[ale] Since we're on the subject of jobs lately

[Jeff Lightner]

I disagree with the tie comments.

There's an old saying:  
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

I've been employed in the IT field since 1991 and it was sometime before
1996 that everyone went casual - despite that as I noted above I've
always worn a suit and tie to interviews.  Once the job starts it's
casual all the way.

You're there trying to sell yourself to the potential employer.   Often
you're interviewing with a recruiter or HR person who knows little to
nothing of the technical end of the business and may not pass you on to
hiring manager based on perceptions.  You then often are interviewing
with management types who might well interpret casual dress (especially
if it isn't "neat") as a sign that you're not "serious" about the job.
While you will also interview with technical people usually this comes
AFTER the first two things.  The technical people are going to judge you
on what you say about technical questions and aren't going to hold a tie
against you the way some on this list have implied if your answers are
correct.

By the way there are still some jobs where suit and tie is required not
because its IT but because of the business.  I was even once asked to
shave my beard for an interview by a recruiter.  I didn't do it but am
just using it to illustrate the point that sometimes appearances as well
as technical ability do matter.

Of course you could always ask when arranging the interview whether they
would like you to wear a suit and tie.  Often enough they'll tell you it
is casual and you won't lose any points for coming in casual.  Just
remember casual in a business setting seldom means cutoffs and a
t-shirt.


 
-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
William Bagwell
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 5:23 AM
To: Mike Harrison; ale at ale.org
Subject: Re: [ale] Since we're on the subject of jobs lately

On Tuesday 15 July 2008, Mike Harrison wrote:
> I recently (two days ago) interviewed a guy I'd like to hire,
> who wore a tie. Badly. It was new, shiney and like his new blue
> shirt, just didn't fit.

You should have rung a cowbell and cut his tie off with a pair of 
scissors.

Hey, it happend to me! Not a job interview, this was about 20 years ago
in 
a steakhouse somewhere out west... Think it was this one. 
http://www.pppatio.com/OldFiles/history/index.html

Garish green with white polka dot clown tie that hung down to my waist,
so 
I even got an extra insult ad-libbed into the script:) Can't recall ever

wearing a tie since.
-- 
William
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