly because it's one of the only times I get to wear my suit (the others being weddings and funerals).

But as others have said the games industry is normally quite relaxed so as long as you look smart and neat you should be good.

Out of your options I would go for the plain black shirt. Being well presented goes a long way in any industry.

"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."

Even if you are interviewing for a Junior position, dress as if you are for a very senior one. It shows a lot about you.
I think you have placed some good thought in your choices, but missed the fact it is business, people want to hire you to help the company make more money.
Dress like you are ready to do that and you should win.


Just a word of warning though - when I'm interviewing a programmer, I don't look for someone to "help the company make more money". I'm looking for someone who is going to fit into the team, so that the team can help the company make more money. If you wear a suit because you didn't realise the industry is more casual than that, no problem whatsoever. If you wear a suit because you see yourself as the studio head-in-waiting, and back that up with how you talk in the interview, your chances are slim.

Plain black shirt sound like a good choice. New clean cloths that you are comfortable wearing is the best. Don't matter if they forget what you wear, you are not there as a fashion model :).

@spinningcubes | Blog: Spinningcubes.com | Gamedev notes: GameDev Pensieve | Spinningcubes on Youtube

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