Does it matter what color tie I wear to an interview?

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I typically favor dark ties in shades of green, black or grey as a matter of personal taste but I'm curious as to how this will be seen by an interviewer. Is it better for me to wear a specific color of tie or is it a non-issue? I know that some companies don't care about ties or don't even want you wearing one, but for the ones that prefer a buttoned down look, what lends the best impression?







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  • 1




    Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
    – Rarity
    May 13 '12 at 0:31






  • 3




    In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
    – Dipan Mehta
    May 13 '12 at 1:11






  • 2




    @DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
    – World Engineer
    May 13 '12 at 1:13






  • 1




    What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
    – Permas
    May 13 '12 at 1:43






  • 1




    Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
    – Morons
    May 31 '12 at 12:22
















up vote
13
down vote

favorite
1












I typically favor dark ties in shades of green, black or grey as a matter of personal taste but I'm curious as to how this will be seen by an interviewer. Is it better for me to wear a specific color of tie or is it a non-issue? I know that some companies don't care about ties or don't even want you wearing one, but for the ones that prefer a buttoned down look, what lends the best impression?







share|improve this question


















  • 1




    Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
    – Rarity
    May 13 '12 at 0:31






  • 3




    In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
    – Dipan Mehta
    May 13 '12 at 1:11






  • 2




    @DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
    – World Engineer
    May 13 '12 at 1:13






  • 1




    What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
    – Permas
    May 13 '12 at 1:43






  • 1




    Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
    – Morons
    May 31 '12 at 12:22












up vote
13
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
13
down vote

favorite
1






1





I typically favor dark ties in shades of green, black or grey as a matter of personal taste but I'm curious as to how this will be seen by an interviewer. Is it better for me to wear a specific color of tie or is it a non-issue? I know that some companies don't care about ties or don't even want you wearing one, but for the ones that prefer a buttoned down look, what lends the best impression?







share|improve this question














I typically favor dark ties in shades of green, black or grey as a matter of personal taste but I'm curious as to how this will be seen by an interviewer. Is it better for me to wear a specific color of tie or is it a non-issue? I know that some companies don't care about ties or don't even want you wearing one, but for the ones that prefer a buttoned down look, what lends the best impression?









share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited May 30 '12 at 23:27









yoozer8

4,10442955




4,10442955










asked May 12 '12 at 23:15









World Engineer

3761515




3761515







  • 1




    Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
    – Rarity
    May 13 '12 at 0:31






  • 3




    In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
    – Dipan Mehta
    May 13 '12 at 1:11






  • 2




    @DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
    – World Engineer
    May 13 '12 at 1:13






  • 1




    What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
    – Permas
    May 13 '12 at 1:43






  • 1




    Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
    – Morons
    May 31 '12 at 12:22












  • 1




    Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
    – Rarity
    May 13 '12 at 0:31






  • 3




    In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
    – Dipan Mehta
    May 13 '12 at 1:11






  • 2




    @DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
    – World Engineer
    May 13 '12 at 1:13






  • 1




    What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
    – Permas
    May 13 '12 at 1:43






  • 1




    Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
    – Morons
    May 31 '12 at 12:22







1




1




Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
– Rarity
May 13 '12 at 0:31




Just make sure it doesn't clash. Dark ties tend to be safe since most suits are dark.
– Rarity
May 13 '12 at 0:31




3




3




In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
– Dipan Mehta
May 13 '12 at 1:11




In research and academic jobs, the better the tie, less is your chance to get the it.
– Dipan Mehta
May 13 '12 at 1:11




2




2




@DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
– World Engineer
May 13 '12 at 1:13




@DipanMehta So fraying with polka dots and 15 holes in it = shoe-in?
– World Engineer
May 13 '12 at 1:13




1




1




What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
– Permas
May 13 '12 at 1:43




What type of work and companies are you talking about? Can't really help without knowing the context.
– Permas
May 13 '12 at 1:43




1




1




Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
– Morons
May 31 '12 at 12:22




Everything matters when you are on an interview! Image is VERY important.
– Morons
May 31 '12 at 12:22










6 Answers
6






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
15
down vote



accepted










If you're applying to a place where dress is highly regarded in the day-to-day work, for example:



  • Sales

  • Banking

  • Fashion

  • Law

  • Television

  • Executive positions

  • Luxury/jewelry/car sales

...then it may, but there are exceptions, and it depends a lot on the reputation/culture of the specific place. If you're applying for a job where you won't regularly be dressing in a tie, than probably not. Just make it clean, neat, and properly tied. Also, use a real tie, not a clip on.



The color of a tie is the kind of thing that can only really hurt you if you do it wrong. A properly tied, clean tie and shirt pretty much qualifies as "right" for most jobs.






share|improve this answer



























    up vote
    6
    down vote













    It would have to be a pretty bad choice of necktie to scuttle your chance at a job! Think of it as just one small part of the total image you present.



    However you dress, you'll come off as more polished if it looks like you're being yourself and not just wearing a costume for one day. So if a dark tie suits you and the rest of your outfit, then that's what you should wear. So, no, it doesn't matter as long as it looks "right" on you.



    I should add that even in the most conservative board-room environments where everyone is over 60 and wearing $2000 tailored suits, the necktie given some leeway for self-expression and playfulness or "flair".






    share|improve this answer



























      up vote
      5
      down vote













      It's horrible to think that a good IT person could be passed over due to his choice of tie, but I guess its possible.



      The seminal work on how to dress in business is the book "Dress for Success" by John Malloy. Even though it was written in 1988, it's still true today, and it's spawned an industry of imitators.



      Malloy studies all the major organizational types and gives you a color picture of how to dress for that milieu. Just do what he says.






      share|improve this answer
















      • 2




        good reference, but you don't answer the question.
        – David LeBauer
        May 16 '12 at 3:26










      • @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
        – Jim In Texas
        May 16 '12 at 16:24










      • the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
        – David LeBauer
        May 16 '12 at 16:35






      • 2




        hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
        – Angelo
        May 31 '12 at 2:14






      • 2




        @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
        – Jim In Texas
        May 31 '12 at 21:45

















      up vote
      1
      down vote













      In addition to other answers, something to consider is if the place you are interviewing at has a tie to a specific colour. Ie if you are applying to the ACME company and RED is their colour, and green is the colour of their major competitor, wearing a red tie is a good choice. Wearing a green tie is a bad choice. Also do not wear a tie that may have the logo of the company's competition.



      In addition, for the most part, stay away from joke ties like Homer Simpson ties or ones with the built in Dilbert curl. Unless of course you are applying to work with those brands.






      share|improve this answer





























        up vote
        1
        down vote













        If anyone is that concerned about the color of tie you are wearing, it's because they are not competent to assess your skills, and are desperately grasping for some kind of irrelevant criteria upon which they can make a decision.



        Wearing a tie or not may be important for general image. Going with something that is not garish or distracting may be a good idea. Blue vs. red vs. grey vs green..... if they care, you probably don't want to work there, because if a company will task someone who factors in something that irrelevant to make important decisions, then they have problems that will definitely impact the quality of your employment, should your tie color be deemed acceptable.






        share|improve this answer




















        • "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
          – TomTom
          Aug 14 at 20:34










        • @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
          – PoloHoleSet
          Aug 14 at 22:21







        • 1




          In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
          – TomTom
          Aug 15 at 5:16

















        up vote
        -1
        down vote













        Ties in IT are kind of like oil and water - they don't mix. In short, if you're thinking this is going to help you, consider the following:



        Appearance oriented employers almost always mess up their IT operations. In short, if the tie matters to them, you're probably better off working somewhere else.



        If you're more concerned with the color of a tie in comparison to being able to present evidence of coding skills and understanding the abstractions of information theory, you're in more trouble than you think.






        share|improve this answer




















        • Poor answer, Meredith
          – Mawg
          Aug 15 at 8:20










        • @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
          – jpatokal
          Aug 15 at 10:54










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        6 Answers
        6






        active

        oldest

        votes








        6 Answers
        6






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        15
        down vote



        accepted










        If you're applying to a place where dress is highly regarded in the day-to-day work, for example:



        • Sales

        • Banking

        • Fashion

        • Law

        • Television

        • Executive positions

        • Luxury/jewelry/car sales

        ...then it may, but there are exceptions, and it depends a lot on the reputation/culture of the specific place. If you're applying for a job where you won't regularly be dressing in a tie, than probably not. Just make it clean, neat, and properly tied. Also, use a real tie, not a clip on.



        The color of a tie is the kind of thing that can only really hurt you if you do it wrong. A properly tied, clean tie and shirt pretty much qualifies as "right" for most jobs.






        share|improve this answer
























          up vote
          15
          down vote



          accepted










          If you're applying to a place where dress is highly regarded in the day-to-day work, for example:



          • Sales

          • Banking

          • Fashion

          • Law

          • Television

          • Executive positions

          • Luxury/jewelry/car sales

          ...then it may, but there are exceptions, and it depends a lot on the reputation/culture of the specific place. If you're applying for a job where you won't regularly be dressing in a tie, than probably not. Just make it clean, neat, and properly tied. Also, use a real tie, not a clip on.



          The color of a tie is the kind of thing that can only really hurt you if you do it wrong. A properly tied, clean tie and shirt pretty much qualifies as "right" for most jobs.






          share|improve this answer






















            up vote
            15
            down vote



            accepted







            up vote
            15
            down vote



            accepted






            If you're applying to a place where dress is highly regarded in the day-to-day work, for example:



            • Sales

            • Banking

            • Fashion

            • Law

            • Television

            • Executive positions

            • Luxury/jewelry/car sales

            ...then it may, but there are exceptions, and it depends a lot on the reputation/culture of the specific place. If you're applying for a job where you won't regularly be dressing in a tie, than probably not. Just make it clean, neat, and properly tied. Also, use a real tie, not a clip on.



            The color of a tie is the kind of thing that can only really hurt you if you do it wrong. A properly tied, clean tie and shirt pretty much qualifies as "right" for most jobs.






            share|improve this answer












            If you're applying to a place where dress is highly regarded in the day-to-day work, for example:



            • Sales

            • Banking

            • Fashion

            • Law

            • Television

            • Executive positions

            • Luxury/jewelry/car sales

            ...then it may, but there are exceptions, and it depends a lot on the reputation/culture of the specific place. If you're applying for a job where you won't regularly be dressing in a tie, than probably not. Just make it clean, neat, and properly tied. Also, use a real tie, not a clip on.



            The color of a tie is the kind of thing that can only really hurt you if you do it wrong. A properly tied, clean tie and shirt pretty much qualifies as "right" for most jobs.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered May 13 '12 at 0:27









            jefflunt

            4,9832129




            4,9832129






















                up vote
                6
                down vote













                It would have to be a pretty bad choice of necktie to scuttle your chance at a job! Think of it as just one small part of the total image you present.



                However you dress, you'll come off as more polished if it looks like you're being yourself and not just wearing a costume for one day. So if a dark tie suits you and the rest of your outfit, then that's what you should wear. So, no, it doesn't matter as long as it looks "right" on you.



                I should add that even in the most conservative board-room environments where everyone is over 60 and wearing $2000 tailored suits, the necktie given some leeway for self-expression and playfulness or "flair".






                share|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  6
                  down vote













                  It would have to be a pretty bad choice of necktie to scuttle your chance at a job! Think of it as just one small part of the total image you present.



                  However you dress, you'll come off as more polished if it looks like you're being yourself and not just wearing a costume for one day. So if a dark tie suits you and the rest of your outfit, then that's what you should wear. So, no, it doesn't matter as long as it looks "right" on you.



                  I should add that even in the most conservative board-room environments where everyone is over 60 and wearing $2000 tailored suits, the necktie given some leeway for self-expression and playfulness or "flair".






                  share|improve this answer






















                    up vote
                    6
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    6
                    down vote









                    It would have to be a pretty bad choice of necktie to scuttle your chance at a job! Think of it as just one small part of the total image you present.



                    However you dress, you'll come off as more polished if it looks like you're being yourself and not just wearing a costume for one day. So if a dark tie suits you and the rest of your outfit, then that's what you should wear. So, no, it doesn't matter as long as it looks "right" on you.



                    I should add that even in the most conservative board-room environments where everyone is over 60 and wearing $2000 tailored suits, the necktie given some leeway for self-expression and playfulness or "flair".






                    share|improve this answer












                    It would have to be a pretty bad choice of necktie to scuttle your chance at a job! Think of it as just one small part of the total image you present.



                    However you dress, you'll come off as more polished if it looks like you're being yourself and not just wearing a costume for one day. So if a dark tie suits you and the rest of your outfit, then that's what you should wear. So, no, it doesn't matter as long as it looks "right" on you.



                    I should add that even in the most conservative board-room environments where everyone is over 60 and wearing $2000 tailored suits, the necktie given some leeway for self-expression and playfulness or "flair".







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered May 31 '12 at 2:11









                    Angelo

                    6,15621631




                    6,15621631




















                        up vote
                        5
                        down vote













                        It's horrible to think that a good IT person could be passed over due to his choice of tie, but I guess its possible.



                        The seminal work on how to dress in business is the book "Dress for Success" by John Malloy. Even though it was written in 1988, it's still true today, and it's spawned an industry of imitators.



                        Malloy studies all the major organizational types and gives you a color picture of how to dress for that milieu. Just do what he says.






                        share|improve this answer
















                        • 2




                          good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 3:26










                        • @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 16 '12 at 16:24










                        • the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 16:35






                        • 2




                          hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                          – Angelo
                          May 31 '12 at 2:14






                        • 2




                          @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 31 '12 at 21:45














                        up vote
                        5
                        down vote













                        It's horrible to think that a good IT person could be passed over due to his choice of tie, but I guess its possible.



                        The seminal work on how to dress in business is the book "Dress for Success" by John Malloy. Even though it was written in 1988, it's still true today, and it's spawned an industry of imitators.



                        Malloy studies all the major organizational types and gives you a color picture of how to dress for that milieu. Just do what he says.






                        share|improve this answer
















                        • 2




                          good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 3:26










                        • @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 16 '12 at 16:24










                        • the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 16:35






                        • 2




                          hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                          – Angelo
                          May 31 '12 at 2:14






                        • 2




                          @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 31 '12 at 21:45












                        up vote
                        5
                        down vote










                        up vote
                        5
                        down vote









                        It's horrible to think that a good IT person could be passed over due to his choice of tie, but I guess its possible.



                        The seminal work on how to dress in business is the book "Dress for Success" by John Malloy. Even though it was written in 1988, it's still true today, and it's spawned an industry of imitators.



                        Malloy studies all the major organizational types and gives you a color picture of how to dress for that milieu. Just do what he says.






                        share|improve this answer












                        It's horrible to think that a good IT person could be passed over due to his choice of tie, but I guess its possible.



                        The seminal work on how to dress in business is the book "Dress for Success" by John Malloy. Even though it was written in 1988, it's still true today, and it's spawned an industry of imitators.



                        Malloy studies all the major organizational types and gives you a color picture of how to dress for that milieu. Just do what he says.







                        share|improve this answer












                        share|improve this answer



                        share|improve this answer










                        answered May 15 '12 at 15:29









                        Jim In Texas

                        3,9851222




                        3,9851222







                        • 2




                          good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 3:26










                        • @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 16 '12 at 16:24










                        • the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 16:35






                        • 2




                          hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                          – Angelo
                          May 31 '12 at 2:14






                        • 2




                          @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 31 '12 at 21:45












                        • 2




                          good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 3:26










                        • @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 16 '12 at 16:24










                        • the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                          – David LeBauer
                          May 16 '12 at 16:35






                        • 2




                          hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                          – Angelo
                          May 31 '12 at 2:14






                        • 2




                          @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                          – Jim In Texas
                          May 31 '12 at 21:45







                        2




                        2




                        good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                        – David LeBauer
                        May 16 '12 at 3:26




                        good reference, but you don't answer the question.
                        – David LeBauer
                        May 16 '12 at 3:26












                        @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                        – Jim In Texas
                        May 16 '12 at 16:24




                        @David - I thought it was obvious from my answer that there is no One Tie To Rule Them All. Malloy showed that there are variations by industry, so without more information there isn't enough information in the question to answer with 'Purple Bugs Bunny novelty tie' or some such ;) .
                        – Jim In Texas
                        May 16 '12 at 16:24












                        the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                        – David LeBauer
                        May 16 '12 at 16:35




                        the question wasn't "which color", but "does it matter"; a summary of different color / milieu pairings would be helpful.
                        – David LeBauer
                        May 16 '12 at 16:35




                        2




                        2




                        hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                        – Angelo
                        May 31 '12 at 2:14




                        hmmmm... I'd be skeptical about following fashion advice from 1988 :-)
                        – Angelo
                        May 31 '12 at 2:14




                        2




                        2




                        @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                        – Jim In Texas
                        May 31 '12 at 21:45




                        @Angelo - In this case the Malloy book holds up very well, especially given the assumption that the OP is applying at a company so old fashioned as to think that tie choice should in any way be a hiring criteria for an IT job. Sure styles change, but the Malloy book is to business attire as Knuth is to computer programming.
                        – Jim In Texas
                        May 31 '12 at 21:45










                        up vote
                        1
                        down vote













                        In addition to other answers, something to consider is if the place you are interviewing at has a tie to a specific colour. Ie if you are applying to the ACME company and RED is their colour, and green is the colour of their major competitor, wearing a red tie is a good choice. Wearing a green tie is a bad choice. Also do not wear a tie that may have the logo of the company's competition.



                        In addition, for the most part, stay away from joke ties like Homer Simpson ties or ones with the built in Dilbert curl. Unless of course you are applying to work with those brands.






                        share|improve this answer


























                          up vote
                          1
                          down vote













                          In addition to other answers, something to consider is if the place you are interviewing at has a tie to a specific colour. Ie if you are applying to the ACME company and RED is their colour, and green is the colour of their major competitor, wearing a red tie is a good choice. Wearing a green tie is a bad choice. Also do not wear a tie that may have the logo of the company's competition.



                          In addition, for the most part, stay away from joke ties like Homer Simpson ties or ones with the built in Dilbert curl. Unless of course you are applying to work with those brands.






                          share|improve this answer
























                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote









                            In addition to other answers, something to consider is if the place you are interviewing at has a tie to a specific colour. Ie if you are applying to the ACME company and RED is their colour, and green is the colour of their major competitor, wearing a red tie is a good choice. Wearing a green tie is a bad choice. Also do not wear a tie that may have the logo of the company's competition.



                            In addition, for the most part, stay away from joke ties like Homer Simpson ties or ones with the built in Dilbert curl. Unless of course you are applying to work with those brands.






                            share|improve this answer














                            In addition to other answers, something to consider is if the place you are interviewing at has a tie to a specific colour. Ie if you are applying to the ACME company and RED is their colour, and green is the colour of their major competitor, wearing a red tie is a good choice. Wearing a green tie is a bad choice. Also do not wear a tie that may have the logo of the company's competition.



                            In addition, for the most part, stay away from joke ties like Homer Simpson ties or ones with the built in Dilbert curl. Unless of course you are applying to work with those brands.







                            share|improve this answer














                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer








                            edited Aug 14 at 16:53

























                            answered Aug 14 at 16:22









                            Forward Ed

                            1193




                            1193




















                                up vote
                                1
                                down vote













                                If anyone is that concerned about the color of tie you are wearing, it's because they are not competent to assess your skills, and are desperately grasping for some kind of irrelevant criteria upon which they can make a decision.



                                Wearing a tie or not may be important for general image. Going with something that is not garish or distracting may be a good idea. Blue vs. red vs. grey vs green..... if they care, you probably don't want to work there, because if a company will task someone who factors in something that irrelevant to make important decisions, then they have problems that will definitely impact the quality of your employment, should your tie color be deemed acceptable.






                                share|improve this answer




















                                • "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 14 at 20:34










                                • @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                  – PoloHoleSet
                                  Aug 14 at 22:21







                                • 1




                                  In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 15 at 5:16














                                up vote
                                1
                                down vote













                                If anyone is that concerned about the color of tie you are wearing, it's because they are not competent to assess your skills, and are desperately grasping for some kind of irrelevant criteria upon which they can make a decision.



                                Wearing a tie or not may be important for general image. Going with something that is not garish or distracting may be a good idea. Blue vs. red vs. grey vs green..... if they care, you probably don't want to work there, because if a company will task someone who factors in something that irrelevant to make important decisions, then they have problems that will definitely impact the quality of your employment, should your tie color be deemed acceptable.






                                share|improve this answer




















                                • "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 14 at 20:34










                                • @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                  – PoloHoleSet
                                  Aug 14 at 22:21







                                • 1




                                  In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 15 at 5:16












                                up vote
                                1
                                down vote










                                up vote
                                1
                                down vote









                                If anyone is that concerned about the color of tie you are wearing, it's because they are not competent to assess your skills, and are desperately grasping for some kind of irrelevant criteria upon which they can make a decision.



                                Wearing a tie or not may be important for general image. Going with something that is not garish or distracting may be a good idea. Blue vs. red vs. grey vs green..... if they care, you probably don't want to work there, because if a company will task someone who factors in something that irrelevant to make important decisions, then they have problems that will definitely impact the quality of your employment, should your tie color be deemed acceptable.






                                share|improve this answer












                                If anyone is that concerned about the color of tie you are wearing, it's because they are not competent to assess your skills, and are desperately grasping for some kind of irrelevant criteria upon which they can make a decision.



                                Wearing a tie or not may be important for general image. Going with something that is not garish or distracting may be a good idea. Blue vs. red vs. grey vs green..... if they care, you probably don't want to work there, because if a company will task someone who factors in something that irrelevant to make important decisions, then they have problems that will definitely impact the quality of your employment, should your tie color be deemed acceptable.







                                share|improve this answer












                                share|improve this answer



                                share|improve this answer










                                answered Aug 14 at 17:58









                                PoloHoleSet

                                8,97551833




                                8,97551833











                                • "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 14 at 20:34










                                • @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                  – PoloHoleSet
                                  Aug 14 at 22:21







                                • 1




                                  In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 15 at 5:16
















                                • "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 14 at 20:34










                                • @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                  – PoloHoleSet
                                  Aug 14 at 22:21







                                • 1




                                  In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                  – TomTom
                                  Aug 15 at 5:16















                                "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                – TomTom
                                Aug 14 at 20:34




                                "it's because they are not competent to assess your skills" - which likely is the case for 90% of the interviews done out there. Plus depending on seniority playing "the game" is part of the position. Depending on Industry I prefer walking into a room with a suit that costs more than most mid managers earn - part of the game. Really depends - if you are a lower end programmer, yeah. As architect proposing company wide solutions and presenting on board level, they DO value you buy funny rules.
                                – TomTom
                                Aug 14 at 20:34












                                @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                – PoloHoleSet
                                Aug 14 at 22:21





                                @TomTom - That's a good point. I'm totally not considering more high-end positions where navigating the politics of the boardroom or meeting room are a very real consideration. My assumption here is that if someone is asking about it, and not specifying that there's going to be really heavy hitters that they will be directly dealing with, that we're talking about lower to mid level professional positions. It could be a wrong assumption on my part. Seeing as how I responded to a six year old question without realizing it, if they weren't there when they asked, maybe they are now.
                                – PoloHoleSet
                                Aug 14 at 22:21





                                1




                                1




                                In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                – TomTom
                                Aug 15 at 5:16




                                In that case it depends on industry. There are companies around that are so freaking conservative. Also there are funny scenarios - wearing the wrong BRAND can get you fired. Up to some years ago: Adidas and Puma. Look that up on WIkipedia - a Feud (!) of 2 companeis founded by browthers with Headquarters in the same smallish town. Bars, restauratns where "Puma" or "Adidas" for years. US Democrat/Republican (blue, red) party connected companies/positions may be sensitive to tie color of their arch enemy. The question is not as absurd as it sounds. For the old answer, blame Stackexchange
                                – TomTom
                                Aug 15 at 5:16










                                up vote
                                -1
                                down vote













                                Ties in IT are kind of like oil and water - they don't mix. In short, if you're thinking this is going to help you, consider the following:



                                Appearance oriented employers almost always mess up their IT operations. In short, if the tie matters to them, you're probably better off working somewhere else.



                                If you're more concerned with the color of a tie in comparison to being able to present evidence of coding skills and understanding the abstractions of information theory, you're in more trouble than you think.






                                share|improve this answer




















                                • Poor answer, Meredith
                                  – Mawg
                                  Aug 15 at 8:20










                                • @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                  – jpatokal
                                  Aug 15 at 10:54














                                up vote
                                -1
                                down vote













                                Ties in IT are kind of like oil and water - they don't mix. In short, if you're thinking this is going to help you, consider the following:



                                Appearance oriented employers almost always mess up their IT operations. In short, if the tie matters to them, you're probably better off working somewhere else.



                                If you're more concerned with the color of a tie in comparison to being able to present evidence of coding skills and understanding the abstractions of information theory, you're in more trouble than you think.






                                share|improve this answer




















                                • Poor answer, Meredith
                                  – Mawg
                                  Aug 15 at 8:20










                                • @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                  – jpatokal
                                  Aug 15 at 10:54












                                up vote
                                -1
                                down vote










                                up vote
                                -1
                                down vote









                                Ties in IT are kind of like oil and water - they don't mix. In short, if you're thinking this is going to help you, consider the following:



                                Appearance oriented employers almost always mess up their IT operations. In short, if the tie matters to them, you're probably better off working somewhere else.



                                If you're more concerned with the color of a tie in comparison to being able to present evidence of coding skills and understanding the abstractions of information theory, you're in more trouble than you think.






                                share|improve this answer












                                Ties in IT are kind of like oil and water - they don't mix. In short, if you're thinking this is going to help you, consider the following:



                                Appearance oriented employers almost always mess up their IT operations. In short, if the tie matters to them, you're probably better off working somewhere else.



                                If you're more concerned with the color of a tie in comparison to being able to present evidence of coding skills and understanding the abstractions of information theory, you're in more trouble than you think.







                                share|improve this answer












                                share|improve this answer



                                share|improve this answer










                                answered Jun 15 '13 at 6:15









                                Meredith Poor

                                8,8661730




                                8,8661730











                                • Poor answer, Meredith
                                  – Mawg
                                  Aug 15 at 8:20










                                • @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                  – jpatokal
                                  Aug 15 at 10:54
















                                • Poor answer, Meredith
                                  – Mawg
                                  Aug 15 at 8:20










                                • @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                  – jpatokal
                                  Aug 15 at 10:54















                                Poor answer, Meredith
                                – Mawg
                                Aug 15 at 8:20




                                Poor answer, Meredith
                                – Mawg
                                Aug 15 at 8:20












                                @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                – jpatokal
                                Aug 15 at 10:54




                                @Mawg The OP is a CS grad, so this answer is actually correct: they almost certainly don't need to wear a tie, particularly for entry-level positions.
                                – jpatokal
                                Aug 15 at 10:54












                                 

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