job interview attire

[Rine]

A week ago, I had an interview. I have always been taught, "dress one step above the dress code" at the location. I know that this particular chain has jeans as part of their dress code. So I wore nice dress pants and a shirt--"teacher attire" I like to call it, because those of the clothes I go in to teach with during my practicum time. It was nothing over the top...I would call it "business causal."

There were two other canidates in there with me. Both wore jeans and one was even wearing flip flops. I was like, "wtf?" Don't people even care...?

But I dressed nice for no reason. I didn't get the stupid job though I have pretty good experience with that company's rival.

I went in there today to buy something and saw one of the people that had been interviewed before me in a vest...it was the one that was dressed in jeans and flip flops. Great, I was beat out by someone who dressed like a slob for an interview.

I just really needed that job and I suppose that woman needed it too...I wish she would have dressed like she needed it. I'm depressed now. It just made me upset for some reason (and I know it's kind of stupid to think like this.) Maybe I was too nervous in the interview.

[Der Cute]

Interviews are to sell yourself.

I remember I was one of 5 people interviewing for a city job, and the reason I got it? Because I could cough up an answer on the fly. (I think someone was smiling at me that moment, because normally I can't.) Other people in the room were better geared for the job. The woman next to me was, she was the right skill set for it. The reason she wasn't hired was that she was too shy/introverted for the interview.

A lot of times an interview is to see if the skillset holder FITS with the group of working people. It's not just "hey, sell yourself" it's also "hey, can we stand being with you for over 8 hours per day?" That's a major score point there.

So, chalk it up to personality. Flipflop lady may have had a better rapport with the interviewer than you did. Or the interviewer may have had a wild hair up her ass and thought "anyone in nice clothes doesn't get a job today". Interviewers can be really strange. One time I didn't get a job because my horoscope sign is Aries. Yeah. That reason.

Other strange non hire reasons?
Perfume
Hair color (literally liking blonde more than reds or browns- simple like that)
shoe style (zomg I hate pointytoe shoes I'm not hiring her)
weird things like this.

I'm sorry you didn't get the job. Keep trucking, and look at this as a practice opportunity for interviewing. I always get better 2 or 3 interviews into a job hunt.

And keep dressing nice. I KNOW that makes a difference.

cutenoob

[jedimaster91]

I always wear "Sunday Best" to interviews. For me, that's either a dress or skirt and top. Nice sandals are cool, but NO flipflops. Still have only landed one job out of the probably hundreds I've applied for. I'm also pretty introverted and have trouble selling myself in an interview. I've also been told I'm "too honest" when in a mock interview I told the interviewer in five years I see myself with a couple kids and working PRN. I know that's not what an employer wants to hear, but I feel answering otherwise is misleading.

[Bandit]

Full suit and tie here for me for every interview when I have more than 90 minutes to get there.

I think the reason (besides I know my shit) I got the job I have now is not the suit, but that I had actually worked in a nuclear environment before and was willing to move to the tundra.

There's a lot more than the clothes - first real job I had I got because I was willing to drop everything at a temp warehouse in the middle of summer and drive across the whole city (50 miles) in a non air-conditioned car to get there. Jeans, t-shirt, sweat, dust, dirt, whole 9 yards.

There are a lot of things that go into getting the job - but it can't hurt to dress professionally when the interview time comes.

Besides - have to put the suit on every now and again to make sure it fits and I can still do the tie.

B

B

[Rine]

I know it's more than just the clothes. It simply made me so angry because I desperately needed the job and wanted it very badly. A lot of people need jobs these days and I know that those two individuals that interviewed before me probably needed them too....at least they could have put some effort into it all. I guess I'm just frustrated and needed to vent. I'm still feeling bitter about the whole ordeal and I hope that'll pass.

Oh well...better luck next time, I hope.

[JambaBamba]

Rine - I always look at what the people that I interview are wearing. If I'm unimpressed at first with the clothing I may get over it by the person's personality but not usually.

I think that the flip fop guy got a personal reference, that's the only way I can figure it or he needed less money.

Keep your chin up!

[wagegoth]

Or flip flop candidate had worked at another store in the same company, or was friends with the interviewer's family, or was a referral from higher up the management chain, or, or, or. . . .

Maybe the interviewer thought that you would want more money (no matter what you put on your application) and that if you didn't get a raise or promotion you would leave in a few months. Or that you were gunning for the interviewer's job.


There are about a hundred and fifty reasons that had nothing to do with you personally that could have been the reason you didn't get the job.

[wagegoth]

Interview Mantra, It Works

When you're getting ready for an interview, keep repeating, "They would be lucky to have me as an employee." Out loud if you can, to yourself when you can't, and when they walk out to meet you, be up, hand out to shake, with a great smile on. Confidence can make all the difference.

[Emrld]

I am right there with you . . .I haven't had a job since October.
Oh and I don't get un-employment / I was self-employed for my main job for the last 8+ years.
So I do understand the needing a job. With tax refund and the little savings I do have . . .I will have no money come the end of April. (Lucikly I am still current on all bills - including my mortgage)
One thing I have heard about retail jobs - at least where I live in the Dallas, Texas area. They are hiring those that they don't think will leave the moment they get a better job / and are qualified and likely to get a better job.
(Better job being defined as higher pay and more benefits - something that follows going up the ladder of your career path- there is absolutely nothing wrong with any legal job that pays you for work done)
I understand the need to vent when you have a situation like that. It is hard not to second guess why them not me . . .they didn't even dress like someone serious etc. Let yourself have 24-48 hours if you have to vent and rant. Then let it go. Allowing it to just build up will not be helpful in anyway and can lead to a chip on your shoulder later down the line.

Hang in there.

[bookworm]

I know it's more than just the clothes.

Since two people showed up in jeans, this may not apply, but once we called a person for an interview at the last minute and she warned us she would be unable to change before coming in and so would show up in cut-offs, tank top, and flip-flops. Actually, she told my co-worker who didn't tell me, so I spent the interview thinking this person is insane to show up this way. She did get hired because we felt she was the most qualified for the (very simple) front desk job.

Turned out we were wrong.

S

[RetailWorkhorse]

Who wants to hear something disgusting, raise your hands. *Counts* Okay, I'll tell you.

NO JOB I have ever shown up to dressed Interview Ready have I gotten. Not even so much as a phone call telling me to bugger off.

The jobs I HAVE gotten? I was dressed to the 1s (rather than 9s). Blue jeans with holes, sneakers that seen better days, stained t-shirt. Second job I was in a pair of black jeans, regular white t-shirt, forgot to brush my hair.

I figured it this way: If I LOOK like I don't need the money (Interview Ready) then they don't hire me, if I DO look like I need the money (slob), then I got hired THAT DAY.

Now how messed up is that?

[Kiwi]

Retail jobs get a button down blouse and dress pants.
Office jobs get a full pants suit.

It is very hard when you see people who haven't put as much effort into their appearance as you getting rewarded.

buck up, there will be other jobs out there and good luck!

[toomanycalls1]

I got a call for the interview for my current job while I was leaving a Cubs game and dressed like I had been at the Cubs game. They needed me to start on Monday (it was Friday) and needed to see me right away. I explained to the person on the phone my predicament (I live in the suburbs the interview was downtown. I could hop on the el and be there in 1/2 hour if I had to go home to change and then go down it would be 2-3 hours). She said she knew by what I said I knew how to dress for a job and appreciated me thinking of it.

I was hired during the interview. Actually I found out later they had already decided to hire me almost 100 percent sure based on my resume and some things I had filled out online but wanted to see me face to face and draw out my personality as I deal with customers.

Oh and the Cubs won the game I went to.

[casey13]

I asked the person who conducted the phone interview with me what to wear and he said jeans was fine. There was one girl who was dressed up completely and it was sort of embarrassing. All my other jobs I wore khakis and a nice shirt too. The ghetto grocery store hired me because I'm clean and I was willing to work the night shift. The other job my ex was hired wearing a holey shirt and jeans, I was dressed up and was hired a year later. I almost smacked him for thinking that was appropriate.

[Evil Queen]

Well, unlike RW, the jobs I tended to get hired for I was dressed to the 9s.

Nice-nice shirt, pants/skirt, new shoes, clean brushed hair. I primarily work in hotels; presentation is everything.

The one hotel gig I did get without being dressed to the 9s, I was in cut offs and overly bleached skettie-strapped tank top. I was told to wear clothes that would be okay to get bleach on since I was going to try out for part housekeeping, part front desk at First Ever Motel (the one with 12 rooms).