Applicant showed up wearing a denim jacket and sandals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe that’s the best she had.

This. Also, why not "use your words" & let her know the rules of the dress code? If she's a great candidate in all other respects then what's the problem?

I have only ever interviewed directly with the boss or supervisor, though, & when I was a boss I did my own hiring, so I am clueless regarding "personnel management."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of sandals were they? If they were sports/hiking (a big no) if they were not and she was a fairly large woman I’d pause.

Sometimes really fat people have issues finding nice clothes that fit well.

No, they don’t. I am what I’m certain DCUM would consider a really fat person. I’m 5’4” and about 25 pounds overweight. I have several basic, well-fitting suits and an array of business blazers and black pants that fit me just fine and I look very professional for interviews. Sandals and a flower skirt with denim are not acceptable at any weight.

You think 25 lbs overweight is "really fat"? Wow.

[Anonymous]

What did you decide about the applicant, OP?

[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 went to college in the early eighties. Business degree. Actually took required one credit course on how to interview, DRESS, greet an employer, write a cover letter, etc.

I have interviewed in my field for employees (federal). Because of my experience, these type of dressers always lose a few points. It's unbelievable in my mind for any position that people don't put on business attire for an interview. But lots of things blow my mind these days....

[Anonymous]

I just interviewed someone who clearly knows how to dress for this sort of thing, has an incredibly impressive portfolio of work........but then she opened her mouth. Holy cow! Everything sucks, everything is crap, everything blows. I've never heard anyone rip their current employer with such utter contempt in an interview before.

[Anonymous]

If you are this worried about how she dressed and are so small minded that you have to ask opinions from DCUM about a job candidates outfit, this is a stupid lame sh*t job. Grow a di(k and think for yourself. I hope no one takes this job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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 went to college in the early eighties. Business degree. Actually took required one credit course on how to interview, DRESS, greet an employer, write a cover letter, etc.

I have interviewed in my field for employees (federal). Because of my experience, these type of dressers always lose a few points. It's unbelievable in my mind for any position that people don't put on business attire for an interview. But lots of things blow my mind these days....

Most colleges and departments don't have classes like this anymore...

[Anonymous]

Very curious to know what OP decided to do. OP? Are you there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of sandals were they? If they were sports/hiking (a big no) if they were not and she was a fairly large woman I’d pause.

Sometimes really fat people have issues finding nice clothes that fit well.

What?? No we don't.

Lane Bryant
Avenue
Torrid
Macy's Women section
Dress Barn
Evans (online)
Dia (online)
Eloqui (online)
Ashley Stewart
ASOS Curve (online)
Talbots
Gwynnie Bee (online)

Hell, even Rent the Runway goes up to size 22.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This would be a big NO for me and my organization. Her lack of care in her attire indicates that she doesn't know how to read professional situations and to meet expectations. Would you want her to present to your boss in that attire? Or at a conference? Probably not. Yet if she shows up to a job interview dressed as she was it is a strong indicator that she would also dress that way for other things. Why take that risk? There are other fish in the sea who are more trainable.

The sad thing is that had she shown up in a suit, dress, jacket/pants outfit, she'd have knocked it out of the park. I guess first impressions really do matter.

Yeah, that is the sad thing about it. If you feel up to the discussion you might want to share it with her when you tell her she isn't the candidate you're selecting. First impressions always matter, especially in job interviews. At my office we don't care if the clothes come from Nordstrom or Wal-Mart but we do care immensely that the clothing choices people make respect our office culture and that they are appropriate for the time and place.

What does is the “office culture” you want respected?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring her in for a second interview just to see if she picked up on her inappropriate dress. If she comes back dressed appropriately you are good to go.

This is actually what I am leaning toward doing. I liked her a lot and I would hope she picked up on the dress code from the panel. If she did, it will tell me a lot about her maturity and judgment. If she didn't, well....

Good idea. Also, if you do have to turn her down for the job, and if she asks for feedback, you could state that your office got the impression that she was not terribly interested in the job because of her choice of casual attire at the interview. To me, that would be the biggest negative about her outfit choice -- that she might seem not to care about getting the job. Your team is looking for someone who is a bit more eager. If it turns out that she was eager for the job, I suspect she'll find that feedback very helpful for her job search going forward.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We did bring her back for a second interview, and she did step it up a bit in her attire. She came in a dress and had her hair a bit more polished. While she wasn't impeccable in terms of fit and fashion and she still had those sandals, had she shown up like that for the first interview her clothing probably wouldn't have even been a consideration. Ultimately, she wasn't the strongest candidate for the position overall, but she didn't do herself any favors by being so casual in the first round. Had we had a deeper pool, she probably wouldn't have gotten a second interview based on how she presented herself. First impressions matter.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a stupid job with asswipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We did bring her back for a second interview, and she did step it up a bit in her attire. She came in a dress and had her hair a bit more polished. While she wasn't impeccable in terms of fit and fashion and she still had those sandals, had she shown up like that for the first interview her clothing probably wouldn't have even been a consideration. Ultimately, she wasn't the strongest candidate for the position overall, but she didn't do herself any favors by being so casual in the first round. Had we had a deeper pool, she probably wouldn't have gotten a second interview based on how she presented herself. First impressions matter.

Omg unless dress is integral part of the job, what BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We did bring her back for a second interview, and she did step it up a bit in her attire. She came in a dress and had her hair a bit more polished. While she wasn't impeccable in terms of fit and fashion and she still had those sandals, had she shown up like that for the first interview her clothing probably wouldn't have even been a consideration. Ultimately, she wasn't the strongest candidate for the position overall, but she didn't do herself any favors by being so casual in the first round. Had we had a deeper pool, she probably wouldn't have gotten a second interview based on how she presented herself. First impressions matter.

That’s the most important piece. I am glad you found someone qualified.