How many of you were taught this in high school? Or, at home?

[Woanzenagi]

At home

I have always worn suits to interviews. Even as a fifteen year old applying at the local grocery store. My dad wears suits to work every day and I learned at an early age that you should always look your best for interviews. In my current job (electrician), I wear jeans and t-shirts with workboots every day but I still showed for my interview in a suit. I also usually don a polo shirt at the very least when I have to meet a new client and do an estimate for them. I even have extra shirts in my van in case I have to go somewhere directly from the jobsite.

It makes me wonder what these people will be wearing daily if they do manage to be hired and what sort of an example they will be teaching to the children in that school.

 

[SWTroopers]

Much as a loathe this kind of behavior, I say let 'em do it. It just make's it that much easier to filter out the nitwits and riff-raff when they show up for interviews.

 

[Lady Day]

Much as a loathe this kind of behavior, I say let 'em do it. It just make's it that much easier to filter out the nitwits and riff-raff when they show up for interviews.

I would agree with that. When I had my last interview, I learned about the company and then after that, dressed 'business casual' with a knit shirt dress slacks and dress shoes. But flip flops!? Those are fast becoming the cancer of society.

A lot of people just dont bother with attention to detail. "Im here, Ill be polite, and I got my resume typed, but dress up!?"
Most dont know how. Thinking an 'expensive' shirt from Sears is enough, or a new pair of kakis form Old Navy. *sigh*

LD

 

[Rosie]

Rosie, I'm curious. What were the interviewers wearing?

The interviewers were dressed appropriately. One woman, the principal actually, I met with her, had on slippers with her dress suit but, I figure, she's the principal, she's going to be there all day, who knows what time she got there this morning. [huh] She was dressed professionally though.

It also made me think, like you guys have posted, what kind of job these people thought they were going to get in a school. Some didn't have anything in their hands other than their cell phones, I assumed they had no resumes. [huh] Unless those were in their pockets, I have no idea.

I realize everyone's idea of dressing appropriately is different but, it was just a bit too much to me. Seeing T and A in the middle of the morning, wearing a t shirt for an interview and eating in the waiting area, in my eyes is not only inapporpriate but just plain uncouth. I don't mean to sound like an old biddy but, geesh.

 

[SWTroopers]

I don't mean to sound like an old biddy but, geesh.

From a cranky old curmudgeon, at least you're a well-dressed old biddy

 

[Robert Conway]

...and another woman pulled out a beef patty and started eating it, right there in front of everyone! \

A beef patty?

That is one of the weirder ones I've heard in a while.

 

[scotrace]

A beef patty?

That is one of the weirder ones I've heard in a while.

lol lol I wondered that too! "A beef patty??"

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Biddies and Curmudgeons Unite!!

Some didn't have anything in their hands other than their cell phones, I assumed they had no resumes. [huh] Unless those were in their pockets, I have no idea.

I realize everyone's idea of dressing appropriately is different but, it was just a bit too much to me. Seeing T and A in the middle of the morning, wearing a t shirt for an interview and eating in the waiting area, in my eyes is not only inapporpriate but just plain uncouth. I don't mean to sound like an old biddy but, geesh.

I'm all in on this one, Rosie :eusa_clap !

Here in south Florida, the slob factor knows no age nor ethnic limits. From one door of my office, I can see the table at which candidates fill out applications. From the other I see the conference room in which they test and are interviewed. My observations here (in what I consider to be a fairly small multi-burb) confirm what Rosie asserted, and I will go one step further, much as Ortega did; a candidate displaying inappropriate dress or behavior at an interview will not improve in the workplace. If the employer can tolerate that level of competence (or incompetence), so be it. If not, 86 'em right there; they won't improve with time.

For better or worse, I worked at a clerical/office help employment agency in DC for a short time in the early 70's. Resumes were fairly rare for office positions below anything that would now be considered an admin asst. But the fellow who owned the little 3 - branch agency once said, "your resume demands respect, and your dress commands respect, but your interview is where you earn respect".

I still believe that "overdressed" is not a negative for an interview for any job that is not manual labor or trades, but it can actually give one an edge to land the job. And, regardless of dress, behavior and 'tude can make or break ya'.

 

[ortega76]

The interviewers were dressed appropriately. One woman, the principal actually, I met with her, had on slippers with her dress suit but, I figure, she's the principal, she's going to be there all day, who knows what time she got there this morning. [huh] She was dressed professionally though.

It also made me think, like you guys have posted, what kind of job these people thought they were going to get in a school. Some didn't have anything in their hands other than their cell phones, I assumed they had no resumes. [huh] Unless those were in their pockets, I have no idea.

I realize everyone's idea of dressing appropriately is different but, it was just a bit too much to me. Seeing T and A in the middle of the morning, wearing a t shirt for an interview and eating in the waiting area, in my eyes is not only inapporpriate but just plain uncouth. I don't mean to sound like an old biddy but, geesh.

As for the principal having on slippers, I'm inclined to overlook minor details like that under the "benefit of the doubt". As in, "maybe she had foot surgery".

While I am appalled by this behaviour, I'm not shocked. I see it every Monday when I conduct interviews. It does make weeding undesirables easier and helps me minimize my wasted time.

 

[Rosie]

From a cranky old curmudgeon, at least you're a well-dressed old biddy

lol Thanks!


I wondered about the beef patty too. I mean it was morning, did she save it from the day before specifically to eat during that time? My mom, being the sweetie she is says "maybe she had hypoglycemia". lol That cracked me up.

 

[Robert Conway]

Did she pull the patty out of her purse?
Was it wrapped in tinfoil or was it 'nude'?
Did she bring along any condiments?

I'm simply fascinated by this. It's a like a train wreck and I can't look away.

 

[Rosie]

Did she pull the patty out of her purse?
Was it wrapped in tinfoil or was it 'nude'?
Did she bring along any condiments?

I'm simply fascinated by this. It's a like a train wreck and I can't look away.

lol She was sitting right in front of me so I saw all of this. Yes, she pulled it out of her purse. It was wrapped in like saran wrap and it was in a paper bag. I didn't see any condiments. She just pulled it out and started eating it. I was kind of shocked I looked at her a little longer than I should have but then, I turned my head, I didn't want to stare.

 

[HistWardrobe]

where have all the standards gone....

I think this Lounge and the whole subculture it represents is all about rebelling against the current trend against dressing up for ANYTHING.

My take on this is that if you aren't detail oriented enough to show up at a job interview at the very least tidy and professional looking (even within the envelope of "California casual") then how careful are you going to be about getting the details right in doing the actual job. I'm not enough of a glutton for punishment to want to hire people whose whole presentation just screams out that they don't give a rats patootie.

One of my best friends was extremely distressed when her boyfriend showed up at her mother's funeral in jeans, sneakers and a pizza-stain encrusted t-shirt. Creep could have at least worn a clean t-shirt.

She dumped the chump.

 

[Robert Conway]

lol She was sitting right in front of me so I saw all of this. Yes, she pulled it out of her purse. It was wrapped in like saran wrap and it was in a paper bag. I didn't see any condiments. She just pulled it out and started eating it. I was kind of shocked I looked at her a little longer than I should have but then, I turned my head, I didn't want to stare.

This is genius. You can't make stuff like this up.

thanks!


RC

 

[Lady Day]

Did she pull the patty out of her purse?
Was it wrapped in tinfoil or was it 'nude'?
Did she bring along any condiments?

I'm simply fascinated by this. It's a like a train wreck and I can't look away.

lol
Im trying not to cry!

I wonder what job Beef Patty Lady applied for.



LD

 

[Benny Holiday]

We had a careers course in high school

in which we were instructed in how to apply for a job, how to prepare for an interview and how to dress appropriately, and were generally assisted in developing a career course for our post-high school lives.

We live in the age of slobs, folks. Grown men dress like 12-year-olds in their oversized T-shirts and shorts and baseball caps . . . argh, don't get me started! :eusa_doh:

Lady Day, I wonder if Beef Patty Lady was trying out for the school cafeteria? lol

 

[LizzieMaine]

Beef Patty Lady (hey, what a great online handle) sounds like she must've been an Atkins Diet fan. I'd hate to imagine what else she carried around in her purse...

 

[Rosie]

Beef Patty Lady (hey, what a great online handle) sounds like she must've been an Atkins Diet fan. I'd hate to imagine what else she carried around in her purse...

You know guys, I'm a New Yorker, I just realized you all are thinking of a hamburger patty I meant a beef patty, like this:

Sorry

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Like Marc, and others, i saw my father go out to work every day with a shirt and tie - though he didn't wear suits to work, he always had on proper trousers.

An important point to look at (i admit i haven't been through the whole thread, so this might have been covered) is what the INTERVIEWERS were wearing. If they were similarly underdressed it would be understandable. It is inappropriate to OUTDRESS your interviewer. Some of us in vintage suits should remember this. But, generally, those that are well dressed will get the jobs. First impressions and all that jazz. An old axiom, but still true. For example, i would not EVER wear a fedora to a job interview. Most people see this as weird so i don't want to detract from my first impression by being the kooky guy with the hat!

bk

 

[Lady Day]

You know guys, I'm a New Yorker, I just realized you all are thinking of a hamburger patty I meant a beef patty, like this:

Sorry

That looks like a giant ravioli! Thats not any better! Still funny.

LD