Discussion
I have recently been invited to an assessment centre with an evening meal the night before for a job that ticks all the boxes. The meal will be with other candidates and some members of the management from the company.
Suit to the assessment centre is a given, not sure what to wear for the meal before, should I wear a suit? Or just go with shirt, tie, trousers and shoes?
Never been in this situation before so any ideas or advice will be appreciated!
Suit to the assessment centre is a given, not sure what to wear for the meal before, should I wear a suit? Or just go with shirt, tie, trousers and shoes?
Never been in this situation before so any ideas or advice will be appreciated!
davepoth said:
what's the restaurant? If it's Nandos you may dress a little differently than if it was The Ivy.
My guess would be to go with a jacket and shirt, and have a tie in your pocket just in case it turns out to be a bit dressier.
Its in the hotel we are all staying at the night before if that helpsMy guess would be to go with a jacket and shirt, and have a tie in your pocket just in case it turns out to be a bit dressier.
I think it is always better to be over-dressed than under. Wear your suit. If it looks less formal when you arrive take your tie off and open a couple of shirt buttons. Some people might be in jeans but that doesn't mean you should.
If you are wearing a suit with no tie and everyone else is wearing jeans you might stick out a bit. If you are in jeans and everyone else is in a suit you will look very out of place.
If you are wearing a suit with no tie and everyone else is wearing jeans you might stick out a bit. If you are in jeans and everyone else is in a suit you will look very out of place.
If you're sitting down to dinner then slacks, casual shirt (single cuff) & tie (sober) with sports jacket and brown shoes. Jacket and tie can be easily taken off; much more difficult to put on if you don't have them top hand. If it's a bar snack or all sat around eating off your knees, then drop the tie only; jacket can come off after you've eaten and are leaning against the bar putting the world to rights (over a shandy of course; you do have an interview the next day!!). Good luck!
Also don't forget that part of the assessment will possibly be how you behave during the evening. So just be aware of whats going on around you,enjoy yourself.BUT make sure you don't drop yourself in it after a few beers and getting into a stupid discussion/argument about football or some other such nonsense.
I've been to a couple of things like this before and it can be quite interesting just standing back a little and watching people dig themselves a massive hole after they've had a few beers.
Good luck.
I've been to a couple of things like this before and it can be quite interesting just standing back a little and watching people dig themselves a massive hole after they've had a few beers.
Good luck.
Thanks for the advice guys, I went and got a sports jacket, some new formal trousers, a shirt and new tie today for the evening meal. Like you all say, better to be over than under dressed.
Looking forward to it as havent been to an assessment centre before, I will definitely take it easy the night before I'll have a beer, but not much more than that, keep myself fresh for the next day!
Looking forward to it as havent been to an assessment centre before, I will definitely take it easy the night before I'll have a beer, but not much more than that, keep myself fresh for the next day!
Pommygranite said:
Sports jacket, slacks, tie and brown shoes - how old are you?!
Evening - everyone else is going to turn up in nice jeans and a decent shirt. Tie to dinner? Unless its to a rotary dinner I wouldn't think so.
Please post back what was actually worn.
I think I'm going to go with Jacket, trousers, black shoes and grey shirt, with tie in the pocket if everyone else is that formal, if not just the top button undone. Evening - everyone else is going to turn up in nice jeans and a decent shirt. Tie to dinner? Unless its to a rotary dinner I wouldn't think so.
Please post back what was actually worn.
I'll post a picture up of what I wore
Edited by Steameh on Sunday 26th August 11:07
Pommygranite said:
Sports jacket, slacks, tie and brown shoes - how old are you?!
Evening - everyone else is going to turn up in nice jeans and a decent shirt. Tie to dinner? Unless its to a rotary dinner I wouldn't think so.
Please post back what was actually worn.
You see, I completely disagree. In this (admittedly very specific) situation I'd go with wearing the same standard of attire you'll be wearing to the assessment centre, particularly given this is your first contact with management of the company.Evening - everyone else is going to turn up in nice jeans and a decent shirt. Tie to dinner? Unless its to a rotary dinner I wouldn't think so.
Please post back what was actually worn.
I'd definitely, definitely - really can't overstate this enough - not be wearing to jeans to dinner on first contact with company management.
There's an argument that if the dinner was after the assessment centre, jeans might be appropriate. But even then, I wouldn't.
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