Narrowing the GAAP

The purpose of the article is to arm you with the knowledge on the why, how, and what of “Dress for Success.”

Most employees at the Big 4 are not “fashionistas.” It’s hard to be one when they have blood-shot eyes from the lack of sleep and that constant frown because the clients still haven’t provided their fucking PBCs. They don’t need to look good. They don’t need to make good first impressions. They already have a job. You don’t.

If you wish to be recruited by a Big 4 firm, you need to invest in at least one to two pairs of professional outfits, two to three business casual outfits, and a couple of casual outfits. This may seem like a lot of money, especially given that you are a broke-ass college student. However, notice the strategic use of the word “invest” and that’s exactly how you should look at it. You are investing in your future. And that’s exactly how you should present the situation to your parents when begging them for the money. The bottom line is you need to look good during your interaction with the Big 4.

“Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.” – Mark Twain

In an ideal world, how you look shouldn’t impact the whether you get an offer or not, the reality is that it does. A full discussion about the psychological impact of physical attraction of one person on another is beyond the scope of this article. I will say this: on multiple occasions I have seen and heard of less qualified candidates get the job because of their appearance and demeanor. If you know you look good, it will instill confidence in you, which will come across in your personality when you interact with the Big 4 people. This is a huge psychological advantage that you should have in your court going into the interview process.

Here are some general rules that both men and women should follow, for most of you this should be common sense stuff:

1. Dress Conservatively. Always dress like you’re at a Country Club with your uppity grandparents, not like you’re in college.
2. Dress Sharply. Make sure that your clothes are clean and ironed. If your laundry and ironing skills are questionable, you would be well advised to have this task done professionally.
3. Dress Appropriately. Depending on the type of event, the dress code could be business professional, business casual, or casual. Dress accordingly. If you don’t know the dress code, email the recruiter and find out. You don’t want to be an idiot who shows up in jeans to a business professional event, or the idiot who shows up to a casual event in business professional attire. It doesn’t matter how many times you emphasize “attention to detail” in your resume, actions speak louder than words.

Now, I am going to break down what your Big 4 wardrobe should consist of.

The Male Wardrobe

Compared to women, men have it easier. There are fewer things to mess up. However, the downside of that is that there is less of a chance for you to stand out. Almost all applicants look the same. You need to take what you have, and make yourself look as sharp as possible with it.

Business Professional: You need to have at least one (preferably two) business suits. These suits should be dark and fitted to your current build and weight. I have seen far too many candidates fit themselves into pants from high school that were held up by a belt screaming for dear life. The simple truth is that unless you have been taking very good care of yourself, you probably have put on some extra weight because of the beer and the nightly visits to Taco Bell. Your ties should be conservative, meaning they should be a solid color or a striped. Leave your “fun tie” with pineapples and palm trees at home. Better still, burn it. Your shirt should be a button-up oxford. You may see partners rocking dress shirts with cuff-links and monogrammed cuffs. Don’t copy them. You’re not rich. You’re broke. You’re looking for a job. Also, most of associates and managers will think of you as a douche bag if you show up to an interview wearing cuff-links. Black socks for black shoes, and brown or beige socks for brown shoes. Your belt should match your shoes. Also, make sure you have a belt before you leave your house. I have seen a ton of candidates show up to an interview without a belt. Don’t be one of those idiots.

Business Casual: Business casual is essentially the same outfit as business professional, minus the tie. You could choose to leave the coat behind as well. You won’t get any points deducted for that.

Casual: Casual should consist of a collared shirt or a polo (extra points Lacoste, Burberry, Penguin, Ralph Lauren) and a good pair of jeans. Do not wear a t-shirt. You will seem to be under-dressed. And avoid jeans with rips, tears, patches. Yes, I realize that you may have paid as much $250 for those pair of fashionable jeans. And I agree, they are fashionable and will inexplicably increase of your chances of getting laid at a bar or a club. However, they still don’t belong at a Big 4 event. That’s just the way things are. You could wear sneakers to such an event, but I would probably wear dressy shoes.

That should pretty much cover it for guys. Girls and guys interested in dressing as girls continue reading.

The Female Wardrobe

Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert on this subject. The information presented here is the result of my conversation with other female Big 4 recruiters and employees.

A good guiding principal for female candidates should be conservatism. You should look good in whatever you choose to wear but you should not look slutty (and please save your outrage over the use of the word slutty for someone who cares). The interviewer should not be able to see your cleavage or under-garments. This may seem like common-sense but I have seen it happen one too many times – the candidate bends over to pick up a resume she dropped, only to have her thong on display in front of the entire Big 4 recruiting team. Don’t be that idiot. You should dress ultra-conservative, especially if you know you are being interviewed by a female partner or manager. I am not sure what it is, but female partners and managers are usually the ones that harp the most on the way a particular female candidate dressed for the interview. Now let’s get to the nitty gritty:

Business Professional: Your attire should consist of a pant-suit or a skirt-suit. I would advise that the suit be fitted to your build, and should be a dark color. I have seen candidates pull off brighter colors like orange and pink. That’s really up to you. Your blouse should be relatively simple and should match your suit. Accessorize but don’t go overboard. Keep your jewelry simple. Avoid overly gigantic earrings. Skip the giant Prada bag. If you are wearing a skirt, wear panty-hose. Your shoes should be business appropriate, meaning your CFM-pumps are out.

Business Casual: Take your business professional outfit, and lose the jacket. You have business-casual.

Casual: Your casual attire should consist of either polo or a dressy top combined with a pair of jeans or a knee-length skirt. As with guys, avoid any tops with writing or messages. You should rock dressy shoes over sneakers. That’s all I have for you girls.