I have my alumni interview on Monday, and I am just not sure what to wear. Most threads I’ve read have been held in casual places, but my interview is being held in the office of a private school where my interviewer is the head. I’m not sure whether to wear a more casual look, like a sweater over a dress shirt, or a fully formal outfit.
Also, how should I prepare for my interview? I was planning on simply being genuine during the interview, but I’m not sure if I should do some research beforehand.
Dress for the location. If you’re meeting your interviewer in a coffee shop, business casual is the way to go: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-business-casual-really-means-2014-8. If you’re meeting at the Princeton Club, or a lawyer or doctor’s office, you might want to wear a suit.
In your case, I would investigate what students wear at the private school where your interview is being held. Do the boys wear sport coats to school? If so, you should as well. Do the boys dress in business casual (no jeans)? If so, you should too!
The interview is a conversation. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, make eye contact, be your best-self on your best day. There are many sites you can google with current questions. I’ll get you started with a few:
http://www.soootellmeaboutyourself.com/2009/10/current-interview-questions-princeton.html
http://www.aristotlecircle.com/blog/insight-princeton-through-alumni-interviewer-tina-ravitz
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1068791-alumni-interview-advice.html
https://careerservices.princeton.edu/undergraduate-students/interviews-offers/preparing-interviews/sample-interview-questions (Princeton’s own site for their graduates seeking jobs)
I had my alumni interview yesterday and we met at a Starbucks. I emailed him ahead of time to inquire about dress code just in case. I’d recommend asking.
@nsl800
@gibby
I think it was a pretty lax day because it was a short week due to Thanksgiving, so I wore a sweater over a button up shirt and felt that it was completely appropriate (it fell under their dress code, but I didn’t see many children wearing it).
Thank you for your input. I feel like the interview went well, so fingers crossed.