But as I've gotten older, I've grown to see some of the long-enduring rules of appropriate dress as both antiquated and unnecessary.
As a college senior in the mid-1990s I was required to attend a mock job interview at my school's career center. This included dressing *professionally* as one would for a real interview. As luck would have it, a snowstorm hit the night before my interview. Awaking to find my car utterly snowed in, I put on several layers of clothing and laced up my snow boots for the half-mile hike to campus.
Despite my intelligent answers and professional demeanor, the interviewer at the career center marked points off my evaluation for my "inappropriate attire." I suppose I should have trudged through the snow in pumps. A woman is only as good as her appearance, right?
I later found out that a classmate who had an interviewed the same day was deducted points because the heels on her shoes were deemed "too fat and trendy." I'm so glad to know that our tuition money was well spent on footwear advice.
Ellen Warren is a syndicated writer with the Chicago Tribune, currently producing a weekly shopping advice column. Back in March she focused on new college grads who would soon be facing the job world. Among her Dos and Don'ts was "hosiery is a must." Are we back to this debate again? Have we not come to the conclusion that lower extremity sausage casing does not in any way indicate a woman's qualifications to be an accountant/engineer/doctor?
At a recent job interview, my interviewer walked into the board room wearing jeans and a hipster V-neck t-shirt. "Egads!", the Boomer would think. "Young man, you march back to your room and put on a necktie until you look respectable!" Oh, wait, this man had "director" in his title, and the company is a corporation with annual sales in the tens of millions. Somehow, despite the obvious lack of silken nooses, it was still a professional environment.
Although I am a Gen "X" professional, I might consider myself a "post Boomer" - I have four suits, a sports coat and a black blazer in my closet...would I live in a place that is cold, I'm sure I would triple my professional attire. It's okay to hang the jacket behind the chair at work and loosen the necktie a little but, a clean-cut and professional look never goes out of style or looked down upon. I would much rather be "over-dressed" than look as if I cannot be taken seriously. Take stock in yourself!
ReplyDeleteAnd, let's not forget first impressions on any interview: Men, always a dark suit, solid or narrow pinstripe and power tie. Ladies, always a dark business suit as well with closed or peep toe shoes.
~G~
G, thanks for commenting, but you're failing to acknowledge variances in industries. Your examples make sense for a law firm but not so much for a creative business where forward-thinking ideas in all aspects are not only encouraged but a necessity. If I'm meeting with an interior designer, a brand manager, or a gallery curator, I'm going to be discouraged if they show up in a traditional navy suit.
DeleteI have to say that my gut would still advise a candidate to the suit as well. I agree with the suggestions of -G-. Unless there was specific instructions given NOT to do so, you are always safest with a clean almost "military" polished look. While perhaps less than "fair" and even old fashioned, it is the one look you can NEVER go wrong with. If the environment is extremely casual, you will likely be told this when you are invited to interview. I'm sharing this on Linked it to find out what some of my former colleagues think.
ReplyDeleteMy experience disagrees with you, Amy. The past two interviews I had (both for creative-oriented positions) were business casual offices. I was not told of this prior to my interviews, but even if I had I still would have dressed up as I did.
DeleteI DO agree with looking sharp for an interview, but there are SO many choices available to accomplish this that don't involve a traditional suit, or pantyhose. I think you CAN go wrong dressing too formally...you have to consider where you're going to interview. You also must consider your own comfort level. If you're mentally uncomfortable in your clothes, it will show in your confidence level, and isn't confidence the best accessory?
As an example, I know a woman who is an I.T. engineer for a major corporation. She is also rather...masculine. She does not own a skirt/dress/suit and never will. She would look and feel ridiculous in one. Would you really advise her that in order for her 30 years of experience to be taken seriously she has to wear a power suit? Or that she's not qualified to work in a professional environment?
HeyRay,
ReplyDeleteYour points are well thought out but, too much so I'm afraid. Short, of applying for an after school gig at an ice cream shop on the beach or a dish ring at the local pub and eatery, a suit is for ALL industries. It can do no harm but, mean the world of difference against another deserving candidate. Okay, a lighter color than navy blue or black may fit the situation but, suit no less. And, although my viewpoint may not be as cosmopolitan as others', in today's time and today's world, I still see it as the best choice for an interview. That's just my humble opinion. Remember, being passionate about your beliefs may pose for good debate but, it doesn't make them free from error.
~G~
You're seeing the working world in such polar extremes: fast food or Fortune 500 with nothing in between. There are scores of industries where "traditional" is not an aspiration, and absolutely ones where a suit would be a red flag! A certain 3D animator I know assures me that wearing a suit to an interview--even at one of the famous big studios--would be a death knell. You gotta know your audience.
ReplyDeleteAnswer me this: how does dressing just like the crowd make me stand out against the other interviewees? Seems like a contradiction to me.
Just as companies have become more flexible with telecommuting and flex hours, dress codes are shifting. It's part of the work-life balance that the younger generations are demanding. And as those younger generations slowly take over upper management positions, the emphasis on formality IS loosening.
When you follow your passion, opportunity presents itself. I'd rather be passionate and hit a few walls than follow someone else's definition of "right" and never find my perfect place.
I believe we just simply disagree on this subject and may really all boil down to personal preference. The way I see it, if one takes traditional steps (i.e. a college degree program) to prepare themselves for a career of their choice, then a traditional way to achieve this line of work is called for. Perhaps these "middle industries" provide for a good living but, I see them more as "certificate programs" to help those progress further already in niche positions or self-employed. Thankfully, I happen to enjoy a conservative look and feel of a good suit, so there is no guesswork about that for me. Being educated, witty and humorous is the way to stand out aginst the crowd, and in an interview.
ReplyDelete~G~
College itself isn't even traditional anymore. Grad school can be accomplished online, specialized degrees forgo liberal arts prerequisites in favor of targeting practical classes. And no longer does spending 4 years at State and wearing a navy suit get you a job at The Firm...nor is that what the younger generations want. Calling these alternative choices "certificate programs" is a rather elitist statement, and illogical. A suit does not make you more intelligent, qualified, or likable. It does not make you more successful. To believe otherwise is naive, and to hire a stuffed suit over a non-suit ONLY based on the suit makes you a shallow interviewer.
ReplyDeleteIf YOU are comfortable in a suit everyday, then rock on in it. Confidence is the best accessory, and being comfortable in your own skin is wildly important.
Generation X has never been about conformity. Gen X has always striven toward a higher quality of life--of every minute. What was the norm for our grandparents and parents doesn't necessarily work for us. Men don't wear hats anymore, women don't wear gloves everywhere! There was a time when both of those accessories were required for one to look proper. This isn't just a fashion trend of which I write, it is the steady evolution of choice.
For me, the long and short of it is this: I can generally tell, after speaking with a possible employer, what they'll expect me to show up wearing. Granted, in my line(s) of work it's fairly safe to say there is a much more relaxed ideal, but I still show up well pressed and groomed, dressed to impress.
ReplyDeleteI do believe there are some vocations for which a suit is absolutely required, mainly because this will be your 'uniform' for the rest of your tenure there, so get used to it. Attorneys, for example, need to represent themselves (and their clients) in the best light possible, after all. However, something like hosiery should be used as an accent, not a requirement; and it should never be a reason to dismiss a possible female employee that is fully qualified to fill that position.
I like your view on hosiery, V!
DeleteTwo-dimensional argument at best. As a hiring manager, I look at the way an applicant presents themselves to the job. If that person took a few extra steps to look more professional, then it tells me that the applicant probably will carry that same attitude to the job. If an excellent candidate comes in to interview in a less-than-professional attire, then it tells me exactly how seriously the candidate will take the job. If a man comes in to interview in a suit, he has obviously made a conscious effort to impress. If a woman comes in to interview while wearing capri pants or a pair of denims, then she obviously has no interest in trying to show her interest. If she comes in a dress without wearing hosiery, then it tells the interviewer that she's not detail-oriented. Personally, I find the bare-leg look splotchy and unattractive and tremendously unprofessional. From a personal point of view, I find legs in hosiery to be incredibly attractive and flatters a woman's appearance. To test my theory, go into public with another woman dressed similarly, except one is wearing hosiery and the other is not. Have a third party take note on how each is looked at as they walk by.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has held positions that were in charge of hiring myself, I can say with 100% honesty that I have never once, not one, single time, glanced at a female applicant's legs to survey their level of "splotchiness" as it related to whether or not they were qualified for a gig. Unless you are hiring a leg model I can't even begin to fathom how this would matter on any significant business level. I also can't imagine that any VP of HR worth his/her salt would be very happy to learn that the evenness of an applicant's skin tone was in any way a deciding factor for a hire.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that wearing hosiery vs. not wearing hosiery(or any other accoutrements, masculine or feminine) somehow speaks to a person's attention to detail is.....archaic. At best. "This person didn't wear a watch to the interview?! *clutches pearls* Good, Lord! They obviously have a devil-may-care attitude about promptness that we just don't want to foster....even though they were 15 minutes early for this interview, have never not returned any of my calls, nor left any of my emails unanswered. *reject stamp*" I don't even know where to being pointing out what's wrong-headed about that sort of thinking.
Bottom line: Is a candidate qualified for the position in question? Yes? Did they interview well? Yes? You're 90% done at that point. Is presentation a part of the remaining 10%? Certainly. Did the applicant not show up naked or in need of a shower and wore industry appropriate attire? Yes? Then anything else is completely subjective and probably utterly unimportant to their job function. If a hiring agent is taking anything other than that into account, it's likely due to personal bias and shouldn't be entering into the equation.
The most important factor when considering the presentation/appearance of an applicant, in my experience, is the "industry appropriate attire" tag. There are absolutely plenty of industries...and I'm not speaking only of these so-called "middle industries"....where donning a "power suit" for the interview is not only likely to be looked at as strange, but often times be outright derided. That does not mean that you can show up to any interview in a gunny sack and a pair of Crocs(although there are industries that exist where you probably can.) There are many levels on the spectrum, not just the two extremes. It's not just a question of "Hugo Boss" or "sweatpants and a Jerga" as it seems some are still espousing.