From: richard@adpgate.UUCP ( ADP OPuS)
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc
Subject: Re: Need suit and tie for a job interview ??
Date: 28 Jul 92 15:32:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: outland.1470
Organization: ADP Dealer Services R&D, Portland, OR


   Here we are living in the land of the free, home of the brave 
   where we give immense lip service to our *freedoms*, yet many 
   of us feel that the work world is quite different from the 
   democratic ideals that we are raised to cherish.  Ask yourself 
   if these comments sound like they represent the kind of culture 
   that you want to nurture!

laws@ai.sri.com (Kenneth I. Laws) writes:
>
> ... a candidate not wearing
> a suit would raise questions in my mind that I would want to have
> answered.
 
   So, here Dr. Laws says that anything other than a suit is cause 
   for suspicion and quite logically reason to possibly deny this 
   candidate the economic opportunity that the job might offer. On 
   the other hand, he says...

> If I wanted a "mushroom programmer" or flunky, I might look for
> a suit as one sign of subservience and naivete.  If I wanted someone
> with management potential, I might look for a suit as a sign of
> aspiration and savvy.  
   
   OK, so here now if I have a low self-image and consider myself a 
   flunky or "mushroom programmer" I might not wear a suit. Not having 
   a suit is my way of subconsciously communicating to the world that 
   I am not of the same high quality as a suit wearer. It appears that 
   Dr. Laws assumes that clothing and skills have a direct relationship!

> I've worn suits long enough that I'm actually more comfortable in
> them (during interviews).  The jacket is great for handling thermal
> variations, and the pockets make a sort of portable desk.  (I used
> to take along a thin attache case, but I'm more comfortable now
> without it.)  A tie also seems to raise me to the same level of
> authority as my interviewer, though I can't explain why.  If you
> get the same boost from dressing informally, do it.
   
   I think you miss the point of this discussion.  People want to dress 
   in a way that comfortably expresses who they are, not in a way that 
   some manipulative, autocratic power figure defines. I don't get a 
   *boost* from dressing informally!  This has nothing to do with getting 
   a boost! It has to do with being able to be yourself and not suffer 
   unfair discrimination. I'm glad you are comfortable with your jacket 
   and tie; why do you insist on imposing that on me as a means of entry 
   into your peer network? Your implication is that I can't possibly 
   have *savvy and aspiration* unless I wear a certain kind of clothing. 
   Do you really believe that?  It's a sad thought that there are  
   people out there who think like you that hold the power to hire. 
   It reminds me of the psychological experiment where people were 
   put in the position of delivering punishing electrical shocks to 
   those who did not respond appropriately. When asked why they continued 
   to increase the power, they said "Because I was told to."
   Perhaps those of you who hire might give a second thought to *turning
   up the power* when you're interviewing a prospective job candidate. 
   Just because Dr. Laws says you should be suspicious of someone who 
   does not wear jacket and tie, does not mean you have to take his advice!
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc