Navigating the Complicated Couture of Business
When you're looking to make a good impression on
an interview how much does your clothing influence
the hiring manager? More than you think. Generally
speaking, dress codes in business have become more
lax over the years. Whether that is a good or bad
thing is beside the point. Rather, the implications
of this trend present an interesting dichotomy for
candidates hitting the pavement for a new position
or those employees looking to make the move to the
corner office.
This begs the question, does your attire really
have an effect on whether or not you receive that
coveted promotion or dream job you so eagerly crave?
Well, yes and no. Depending on the type of business
you're in and the type of dress code your company
has adopted more or less determines how much influence
dress will play in the decision. For instance, most
formal law practices require formal business attire
Monday through Friday, whereas an IT start-up may
only suit up when they're meeting with investors. |
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Thus it would be highly inappropriate to show up to
your interview with a law firm wearing a pair of khakis,
polo and a pair of loafers. It's not so much that the
hiring manager is some haute couture expert who will
dismiss your qualifications for the position if you're
not wearing the latest fall fashion, on the contrary.
Attire during the interview process and beyond plays
a significant factor because it is a representation
of you and how you treat the company's culture. Which
for better or worse is first identified by they type
of clothing worn by employees. If you are to show up
to an interview neglecting to take this into account
it's probably best you don't sit around waiting for
a call back, it most likely won't come.
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Employers are not looking to hire stylish business
people instead they are looking for employees who can
assume the presentation their company represents. Whether
it is an IT start-up or law practice, employers want
to their employees to reflect the type of company they
are. We have all been advised to shine our shoes before
an interview, or have our suit pressed beforehand at
some point in our professional lives. Though it may
sound trivial and superficial, it really does have
a significant impact on the interview as a whole.
In the movie, "The Pursuit of Happiness",
there is a scene where Will Smith's character shows
up to his final interview after completing a demanding
internship with the company not wearing a shirt (following
a bout of chaotic events). Though he gets the job despite
this, it's important to remember that's Hollywood and
this is reality, so it's probably best to dress to
impress because most hiring managers are not as forgiving
as those fictional characters in the movies. |
