Applicant showed up wearing a denim jacket and sandals

[Anonymous]

I once interviewed a candidate who showed up looking somewhat disheveled. She interviewed extremely well and had the experience but I could n;t quite grasp how someone could show up to an interview for a professional role, looking as she did.

It was a really weak pool and she was the strongest candidate by a mile so I brought her back to another interview. She was properly dressed and groomed at that one. Her references were stellar so I went ahead and hired her.

Her presentation at the interviews was pretty indicative of who she ended up being. She was definitely quirky and there were days she was well put together and other days when she looked a mess. However, she was fantastic at the job and the clients would often note on her quirkiness but accept it due to the phenomenal job she did for them. We had to sometimes ask clients to give her a chance as she didn't always make the best first impression but we knew if they got to see her work, they would be happy to work with her. She took a little more effort than other employees but she also worked harder and gave more back than many other employees.

It was a gamble. This time it paid off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be an issue if she dressed for work that way? Was she neat, clean, and well-groomed?

She was neat, clean, and well-groomed. Just very casual. It made me question her maturity and judgment.

I work in career development for a university. I would have a fit if one of my students - especially my grad student showed up for an interview like that. The fact that her dress is causing pause is exactly the reason why we advise students in most industries to wear a suit, or at the very least a blazer and pants/skirt/sheath. Her poor choice is distracting a potential employer from her great qualities.

I would suggest inviting her back for a second interview, but explain the agency's dress code. If she came through a university contact or alumni network, let them know so that they can coach her (and other students).

Feels like a class issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be an issue if she dressed for work that way? Was she neat, clean, and well-groomed?

She was neat, clean, and well-groomed. Just very casual. It made me question her maturity and judgment.

I work in career development for a university. I would have a fit if one of my students - especially my grad student showed up for an interview like that. The fact that her dress is causing pause is exactly the reason why we advise students in most industries to wear a suit, or at the very least a blazer and pants/skirt/sheath. Her poor choice is distracting a potential employer from her great qualities.

I would suggest inviting her back for a second interview, but explain the agency's dress code. If she came through a university contact or alumni network, let them know so that they can coach her (and other students).

Feels like a class issue.

Not at all. I often have students who may not have the means to buy a full suit. So I had my office partner with Suited for Change for women and Career Gear for men. Suited for Change gives them 2 suits (including shoes and accessories) for interviews and once they get the job, gives them three more outfits to wear to work. All for 100% free.

Obstacles are only in the way if you refuse to look around them for an alternative solution.

[Anonymous]

This wouldn’t fly at my agency.

I do have a really talented colleague who tells the story of interviewing on a rainy day and a car drowning him with water when it went through a puddle (he was on the sidewalk) right before his interview. He was wet and covered in mud and I think removed his jacket for the interview. I’m glad my agency saw past that but, presumably, it was clear that he’d intended to wear a suit and the accident was outside his control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would her outfit be ok for the office every day? I work for the gov and that would be fine.

It was much more casual than anyone else in the department dresses. We are at most a dressy jeans outfit on Fridays. I'm not sure how seriously she'd be taken dressing like that every day.

That’s your problem right there. Dressy jeans. Who wears them!!??

I mean as in dark jeans with a dressy blouse or sweater. No t-shirts, sneakers, sweats, etc.

Flowy skirt versus, wait for it, dressy jeans? Where to begin? I would wear a suit but if her intel on the .org is very casual, maybe she dressed to fit the role.

[Anonymous]

I have never dressed for an interview based on the dress code for the job. I tend to dress more professionally for an interview than I would dress for work. If you are trying to stand out as a candidate why would you take a chance on being passed over? There are so many things that you could wear to an interview, why would you choose something overly casual?

[Anonymous]

My younger cousin is from rural America and interviewed in DC after college. I said, oh so you bought a suit! I might as well have asked her if she had two heads. She said no, I wore my nicest dress that I wore to so-and-so's wedding. It is possible that the interviewee was just clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hire people and don’t take into account their clothes but I hire for IT.

With some IT, you are just happy they shower once a week.

LOL

I work in IT and there is one guy . . . . thin stringy greasy hair and he wears kitty hats (one day a hat which consisted of a stuffed puppy) and carries a pink tote with anime characters on it, otherwise sloppy jeans and nondescript baggy shirt and hoodie. . . also has very rotten teeth and it's hard to understand him when he speaks. I've never ever seen his hair look like it has been washed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A candidate showed up for an interview for a professional position wearing a denim jacket, a flowy skirt, a t-shirt, and some sort of sandals. This is a master's level position in a government agency. There's nothing funky or hip about it. She interviewed great and we liked her and her qualifications are pretty good. It's been a while since I interviewed for anything. Is this a thing now? Should an applicant's outfit factor into the hiring decision? Is it fair to make judgments about an applicant's hireability based on what they wear?

I would hire her immediately. If she nailed the interview, she is smart. I love smart people who think out of the box.

[Anonymous]

I'm really wanting OP to do a second interview now, so we can she what she wears next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:is it a generational thing? I'm mid-thirties and would never wear that to an interview but have noticed my younger colleagues are much more casual

No, it isn't generational. Most college career offices are still telling people business dress for jobs and the 20 somethings I've interviewed have been in business dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My younger cousin is from rural America and interviewed in DC after college. I said, oh so you bought a suit! I might as well have asked her if she had two heads. She said no, I wore my nicest dress that I wore to so-and-so's wedding. It is possible that the interviewee was just clueless.

This is still above sandals and a denim jacket!

[Anonymous]

PP here. Many 20-something oriented stores have inexpensive (if you watch the sales) suits that would work for a job interview in most work settings unless you are going for the most conservative of investment banks. An Express or H and M suit isn't going to be the most high quality item but it will get you through interview season in DC if you are 24.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This wouldn’t fly at my agency.

I do have a really talented colleague who tells the story of interviewing on a rainy day and a car drowning him with water when it went through a puddle (he was on the sidewalk) right before his interview. He was wet and covered in mud and I think removed his jacket for the interview. I’m glad my agency saw past that but, presumably, it was clear that he’d intended to wear a suit and the accident was outside his control.

That’s a real interesting story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be an issue if she dressed for work that way? Was she neat, clean, and well-groomed?

She was neat, clean, and well-groomed. Just very casual. It made me question her maturity and judgment.

If you have a dress code, tell her about it when you hire her. I'm sure she'll comply.

Also, is this her first round of job interviews after graduate school? It is very, very possible that no one ever taught her that she needed to wear dress slacks and a blazer to job interviews. Coming out of grad school, I didn't even own clothes like that (my science field is very laid back). I interviewed for my postdoc in something similar minus the jean jacket. It's very possible she was only aiming to be neat, clean, and well-groomed and simply did not know that stuffy government jobs were so formal. She could have gone home and kicked herself for days for dressing so casually.