How to dress for carriage driving application turn-in/interview??

[Wigwag]

I'm thinking of applying for a PT (possibly FT around my regular job if possible) position as a carriage driver for our downtown horses. They seem to be well cared for and this company has a good rep around here.

I have heard they will train from the ground up, which is good because I have no carriage driving experience, though extensive experience with horse handling and ownership. I have heard they are hurting for real horse people.

So stupid question time! I have never applied for a job like this, and as it's freezing cold this time of yr in Indiana, I have no idea how one would dress. They ask that you come to the barn to fill out and turn-in an application. Generally you obviously dress really nice for interviews, and first impressions. However, as this is in a barn and it's very very cold, I don't want to walk in and look "dressed up" and completely under dressed for 20/30 degree temperatures in Indiana. I have no idea if they have a heated area (like an office) there, I'm sure they probably do somewhere, but even then - what shoes to wear if they should ask if I'd like to look around? Or as many places do, interview on the spot.

Obviously don't look like crap - but are we talking nice jeans and nice jacket over sweatshirts and underlayers, or just suck it up and freeze to death as well as ruin my one and only good pair of shoes in a downtown barn? I'm a barn girl at heart - I know how to dress to stay warm and practical at a barn. However, I just don't seem to know how to interview at one! :D

I'm really at a loss - any advice or tips would be wonderful. Thanks

[ybiaw]

I were in the situation, I'd probably go with either REALLY nice jeans in a darker wash, or some (not FANCY but nice) wool dress pants in a charcoal or something. A nice sweater or something with layers under that if it's really frigid, and a nice jacket (not a grubby barn coat). If you have a nicer pair of dress boots (like...dress shoes, only boots?) I'd wear those, although if you went the jeans route, it may be better to clean up your paddocks (clean, polish, make them as un-barn-dirty as possible) and wear those (for the added "I'm a horsey person!" benefit, as well).

Dress for success!

[oldenmare]

Agree with above post - except that I would recommend really cleaning those paddock boots and wearing with wool/heavy cotton slacks in lieu of any dressy shoes. While you want to look nice, you also want to look practical. Unless your paddock boots are brown and the slacks are black/gray/navy.... nor black boots with brown pants.

[oldenmare]

And make sure your boots are polished and shining to best of their ability.

[ybiaw]

Unless your paddock boots are brown and the slacks are black/gray/navy.... nor black boots with brown pants.

Haha...that's why I left the paddocks out of the dress pants equation - my paddocks are brown and the majority of my dress pants are black/gray! :lol:

[pintopiaffe]

Dark slacks or Khakis over thin longjohns (20's-30's is *balmy* here, it's what you're used to I guess!)

Sweater or t-neck/vest layers under a nice jacket--I have two wool/tweed suit jackets that are big enough for just these sorts of occasions. $2 and $5 at Goodwill. ;)

Clean, polished paddies, regardless of colour. Places with REAL winter understand REAL WINTER shoes/boots and don't care if you mix brown and black.

I have a similar situation, have oral boards tomorrow for a promotion, but we're getting a foot of snow or so today. So no skirt/nylons etc., more 'winter chic' :lol:

Good luck, sounds like it could be an amazing job!

[Karma]

We interview on occasion for horsey jobs (not mucking) and we dislike dressy canidates more then horsey-dressed canidates. Hope that makes sense. Ie. we would rather see someone in realistic shoes/pants/coat then dresses nicely. We had a guy come in dress shoes and it really seemed like he wouldn't fit in.

As others have said - dark wash jeans or boot cut jodpurs, clean winter paddock boots and wooly sweater with nice coat. Don't act tenative about getting dirty- even if you don't want to get said coat or jeans dirty.

We have been interviewing for a schooling position here at the riding center and had one lady show up without a helmet!!! We prefer those who come in boots and breeches, helmet in hand- over those who come in jeans or dress clothes.

Good luck at your interview.

[Renae]

The usual advice for any interview is dress how you would dress if you worked there.

So the silly girl who came to the barn in a skirt, heels, and a long silky scarf and was tripping around when she was toured about the barn did not get hired, the girl who showed up in work boots, jeans, a clean shirt and a sweater did :)

[goodhors]

I would second the suggestions to dress like you would be working at the job. Able to show what you can do in the barn, stay comfortable while doing the work. Have extra gloves, driving gloves, warm hat, another coat, helmet if needed, in the car/truck if you should need them. They might have time for the interview when you fill in the application, save time having you come back.

I will tell you right now, it is very hard to do the work dressed wrong. I had a job interview for a transfer while working in an office. Come down to the warehouse section, talk to the boss, right now! He gave me a walk-around, showed me what would need moving, including 6ft reels of cable! I came off badly, with no prior notice of interview, was dressed in skirt and heels. Heels do NOT allow any traction to roll reels, pick up 50# boxes from the floor. I had to get a Union greviance going over no notice to prepare, other technicalities, before I got the job.

You can look real nice in khakis, warm sweaters, paddocks, still able to do the job duties they will have. Good Luck!

[Wigwag]

The usual advice for any interview is dress how you would dress if you worked there.


I have never been in a profession where that applied. Interesting concept, and works for the usual desk job in a business though I guess. :)

Thanks for the advice everyone - I will mull it over. I actually have absolutely no idea how the drivers dress. I just need to pick up a PT job in addition to my regular and wanted to do something a little different (this is not a career path). Thought it might be worth a look to see what they have open.

[Wigwag]

I would second the suggestions to dress like you would be working at the job. Able to show what you can do in the barn, stay comfortable while doing the work. Have extra gloves, driving gloves, warm hat, another coat, helmet if needed, in the car/truck if you should need them. They might have time for the interview when you fill in the application, save time having you come back.

I will tell you right now, it is very hard to do the work dressed wrong. I had a job interview for a transfer while working in an office. Come down to the warehouse section, talk to the boss, right now! He gave me a walk-around, showed me what would need moving, including 6ft reels of cable! I came off badly, with no prior notice of interview, was dressed in skirt and heels. Heels do NOT allow any traction to roll reels, pick up 50# boxes from the floor. I had to get a Union greviance going over no notice to prepare, other technicalities, before I got the job.

You can look real nice in khakis, warm sweaters, paddocks, still able to do the job duties they will have. Good Luck!

Thanks - as said, no driving experience whatsoever here, so I most definitely do not have "driving gloves." Not sure why I would need a helmet - these horses aren't ridden. There is no arena or turnout so even if they wanted to verify my riding experience, they couldn't in that location.

My schedule does not allow for me to go down for an application turn-in and then go to work that day...so that won't be an issue (and if it is, it's not a place I'd take a job at). I have a regular FT job. ;)

[Thomas_1]

I don't know if the OP is male or female but here's how I would expect someone to turn up for an interview. Bearing in mind that its commonplace to take applicants down to where the horses are and see how they interact and assess if they actually know what to do around them and as a first stage assessment "sift".

Jodphurs (thermal wear underneath if its cold) sturdy appropriate work boots. You could if you know its carriage driving wear wool, flannel or cord slacks. (I'd personally be apalled if someone turned up in jeans.) A polo shirt under a fleece sweatshirt or else something like a tattersall check thermal shirt and a thermal jacket and all clean would be entirely o.k. And if its cold make sure you have scarf, fleece hat and gloves. Riding gloves will be absolutely fine. Employers don't want to hear someone moaning about being cold when its clearly an outdoors job!

And a riding hat. You should always wear riding hats around horses whether you're working from the ground or riding or driving. They may well decide to ignore this important fundamental requirement, but as a job applicant you need to attend looking like you know it matters.