[Porsche-O-Phile]

Never ever.

I've not worn one in years - including to my last several interviews. In the last six months I interviewed with eight firms, was made offers by six of them and ultimately settled on one. Ties are worthless IMHO.

The way I look at it - if you can help the prospective employer visualize you as part of their team, you're better off. Looking like a stuffy "wanna-be" is like (from their perspective) trying to cram a square peg into a round hole. If/when everyone in the office works casual most of the time and you show up dressed to the nines, it's a detriment more than an asset. IMO anyway.

Look at it this way (I do): If a place would expect you to wear a tie every day just to "fit in", is this REALLY the kind of place you want to be working for? A place that values stuffiness and poseur-dom over performance and getting the job done?

Sorry, but maybe I'm biased. I consider myself pretty down-to-earth but won't even wear such archaic pieces of clothing to weddings or funerals anymore. It's quite possible to be well-dressed and respectful without resorting to fashion cliches that have been dead for decades.