From: oneil@odin.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil)
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc
Subject: Re: Need suit and tie for a job interview ??
Date: 22 Jul 92 18:18:39 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha

cottle@b11.b11.ingr.com (Tim Cottle) writes:

>If you don't have a lot of experience with dressing for a business setting,
>there are a number of things you can do.  Don't be afraid to ask a lot of 
>questions to the person selling you the suit.  Flip through a _Forbes_, 
>_Fortune_, etc., and see how the people in the ads are dressed (warning:
>don't try this with "International Male", and be very careful with "GQ" :-)).
>Also, consult with the staffers of the appropriate gender at your placement
>center, if you have not yet graduated.  It's a tough job market out there, 
>and the first impression you make will have much influence on the eventual
>outcome of the process.

Here is a strategy that worked for me in building up a business wardrobe.
I went to an expensive women's business apparel shop.  I made sure to go at
a time of day when it was *not* busy.  I told the salesclerk that I was
interested in finding suits which would be appropriate for interviewing and
eventually teaching.  I also told her that I didn't have a whole lot of money.
She realized that I really didn't have the $350 necessary to purchase even
one suit.  But she was extremely nice and she helped me to figure out what
outfits looked best on me.  She helped me figure out what colors would work
for me best.  She showed me how to pick out blouses to mix and match.
And then she also told me what stores I *could* find comparable clothing at a
less expensive price.

The result is that I now have three suits and several blouses, all but one
blouse purchased on sale.  None were purchased at the more expensive store.
However, when I do have the money, I will *definitely* patronize the more
expensive store since the clerks there took the time to give me some pointers.
Of course, I was up front with them from the beginning.  They knew I didn't
have the money, but they also respected the fact that I *wanted* to dress
well and they also were adept enough to figure out that I would leave with an
extremely favorable impression of the store.    

>One question:  why is it that the female interviewees are invariably properly
>dressed?  I can't think of one instance where one was not properly turned-out.

This is an easy question to answer.  We are invariably dressed properly 
because it is ingrained in us that the way we look often makes more of an
impression than what we've actually done.  (Read Naomi Wolf's book entitled
"The Beauty Myth.")  We know that how we look will often influence whether
we get through the door or not.  We consider this unfair, but we know it is
true.  (My aunt does hiring/interviews and states that she and most other
interviewers size applicants up in the first 20 SECONDS of the interview.)

Also, in the course of internships, we often receive a great deal of feedback
regarding how we dress.  At my first internship (as a teacher) I was given a
lot of *negative* feedback because I didn't wear a lot of makeup.  (I have a 
very peaches and cream complexion and don't feel the need to look like a 
department store cosmetics salesperson, although I *do* wear blush, powder,
light shadow, and mascara.)  

Thus, I now KNOW that I'm not just being appraised for my work, which was 
well-done.  I'm also being judged on the basis of how I look.  And, yes, I
do think the standards are more stringent because I am a woman -- as far as
personal appearance goes.

Sharon O'Neil
oneil@odin.unomaha.edu