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Comment by roenxi | Hacker News Reader

I'd want to see some actual hard evidence before I believed that. The usual way social cues work is they are devastatingly effective even if people claim they are not. Much like how most interviewers are honestly convinced that their approach is unbiased but in practice they tend to hire people who are like themselves.

My expectation is that turning up in a suit would get better results. The effect is probably smaller in hard-skill roles but I'd assume still present.

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Rather than thinking about the suit itself, I’d consider the dress code or culture of the company you’re interviewing for.

Turning up in formal business wear isn’t going to be a positive social cue if everybody you interact with is dressed casually.

The social cue you’d be giving off is that you stick out like a sore thumb and probably didn’t do your research on the company before you showed up.

Literally no different than turning up to Lloyd’s of London in a Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts.

I agree, but I suspect that you’d have much better luck if you wore something that was superficially similar to the kinds of things other people wore, but was much better fitted and higher quality. For instance, if you showed up in a nice pair of chinos and a tailored buttoned shirt (of appropriate formality), that might come across as being really put together rather than ignoring subtle social cues by dressing in something that stands out by not fitting in.

> in practice they tend to hire people who are like themselves.

So then by your own admission, the best way to come dressed is the same way your interviewer tends to dress.

Which is essentially what most people in this thread are arguing for - dress to match the company's culture.

I don't know where you live but for most tech jobs here even outside of sv its almost as bad as putting your photo on a resume. Even for very senior non-technical roles you're better off showing up in slacks and a blazer than the whole enchilada

Wearing a suit to a tech interview in silicon valley would without a doubt send the signal that either (a) they have absolutely no clue about SV work culture, or (b) they’re a “look at me” guy who dresses odd on purpose

If they're young it can also be because that's what they've been told to do, if they're from a different culture (even an American one) it may be shockingly weird not to wear a suit to an interview, and there are even people who wear suits all the time because a well-made suit is very comfortable, with no more showing off involved than dressing up any other way. An interview is not a regular work day, best not to summarily judge people like that.

> If they're young.... if they're from a different culture...

These are just instances of my point (a): not having a clue about SV work culture.

> there are even people who wear suits all the time

Not in silicon valley tech. I mean, sure, maybe there's one guy and the number is not zero.

My point is that even knowing the work culture of SV does not mean that people necessarily believe it applies to interviews too, or that a suit will be a negative point, rather than good or neutral. There is a strong culture of looking smart at interviews that overrides knowledge of day-to-day attire. If you really care about people being in casual clothes, mention it in the invite, rather than looking down on them for doing what has been ingrained to be appropriate.

The problem is that when someone who doesn't usually wear a suit puts it on just for one day, it's blatantly obvious he's uncomfortable.

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