Ugh...pantyhose, really??

[Mary Anne]

Well, here's the thing. In a market where you have many more applicants than you have positions available, you can safely winnow down the applicants to those who are motivated enough to dress properly for an interview. In the field of applicants you have, you will still have enough fully qualified, and motivated, applicants not to have to be too concerned about losing a few in the process.

Exactly, I easily get 200 applications for an entry level position in a major company. If five come through the door with the exact same background, education and qualifications and 4 are not dressed properly, it is very easy to pick the one to go onto the next round.

Maybe it doesn't make a difference in some job markets but in a competitive job market it does make a difference. And new college grads, go out and buy yourself a nice business suit, that first impression does make a difference.

I'm sure some HR people don't care if you wear stockings or not, but you never know what is going to keep you being asked on to the next round of an interview process.

 

[disney1990]

Don't go interviewing at Disney if you don't like pantyhose. Lots of jobs there require them. I might be mistaken, but I think even housekeeping has them on under their long dresses/costumes.

Tomorrow is my first day at my new job and I will most definitely have them on.

 

[ajk912]

Well, here's the thing. There are some positions that very few people are qualified for and some company officers who couldn't give a rats a** if their employees wear panty hose to a job interview or not - they want the person who can do the job best, not the one who bothers to put polyester on her legs. Those people are usually not very happy when they lose one of the very few qualified people they could've interviewed thanks to a lack of pantyhose.

This hasn't actually happened to me, but something of this ilk did happen to a friend of mine. And some HR heads rolled, to the tune of "you can pull this crap on XYZ employees if you like, even though you shouldn't, but NOT people who have 1234 qualifications! She went to work at GHK!"

This is a lesson in why you should keep training, keep learning, and look for those fields that have shortages.

I am not sure if this is a true story or a rumor or whatnot, but I would think anyone who has this many qualifications would be smart enough to know how to dress for an interview. Unless they are being cocky and entitled, thinking that the resume speaks for itself..and...well, the overly cocky ones usually don't work out longterm.

So...the pantyhose rule may not be too far off base.

 

[tasha99]

I am not sure if this is a true story or a rumor or whatnot, but I would think anyone who has this many qualifications would be smart enough to know how to dress for an interview. Unless they are being cocky and entitled, thinking that the resume speaks for itself..and...well, the overly cocky ones usually don't work out longterm.

So...the pantyhose rule may not be too far off base.

I think 1234 was standing in for certain qualifications. Let's face it--there are jobs that are difficult to fill. My school has been trying to hire a professor for a specific subject for a couple years now and can't find one. They've made offers, but the applicants chose other universities. Same goes for certain rural areas at the Masters rather than PhD level--I've seen job openings open for months and months and months, and now I realize that even though they were openings I was interested in but not qualified to fill over a year ago, I may have the chance to apply for them after all. (I would wear hose to an interview--or slacks, but I think it would be an idiot HR move to not hire someone on a difficult to fill job just over that. I would think it would be just one factor.)

 

[SueM in MN]

There are jobs with dress codes that include wearing panty hose (or socks/shorter hose with pants). Unless you know for sure that this job doesn’t require them, it’s safer to wear them for the interview.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I am not sure if this is a true story or a rumor or whatnot, but I would think anyone who has this many qualifications would be smart enough to know how to dress for an interview. Unless they are being cocky and entitled, thinking that the resume speaks for itself..and...well, the overly cocky ones usually don't work out longterm.

So...the pantyhose rule may not be too far off base.

Actually it was one of my BFFs. She was thinking about changing companies, so put out a few feelers. Went to one job interview with HR of a company they gave her the brush off. (She was dressed in her best tech geek clothes - BFF's best tech geek clothes would be dress pants, dress flats, a dress blouse and either a jacket or a sweater. She likely carried a messenger bag and wore no make-up). She had other feelers out and went to work for company B. Met up with someone she knew from the company she got the brush off from. He introduced her to his boss, the CFO. CFO wanted to know, jokingly, when she was coming to work for them. She said, innocently enough, that she had gone to an interview but that HR hadn't been interested in her. Her friend at the company later reported the outcome back to her, with the addendum that if she wanted to come to work for them she should call him. (She's quite happy where she at, I think, though.)

I actually had a lot more than this typed, then decided why pot stir? Truthfully, IT tech geeks, especially ones with highly specialized skills, are a bit different. Many are probably undiagnosed Aspies, but they're very good at what they do. In addition, in that field, there are a LOT of companies that consider business casual to be overdressed, even for an interview.

And I'm sure, if you're an HR professional, that you didn't mean to imply that I was lying or that my friends and I aren't good employees who don't work hard. As for being "cocky". That wasn't implied, that was stated, so I'll take the stance that you must be having a bad day and forgive you that comment. ((((hugs))))

At any rate, the point of my first post was: work hard, pick areas of expertise that have extreme shortages, and then you don't have to worry about things like whether or not you're wearing the right things to an interview!

 

[GothTink]

Nobody wears pantyhose anymore? I am so out of the loop...

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

So you would take the less qualified applicant over the highly qualified one because she wasn't wearing pantyhose??? This is just sad. I think panty hose are horrible. Thank God I don't have to wear them because I wouldn't. I don't even like saying panty hose (typing it it is bad enough).

Of course! If a candidate cannot be bother to dress appropriately - what other social rules/norms/business etiquette do they ignore? Too risky.

 

[Philagoofy]

I work in HR, if anyone showed up on an inteview not wearing pantyhose with a business suit, I would not give them more then the 10 minute thank you for applying intervew. I don't care if it is 110 degrees in the summer. You want the job you dress fully for the interview.

It doesn't always work out for everyone. My dh wore pantyhose to many an interview, was very qualified - degrees, work experience etc, & he was turned down more times than the sheets at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

But seriously, I'd go with the nude or suntan rather than a color.
Good luck!!

 

[Buckeye Princess]

I agree that when in doubt wear pantyhose. But I also agree that there are some professions where it is not required, or even not recommended. I used to work in a field where you were expected to be very conscious of trends and and fashion. It pantyhose is considered to be "out" at the time by those who set high fashion standards, then you'd be expected to know that and dress accordingly. This especially goes for my several friends who work directly in the fashion field. Even an interview suit was expected to be a more fashionable cut with trendier accessories. My first post college job was for a very conservative consulting company. Skirt suit and pearls only kind of thing. Definitely pantyhose.

 

[englishteacha]

We were talking about work qualifications today with some friends. We interviewed for an English teacher at our school. We narrowed it down to two, equally qualified candidates. Both came dressed appropriately. One could play the ukelele. We picked the one who could play the uke, because we thought it would be fun to have a ukelele player around (and it was!!). In that case, the thing that made the person stand out/unique is what got them the job (that and she smiled more during the interview than the other candidate...the other candidate seemed scared to death!)

 

[sunshine1178]

Yes to nude hose. Also to flesh colored undergarments, tops we can't see through or down, and slips under sheer/clingy skirts. Yes, it feels old fashioned to wear, but it looks so much better!

Men, yes to undershirts, yes to belts, and no to shirts shorter than your gut.

I'm so not a fashion guru, but I would prefer not to know my clients or co-workers too intimately! (Yes, I am looking at you in the black lace bra under the clingy white shirt, and you with the hairy behind, but boy do I wish that I wasn't looking!)

 

[kilee]

I think if you have to wear them really depends on the place you are interviewing for. If there is any doubt, wear them.

We cannot wear capris, open toe shoes or sleeveless tops at my work. When I interview someone who wears these I honestly do think right from the get-go they are not right. It's not that they would of even known, but it's just a huge no-no where I work and I automatically think that when I see them.

 

[jlima]

We cannot wear capris, open toe shoes or sleeveless tops at my work. When I interview someone who wears these I honestly do think right from the get-go they are not right. It's not that they would of even known, but it's just a huge no-no where I work and I automatically think that when I see them.

Wow. So they're pond scum for not having a clue about your dress code? That is incredibly unfair to the candidates and you are selling your company short by not considering the candidates on their merits alone.

One of the properties I worked at previously here in LV had a hotel president who ABSOLUTELY HATED open toed shoes. You were considered subhuman if you wore them. He would occasionally interview some candidates for jobs in our department and our office manager would tell the candidates not to wear open toes shoes to the interview. It was completely silly.

Hard to believe there's other companies out there with the same attitudes.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow. So they're pond scum for not having a clue about your dress code? That is incredibly unfair to the candidates and you are selling your company short by not considering the candidates on their merits alone.

One of the properties I worked at previously here in LV had a hotel president who ABSOLUTELY HATED open toed shoes. You were considered subhuman if you wore them. He would occasionally interview some candidates for jobs in our department and our office manager would tell the candidates not to wear open toes shoes to the interview. It was completely silly.

Hard to believe there's other companies out there with the same attitudes.

This can be seen as an extremely naive interpretation of the way the "world" works. When a candidate is interviewing for a position, the candidate has the responsibility to understand that s/he should be presenting the MOST professional image possible.

To that end, no low cut shirts, no clinging fabrics, no open toed shoes (considered a safety hazard in nearly every industry) no extremely short skirts, no wild hair, no excessive jewelry.

That goes for both genders.

Whether an individual "likes" it or not, that is the interviewing standard. Your merits need to speak for you, but you need to get to the point where you can have your merits listented to. If you are dressed inappropriately, that is all the interviewer will "hear."

 

[ajk912]

This can be seen as an extremely naive interpretation of the way the "world" works. When a candidate is interviewing for a position, the candidate has the responsibility to understand that s/he should be presenting the MOST professional image possible.

To that end, no low cut shirts, no clinging fabrics, no open toed shoes (considered a safety hazard in nearly every industry) no extremely short skirts, no wild hair, no excessive jewelry.

That goes for both genders.

Whether an individual "likes" it or not, that is the interviewing standard. Your merits need to speak for you, but you need to get to the point where you can have your merits listented to. If you are dressed inappropriately, that is all the interviewer will "hear."

Yup, first impressions mean a lot, and especially in the case where there is a pile of similiar resumes you want to be remembered for your ukelele playing skills, not for your tootsies.

 

[MiniGirl]

Wow. So they're pond scum for not having a clue about your dress code? That is incredibly unfair to the candidates and you are selling your company short by not considering the candidates on their merits alone.

One of the properties I worked at previously here in LV had a hotel president who ABSOLUTELY HATED open toed shoes. You were considered subhuman if you wore them. He would occasionally interview some candidates for jobs in our department and our office manager would tell the candidates not to wear open toes shoes to the interview. It was completely silly.

Hard to believe there's other companies out there with the same attitudes.

I never read where that poster said they were "pond scum" or anything nearly as negative in that post. All she said was that it gave her the impression that they weren't a good fit for the company. Big difference.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I think it is regional and industry dependent on the pantyhose issue. In the south, we rarely wear pantyhose. With our humidity you have to peel them from your sticky flesh. NOT fun!

But with a job interview, you should dress for the position and always lean towards the conservative. If you have a recruiter, ask them what the women wear in this company. If they are highly fashionable, you may want to update your wardrobe.

I work in the life science industry. Most of our people are scientists. The ladies are NOT high fashion, so no one would really care if you had pantyhose or sneakers on, but they would be more interested in your Phd. I work in marketing though and we are more consious of fashion (trends, etc) so for an interview in that department you would want to look updated and pulled together.

I if you can do some upfront investigation (visit their office, ask the recruiter or anyone you know that works there). It is always easier if you go into the interview looking like you belong already.

 

[MarilIncredible]

Here in DC, I still see a lot of professional women, including a lot of young women (in their 20s and 30s), wearing hose. My office tends to be more casual, but I absolutely wore them, and a conservative suit with a sold color scoop neck silk blouse, when I interviewed. I'd always dress up more for the interview, because it gives the impression of being more serious about the interview and more eager to have the job.

 

[disney1990]

I think if you have to wear them really depends on the place you are interviewing for. If there is any doubt, wear them.

We cannot wear capris, open toe shoes or sleeveless tops at my work. When I interview someone who wears these I honestly do think right from the get-go they are not right. It's not that they would of even known, but it's just a huge no-no where I work and I automatically think that when I see them.

You said no open toes, how about open backs, such as sling backs?