Hiring Managers, H/R peeps - Couple of questions for ya....

[neebelung]

Ok, I need some feedback here, and if any of you peeps are/have been hiring managers or H/R reps in the past, please pipe in.

I've got three balls in the air right now; two positions I've already interviewed for (1 of them twice) that I should hear back on by week's end, and another I'm interviewing with tomorrow.

Question 1.) The interview I've got tomorrow, the woman made a point of telling me "We're pretty casual here; I know people feel they need to dress up, put on a suit, but we're not like that here. Slacks and... well... any old top will be just fine."

So do I listen to her? For some interviews, I dress up more than others, but at the very least, it's very nice dress pants and a nice blouse/tailored button down (not manly button down, but not a t-shirt, either!). Do I go with that, or do I try to dress it down a bit more???? I've just never had someone tell me to NOT dress up (normally it's recruiters telling me "Dress to impress!"), so I dunno how to handle it properly. :lol:


Question 2.) I touched base with the guy I'd interviewed with last week to check status, see if there was any other info he needed from me, etc... (he told me last week they'd make a decision this week). When we spoke, he said they were POSSIBLY going to hire two people for this spot, but he wasn't sure; they'd see how hectic things were once the program rolled out, and maybe bring one person in, and then once things settled down, bring in another person, and have person #1 train/mentor them. Truth be told, I can't see in a million years how they'll need 2 people. (I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound like they will).

Anyway, so in his response today, he said his only concern is that they won't be able to meet my salary requirements. Of course, salaries are always negotiable - to a point. So do I just treat that casually, and tell him it's negotiable, or is there a tactful way to tell him "You won't NEED two people if you hire me, so in reality, you'll be SAVING money...." (:lol: ).

HALP!!!!!! :lol:

[Particle Man]

? 1 - Eff casual. You can dress casually AFTER you're hired.

? 2 - Promote your skills so they'll understand that one of you = two other people.

[HurricaneHeather]

1. Wear what you feel comfortable in. Period. If you feel perfectly comfortable with slacks and a nice blouse wear that. If you are going to feel like a dweeb wearing a t-shirt and jeans and inadvertently act like a dweeb, then by golly don't wear that. :lol:

I think of slacks and a nice blouse as dressing down. I think you'll be fine with that. :wink:

2. By ALL means, find a tactful way to say "You won't NEED two people if you hire me, so in reality, you'll be SAVING money...."

At salary negotiation time you can by all means lead with that. Let me mull it over and think of a way to put that tactfully....

[neebelung]

? 1 - Eff casual. You can dress casually AFTER you're hired.

? 2 - Promote your skills so they'll understand that one of you = two other people.

1.) :lol: That's my thinking. I can't even IMAGINE walking into a company where I want a job and NOT dressing to the 9's. It's just foreign to me.

2.) I'm kinda hoping to be able to do that. He told me last week they wouldn't be doing 2nd round interviews, but he responded today and said they might, that there's another person who's feedback he wants on the new hire. So I'm hoping if I can stave off nailing down #'s right now, and then impress both of them in that second interview, then maybe I can make them realize I'm worth more than they thought they wanted to pay.... :shrug:

Let me mull it over and think of a way to put that tactfully....

Please do! :lol:

[HurricaneHeather]

If you can put it in a way that you are providing your expertise on the matter in the second interview that would be perfect. Like, 'in my experience with this and that I found that I can complete such and such task in this amount of time with just these resources.' Find something in the job description that is mentioned to be a big chunk of your responsibilities and take that as the starting point.

Ah, shit I'm still mulling....

[karl_1052]

1) Wear slacks and a nice shirt, if it seems really casual unbutton the top three buttons.

[neebelung]

If you can put it in a way that you are providing your expertise on the matter in the second interview that would be perfect. Like, 'in my experience with this and that I found that I can complete such and such task in this amount of time with just these resources.' Find something in the job description that is mentioned to be a big chunk of your responsibilities and take that as the starting point.

Ah, shit I'm still mulling....

Luckily I did a good bit of that in the first interview; everything they're doing with regard to the actual roll-out (it's basically an account/database manager for one specific key account that they're rolling out a proprietary software package for, to house all of their information for some 40,000 products, from organic certifications, to certificates of insurance, to artwork/packaging).

I've BEEN a part of a similar roll out, I was on the project team for development, I wrote the training manual to train OTHER people on the product... so I know exactly what they're going to be going through (in fact, their program looks BETTER/easier to use than the one I worked with).

So all the while during the interview while he's telling me what they're doing, etc... I was giving him examples of things I'd done that related to it... It was a funny interview really - he never once asked me anything, and at the end of it, told me it was basically a personality interview. :lol:

[HurricaneHeather]

1) Wear slacks and a nice shirt, if it seems really casual unbutton the top three buttons.

Top three?! Neebs, please don't go in there with your tatas hanging out. :lmao: Unless you really want the job and the HR person is a perv. :lol:

[neebelung]

1) Wear slacks and a nice shirt, if it seems really casual unbutton the top three buttons.

:dvrofl: I'm interviewing with a WOMAN!! I don't think that'd get me very far! :lol:

[MissHell]

1. Wear what you feel comfortable in. Period. If you feel perfectly comfortable with slacks and a nice blouse wear that. If you are going to feel like a dweeb wearing a t-shirt and jeans and inadvertently act like a dweeb, then by golly don't wear that. :lol:

I think of slacks and a nice blouse as dressing down. I think you'll be fine with that. :wink:

I agree. If the person specifically told you to dress down, I would.

Hawaii in general is pretty casual. If someone comes into our company over-dressed for an interview. They are laughed at behinds their backs, and if they get hired - they are ribbed forever how they looked for their interview.

[Particle Man]

:dvrofl: I'm interviewing with a WOMAN!! I don't think that'd get me very far! :lol:

even better if she notices. :lmao:

[neebelung]

ARRRGGHH... that's so tough! I don't mind dressing down for WORK (esp since if it's a casual office, I can ride to work a often), but I don't feel right dressing down for interviews.. it's just weird! :lol: It's that whole first impression thing!

[MissHell]

ARRRGGHH... that's so tough! I don't mind dressing down for WORK (esp since if it's a casual office, I can ride to work a often), but I don't feel right dressing down for interviews.. it's just weird! :lol: It's that whole first impression thing!
Can you wear a pantsuit with a collared shirt? Carry the jacket in, once you get there, decide if you wanna put the jacket on.

[neebelung]

Can you wear a pantsuit with a collared shirt? Carry the jacket in, once you get there, decide if you wanna put the jacket on.

Yeah, I could do that. And one I have actually looks really cute without the jacket anyway; I could just do that blouse and trousers and forego the jacket. (arrrgh... those trousers are SOO big on me right now though... I really need to have them taken in, but there's no way my alterations chick can get them done that fast... Oh well, I'll figure it out...)

[cuttle]

for the interview: slacks, blouse (no exposed tatas) and comfy shoes (no high heels).

About the salary: offer him to start for x amount, and if you are able to do the job w/o help you want a raise to $xx in 3 month (needs to be in the contract of course). He'd be stupid if he does not go for it.

[neebelung]

for the interview: slacks, blouse (no exposed tatas) and comfy shoes (no high heels).

About the salary: offer him to start for x amount, and if you are able to do the job w/o help you want a raise to $xx in 3 month (needs to be in the contract of course). He'd be stupid if he does not go for it.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea... :dthumb: I like that... :)

[Adeptus_Minor]

Yeah, I could do that. And one I have actually looks really cute without the jacket anyway; I could just do that blouse and trousers and forego the jacket.

Toss the jacket on the desk when you go in. If the interview goes badly, you can always use it to swipe a stapler or some fancy paperweight off the desk on your way out.
:lol:

[MissHell]

... I can't even IMAGINE walking into a company where I want a job and NOT dressing to the 9's...
I think you need to start posting pics of you in your interview/work attire. :whistle: :p

[neebelung]

Toss the jacket on the desk when you go in. If the interview goes badly, you can always use it to swipe a stapler or some fancy paperweight off the desk on your way out.
:lol:

:rofl: I like the way you think!!

I think you need to start posting pics of you in your interview/work attire. :whistle: :p

:lol: I do have really kick ass shoes... With dress pants, they're power shoes... without dress pants, they're FMP's. :lol:

[Jet]

Wear a bikini, it'll show that you're ultra casual and extremely comfortable with yourself and your surroundings.

Tell them you'll work for $10,000 less than the lowest bidder, that will almost guarantee you a position.

PM me if you need more advice, always here to help :)

[azoomm]

for the interview: slacks, blouse (no exposed tatas) and comfy shoes (no high heels).

About the salary: offer him to start for x amount, and if you are able to do the job w/o help you want a raise to $xx in 3 month (needs to be in the contract of course). He'd be stupid if he does not go for it.

:dthumb:

[tached1000rr]

I am always impressed when someone comes in really dressed nice, I don't see it hurting at all. Since this is the next step in the interview process are you meeting with the same woman again or will there be other higher level folks involved? It's one thing if "slacky" entry level supervisor is carefree but that upper level manager/executive might not be and may be impressed with the dressed up/formal attire.

[Homeslice]

The whole "we're pretty casual here" is just a setup to see if you're stupid enough to take it literally and come in looking like a slob.

[neebelung]

Thanks everyone. :)

tached: this is a first interview with this particular company, so I'm not sure how high up in the pecking order this woman is. Either way, I'm not going to go as casual as she suggested. First impressions are first impressions, regardless what that woman says. :lol:

homeslice: entirely possible... In which case, just as well I'm ignoring what she said. :dthumb:

[the chi]

What they said. Nice slacks, shoes and a blouse, without a jacket is more than casual and still dressy. You ARE in FL after all, things work a tad different. :lol: You should see what some of my former coworkers considered "professional", made me feel like an old prude as it looked like they were ready to hit the beach or the club, not work!

As for Salary, like already mentioned, talk yourself up, you ARE worth every penny, but at the same time, tactfully mention that due to the current state of the economy (or something) it is negotiable. That way they dont throw you right out for being overqualified for the job and think you are unreasonable...in a better market, stick to your guns, now, well, you know. :shrug:

GOOD LUCK!!

[OneSickPsycho]

1] Just as everyone said, slacks and a nice blouse, though I would rock the heels. Some chicks wear heals with jeans, so I don't think that would be overly dressy... Then again, I'm style-retarded and you're dealing with a woman so all bets are off.

2] They could be setting you up for a lowball offer to start salary negotiations off low to save themselves money... or they really don't have the resources to pay your required salary. If they are considering two people, I'd say they are going to try to lowball you.

The contractual salary thing may get ugly. Florida is an at-will state, so technically they can axe you at any time, for pretty much any reason. Sign a contract that increases your salary in three months and they could technically bust your ass for three months, can you, then bring in someone for substantially less money to complete or maintain the project. That's some shrewd business, possibly a bit low on the ethics side of things, but it's entirely reasonable. However, if you could get them to guarantee you employment beyond that time period, in writing of course, then you'd have more stability... at least until the contract runs out. That said, they'd be fucking retarded to guarantee any sort of employment because despite your amazing work history, extensive professional acheivements, and phenominal interviewing skills... you still could be some raving maniac that openly masturbates in her cubicle and throws feces at coworkers every time someone prairie dogs over the cubicles.

Personally, I'd rather not deal with that BS. Go in there and tell them that you can do the work of two, aren't afraid of committing to the hours required to do so, and stick to your guns as far as your money is concerned. See what they are prepared to offer and recognize what you are prepared to accept... if it doesn't work, you're better off anyway. Now if I remember correctly, you're out of a job so you could always accept this one, get in there and keep looking... then bail if they can't meet your requirements and you find something more lucrative.

[neebelung]

The contractual salary thing may get ugly. Florida is an at-will state, so technically they can axe you at any time, for pretty much any reason. Sign a contract that increases your salary in three months and they could technically bust your ass for three months, can you, then bring in someone for substantially less money to complete or maintain the project.

AHHHHHH, most excellent point. I forgot about this whole at-will thing. Yeah, that tactic could backfire. Thanks for the reminder. :)

... you still could be some raving maniac that openly masturbates in her cubicle and throws feces at coworkers every time someone prairie dogs over the cubicles.


:dvrofl: Zach, you know me all too well... :lol:

Go in there and tell them that you can do the work of two, aren't afraid of committing to the hours required to do so, and stick to your guns as far as your money is concerned. See what they are prepared to offer and recognize what you are prepared to accept... if it doesn't work, you're better off anyway.

That's the tactic I'm going with. Selling myself to them, and then being prepared to back it up. While salary is negotiable, I'm not willing to just accept ANY offer - can't let them smell desperation, or they'll take advantage of it.

Now if I remember correctly, you're out of a job so you could always accept this one, get in there and keep looking... then bail if they can't meet your requirements and you find something more lucrative.

Yeah, I'm trying not to be the ship-jumper. I know everyone's telling me that "Oh, you could just take something, then keep looking, till something better comes along..." but I'm just not that disloyal (yeah, I know, there's NO loyalty where employers are concerned anymore). But if it comes down to it, I'll do what I've gotta do.