Dressing for interviews
I moved to a small town which only saving grace is a large military base. We are basically a backwoods, redneck area where most people have government contractor jobs. Typical dress for these employees are cheap suits from discount stores, frumpy sweaters and khakis, etc. Basically bland clothing. I like to think of myself as stylish (at least for this area) and I have very nice clothes. When I interview I will typically wear a wrap dress (not low cut and below the knee), boots and a chunky necklace, or something along those lines. Should I be dressing more like the other people in the area? Are my outfits making my employers think I won' t fit in or could they possibly not take me seriously? I am a hard worker with an impecable resume, so I don' t understand why I am consistently looked over.
I don' t think your interview attire is really suitable. While I would not dress "down" to the style of the locals, I would wear a jacket dress or a simple business suit. Ditch the chunky neckwear and wear a gold chain with a small drop pendant or by itself. A wrap dress, even if not low cut, and boots are not professional interview attire, IMHO. Fine if you' re interviewing at an a progressive ad agency or for for a creative or entertainment job, but not for the defense industry. Yes, I would say that it might be possible you' re not being taken seriously. Once you' re on the job, what you describe is fine, but not for interviewing. Also, I hope your resume does not have spelling errors (such as "impecable") on it.... And, please do an attitude check--I hope your opinion of the area and its residents is not coming through in an interview. It might be taken as a sign of perceived superiority. I am sure you are talented and skilled, but there is far more to being successful in a job search than those things. I definitely do not reflect poor attitudes towards the people here. I grew up here and have many friends and family in the area. It is just different than where I have been living. I can see your point on the outfits though. Maybe dressing business conservative would make a better impression. I thought I changed impeccable on my post, but I guess it didn't take. I always use spell check! ;) Never, ever trust spell check!!!!! Ever!!!!! And I only could guess at your attitude thru your words of choice--that is what is so difficult about communicating "online"; one can never hear the inflections of a voice, the expression on a face. So, glad to hear that you don' t have an "attitude" about the area and the locals!
I would absolutely keep wearing your wrap dresses and chunky necklaces. That's just me, though. I make it a point to only wear clothes to an interview that I would wear in "real life." Clothing is a significant form of expression, and not one that I'm willing to stifle to secure a job. Besides, philosophically speaking, business suits and neckties just are arbitrary illusions. The only thing they really say is "I subscribe to convention." In some jobs and companies, convention is important and that's okay. But unless you can picture yourself wearing bland suits day in and day out, do yourself a favor and keep on wearing your more expressive clothes.
I totally disagree with this. What the OP described is fine, wonderful, in fact, for everyday work attire. However, interviewing and going to work every day are two different things. Succumbing to convention when interviewing is not a sign of being bland, nor inexpressive, nor a sheep to the slaughter. It is acknowledging that there are certain standards expected when one is meeting a potential new employer for the first time, and that one is aware of them. Doesn't mean you have to wear a black dress suit with cream blouse--personally I prefer a one-piece dress with a jacket. It shows that you understand how to conduct business in a professional manner, that, for example, you would dress appropriately when meeting with a client of the company, or with its CEO. This may not be "fair," but it is the way things work. If a candiate doesn't understand or cannot acknowledge that, then it is understandable if that person is skipped over in favor of an equally qualified one who understands the norms. Get over the need to "prove" who you are by what you wear -- it's freeing. Your objective here is to get your skills acknowledged and earn a paycheck in Bland City, not make a personal fashion statement from 9 to 5. If you suspect that prospective employers overlook you because of your "nonserious" trendy clothes, then you already know the answer. For now, tone down your clothing. Play the game. You can always dress more according to the Real You when you're off the clock. I completely agree. My company is very casual, even jeans are acceptable to wear to work. However, I certainly would not hire anyone who wore jeans and flip-flops to an interview. Plus, there is the question of fitting in with the culture of the place you are applying to. What may be ok for a creative-type job in a big city simply won' t fly for a defense contractor position in a small concervative town. Sometimes, if you want to pay the bills, you just have to play the game. I should have been more specific. I should have pointed out that I intentionally wear non-traditional interview attire to avoid being hired by a company who would eliminate a candidate based on an arbitrary convention. If wearing a certain style of clothing is imperitave to a company, then please, skip me over! I know my opinion is unpopular to say the least, but I could never stomach wearing a suit or jacket. I wear nice, freshly pressed clothes, but traditional business attire is just not me. I fully realize that the majority of people who are willing to "play the game" are not bland or inexpressive. I' m just saying you don' t have to play the game. It may take longer to find a job, but in the end, I find waiting for a "values-match" to be well worth the wait. In fact, I was offered my job because I stood out from the crowd. My attire, resume, and interviewing style, are all a bit unconventional. For some companies it' s a deal-breaker, for others, it' s an asset. I only desire to work for companies who would prefer non cookie-cutter candidates, anyway. | |
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