I read an article last weekend about dress code in the workplace and selecting on the basis of difference and wanted to share my own experience of wearing the wrong clothes. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8187689.stm
My first particularly gruelling experience of dressing inappropriately was at the tender age of 19 and was only my second job interview ever. I was a “first jobber” with good A levels results and had managed to get myself an interview for an admin position in an investment bank in the Docklands. When I turned up in a bright turquoise jacket and turquoise flowery skirt, soaked from head to toe, (it had been raining heavily and I didn’t have an umbrella) no one had told me about appropriate interview dress. I thought that I had done well to wear a nice jacket and smart skirt. Admittedly, the soaked through look didn’t help but by that point it was too late. The interview itself seemed to go very well although the two girls interviewing me were wearing black fitted skirt suits and crisp white shirts and I did feel a little out of place! Anyway, needless to say I didn’t get the job and after feedback from my recruitment consultant, I went straight out and bought a navy interview suit and promptly secured my first job in the City.
As a naive “first jobber” doing the interview rounds, I was shocked at how shallow these people were. I was still a bright school leaver with good “A” level results and a host of skills waiting to be tapped into. I still had the same personality and I was smartly dressed (if a little damp and flowery). I realised very early on in my working life that image is more important than anything else. If you have two candidates who present equally well on paper and have identical qualifications for the job, it can be a hard lesson to learn that the dark interview suit will get the job over the flowery skirt and bright coloured jacket. Or do they?
It could be that I also support difference when recruiting as I tend to be drawn towards the bright flowers rather than the plain suits. I looked nothing like the two “suits” that interviewed me and I didn’t get the job. However, if I had to choose then I would go for the flower over the suit every time, which ironically makes me the same as everyone else - I too prefer people who are more like me. Maybe I just see myself as more of a flower than a suit?!
Email etiquette
August 26th, 2009 Posted by: Julie MrowickiI don’t know about you but I have unusual sleep patterns. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I was in bed by 10pm and had a full eight hours. Quite often I feel at my best and most alert at 4 or 5 am and find myself producing my best work then to. For me, there is something quite special about those few hours first thing in the morning before the rest of the world is awake.
Why then, do I feel that I need to hide my early morning starts from my working life? I have a fear that if I send someone an email at 4.23am then it may be seen as unprofessional, bordering on insane. So, I quite often find myself typing away in these early hours and saving my emails to draft ready to press send at what I deem to be a more acceptable time of day, i.e. from 8.30 onwards. I have been known to send the occasional email before 8am but if I am honest, only to someone who I know really well!
We live in a society where depending on where you live, you can shop at 3am and drink in pubs around the clock, yet it is frowned upon to send work emails after 8.00pm and before 8.00am. Or is it? Maybe it is just my own perception? As a culture we are bound by the 9 to 5, Monday to Friday working life although I cannot help but feel that the introduction of flexible working hours in many organisations and the emphasis on work life balance, are slowly changing the look of the 9 to 5 working life. It may however, be quite some time before I feel comfortable sending an email at 4.23am!
Posted in Comment, Everything Else! 3 Comments