Dress code on client site

Chorltonwheeler · 26-03-2009, 05:30 PM

I'm freelance and am quite a laid back person and this is reflected in my general wardrobe. I am uncomfortable in really sharp suits with ties and those shiny Mr Men shoes. I have been happy to witness the general shift in business etiquette away from stringent dress-codes, and have begun to wear smart jeans with shoes and a sports jacket (a la Top Gear). Do you think my tendancy towards the casual could potentially cost me contracts if I encounter more conservative employers? Or do you think it could help me secure contracts with clients who are better 'suited' (sorry) to my world view?

Dave Chaplin · 27-03-2009, 12:16 PM

Hi. I agree with your view on suits. Can't stand the things. During the dot com boom when agents were pestering us for work non stop it got to the point where I would even refuse to consider interviewing at a place if they made me wear one! That's how large the demand was and how picky we could all be. Ah, the good 'ole days!

These days my attitude is different. Whilst I still despise suits there's this whole 'making a good first impression' thing. For those that work in your team, or your immediate boss it doesn't really matter, but when you go higher up the chain it does - the amount it matters is probably propoertional to the amount of 'grey hair' you meet. Those are the rules of the game, so not playing them can only put you behind the pack that does.

As a general rule I'd say if the guy that signs the cheques wears a suit, then you should to. And always wear one to interviews of course. Once you are in the door you can gauge things better.

Dave Chaplin
CEO, ContractorCalculator - www.ContractorCalculator.co.uk
Author of Contractors' Handbook - www.contractorshandbook.co.uk

Chorltonwheeler · 27-03-2009, 05:05 PM

Thanks Dave. It's interesting your link between general market conditions and freelancers' willingness or otherwise to don suits.

I noted with interest an article in the business section of today's (27/3) Independent entitled 'Moss Bros sinks to £9m loss but suit sales rebound'. The group's chief executive, Brian Brick was quoted as saying, "People who are in work want to look smart. They don't want to stand out as the scruffy one in the office in case of redundancies. People who are out of work want to look smart for interviews."

Interestingly, all you experts have suits on, and most with the accompanying 'corporate nooses' for good measure. Are you all casual mavericks who have been written cheques by grey-haireds? (... or perhaps you're all in boardshorts and Havaianas from the waist down!)

Rob Crossland · 01-04-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chorltonwheeler

Interestingly, all you experts have suits on, and most with the accompanying 'corporate nooses' for good measure. Are you all casual mavericks who have been written cheques by grey-haireds? (... or perhaps you're all in boardshorts and Havaianas from the waist down!)

No tie for me - rarely if I can help it!

zara_blackdog · 02-04-2009, 01:23 PM

I always dress to the Clinets dress code, this may mean suited and booted or for my last role jumper and jeans ( along with hard hat, high vis vest and steal toecaps).

Where working where suit and tie is a must you will always get one who turns up dressed as a tramp - shody dresser shody worker as my mum use to say. Your appearence does count