pants ok for women on interview?

fergus51 · Jan 4, 2006

I think it's fine. My manager is a woman and usually wears pantsuits. They're certainly more practical than a skirt (nothing worse than getting to an interview and discovering a run in your pantyhose!)

kristen38 · Jan 4, 2006

I think that a nice pants suit would be fine. Before I went back to school I wore a pant suit to the interview at my old job and I got the job.

Kristen

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 4, 2006

If it looks good on you (fits well, looks professional, etc.) then it is fine for most jobs. If it doesn't look good on you, then don't wear it.

For a leadership position interview, pants are rare. Almost everyone wears a skirt/dress ... but for staff positions a nice outfit such as a pantsuit or nice slacks is usually OK.

llg

wincha · Jan 27, 2006

I wear a dressy pair or pants and a nice shirt or sweater. If its the summer I will wear a dress as I do wear them in the summer. But now its cold! Since I have worked at my past job for 15 years I am not going out to buy a suit for a couple of interviews that I will not wear again.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jan 27, 2006

I think either pants or skirt is fine. I wore pants on one job interview last year and wore a skirt to my grad school interview last week. I think as long as you look neat and professional, you're ok.

KatieBell · Jan 27, 2006

It is perfectly fine to wear a pantsuit to an interview for a staff position. LLG is correct, for leadership positions most women wear a suit with a skirt not pants. A friend of mine is in Health Administration and she was even given specific length requirements (SHe went to Hopkins which is tops for Health admin, and now works administrating various Medicare programs).

Personally I hate pantsuits. I look silly in them so I wear a skirt/suit.

What I will say is that you should look professional, not dressed up for church or some other function.

Two weeks ago I did an interview. It was at a facility I had formerly worked at so, I techically could have worn jeans an gotten away with it. A new Grad was also interviewing. I was shocked, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater...The suit is probably not necessary, but it sends a message (Pants with suit or skirt) that you are very serious about the job and such.

Best Wishes!!!!!!!!

Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2006

Pants are fine as long as they are professional attire. I have a matching pair of black professional (not chinos, jeans, Docker's, etc.) pants and a blazer/jacket that I wear with a nice shell or shirt underneath. I got the job I applied for when I wore it. I think another important factor is grooming (neat hair, natural-looking fingernails, clean shoes, etc). Don't miss the overall picture by getting stuck on what you're wearing. Make sure you're polite and present yourself well during an interview. Do some research on the company/hospital you are applying to - this shows you care about your prospective employer. Just my 2 cents.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jan 27, 2006

I got hired wearing pants.

chiqadee1 · Jan 27, 2006

I ONLY wear pants suits. I think it looks more empowering for women!

you GO!!

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Jan 27, 2006

Definitely ok - it is 2006 for goodness sake!

Just don't get it from Victoria's Secret - heh, heh!

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2006

I didn't even wear a skirt to my Dad's funeral. If I had he would have wondered who was there with my husband. As it was, he was probably confused anyway, because my Mom was in a skirt - and she NEVER wears one.

I own three suits - one black, one tan, one blue. Regular business suits - all slacks. It would take a pending offer of a seven figure salary to get me in a skirt.

I've worn a slack suit to every job interview I've ever had, and I've never NOT gotten the job. (And I work in a middle management position currently, in clinical research.) I think a slack suit is perfectly acceptable. I would hate to think I had to wear a skirt to get a particular job. That seems a bit....SOMETHING...to me.