Wrong attire but perfect candidate
I was wondering if anyone can share their experience on this subject. Do you think it will be worth it to take the risk with hopes that you can groom that individual into the person that you are looking to hire?
Caron,
I see your point; however, for an interview, conventional wisdom is that attire is a reflection of how an individual feels and presents themselves. It has been demonstrated through several workforce studies that people who come to an interview dressed inappropriately, i.e. casual (in a broad sense),tend to have more "casual attitude" toward their work performance. If an individual doesn't take the time to check on the company's dress code and dress a step above, then I would factor that into the decision process. Like other aspects of personnel management, all factors need to be considered and ultimately, the hiring manager determines if the person is a fit for the organization's culture and the position. Depending on the position and its interface with the public, potential students, parents, advisory boards, etc. this standard could be flexible to a point.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Kenneth,
That's terrific, thanks Ken and Happy New Year!
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Agreed... I am currently in the Hiring Faculty course and consider that to be most appropriate...
Ken
Kenneth,
This is an excellent and balanced response to the Forum question. Personally, I beleive faculty should be expected to reflect the dress for the profession(s) graduates will be entering. My experience has repeatedly demonstrated that faculty, as role models, have more influence on students than anyone else in the organization; therefore, there should be an expectation for them to reflect proper attire.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
This could be a factor if the position applied for is in the admissions or financial aid area. When dealing with the general public and parents it is imperative to look professional and make a good first impression. I would make sure to check references carefully before hiring. I would rather err on the side of caution with personal appearance. For a more internal position such as faculty it is not as critical with the exception of personal grooming and cleanliness. I would ensure that the candidate understands the dress policy before making an official offer.
Stanley,
Attire is clearly not the determinant of a person's skill set and whether or not you hire someone who wears the wrong attire, depends primarily on the culture of your organization. If the culture matches what he/she is wearing, great; however if it isn't, studies have shown hiring someone "out of the norm" will have a negative impact on others in the organization and impacts productivity. Whether or not the person is "coachable" is a risky decision, once they are hired, your "coaching" may be perceived as discriminatory and create other issues. Studies have shown that personal attire reflects how a person feels about themselves and may actually impact their personal productivity. You can draw your own conclusions; however, the pendulum is beginning to swing back to more "business like" dress in most organizations, particularly those that have direct customer interfaces. Generally, if you describe the culture and "dress code" to any intelligent skilled individual, before the hiring decision is made, he/she will decide if their choice of attire is a higher priority than the job. If they choose the former, your hiring decision is easy.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Stanley,
The talent and skills the candidate brings to the job are more critical than the way they dress. That being said, if there is an "official" dress code that others adhere to, your suggestion of coaching should definitely take place before an offer is made. Clearly explaining elements of the culture is important for any potential new employee and attire shouldn't be an obstacle to their acceptance of the company's cultural guidelines, if it is, you may have to extend your search. I agree that you can address this through coaching, but it's best to get it clear up front.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
I feel that if you have the perfect candidate who has the perfect skills and personality just wrong attire is totally coachable you can always get new attire you cannot get a new personality
Davida,
Wow! That is showing some initiative when they take the time to prepare. Hopefully, that initiative will continue to be visible on the job.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
definitely agree that the right person can be coachable in terms of attire, and that it's fine to talk about dress policy in the interview process. I would actually prefer this so expectations are set. As a manager in an Admissions Department we speak to dress code for students every day so it's a comfortable process for me. We occasionally have Admissions Representative candidates who have read the student attire portion of school catalog and come to the interview asking specific questions about dress policy expectations for employees!
Justin,
I would not discuss during the interview unless that person is a final candidate and an offer is being made at that time. If your school has any written guidelines on appropriate dress, that would be an easy way to introduce the subject. If the candidate meets or exceeds all of the requirements for the job, I would tread lightly on the attire issue knowing that this is fixable and not wanting to lose a highly qualified candidate.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
So with this question in mind, is it appropriate to discuss their current attire during the interview? I think it would be better to cover the issue before hiring, and establish what the reason behind their inappropriate attire may be - but how do you do that and still maintain the candidate's confidence during the interview and potentially when they start the job?
Charisse ,
That is amazing to me that even after having been coached on the expectations for attire, one still failed to change. That should be an easy "fix." If a candidate cannot follow the simple guidance in this situation, then they are probably not a good risk. If a changed behavior doesn't result here, it won't happen in a more complex situation on the job.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
We recently had a front desk position available and had several candidates come in. Because there were two people involved in the hiring at different stages, the first one screened and then I interviewed the final candidates.
My Front Desk Manager narrowed the search, two that were not dressed appropriately she explained the dress code to and invited back for a second interview with me.
This gave them the opportunity to fix any concerns. One did and the other didn't. I think this gave both candidates a second chance. If they can't get it right the second time, how fixable are they really?
Pamela,
As the hiring manager, it is our responsibility to make certain the candidate understands expectations regarding work attire. It is something, however, that I wouldn't a lot of time discussing unless the candidate is a serious contender. If the candidate is perfect in every way, I wouldn't let attire stand in the way. That is easily fixable with a simple conversation.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Make sure that the candidate understands the dress policy. Make it clear in the interview phase.
Lynne,
Inappropriate attire is fixable. If the candidate meets all of the other requirements for the position, attire is a minor issue to be addressed once the position has been offered and accepted. Each company has different expectations regarding attire and what is acceptable. This is a topic to be addressed during the onboarding process with the new employee.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Some people cannot afford to purchase the correct attire. That is why they need a job. Some people are too prideful to even as to borrow an outfit to interview in. But as long as they sell themselves in the interview, they have a strong chance of getting hired. Then can afford to purchase the attire needed to work. And will pose as a great asset to the team.
Laura,
I agree that appropriate business attire is a good topic for discussion during an interview, especially if the candidate has a good possibility of being hired. It is so my h easier to discuss at that time rather than once they are on the job. It is great that your candidates are showing some initiative to read the dress code before they are even interviewed. It is even better that they are coming with questions. Attire is a much easier topic to discuss than personal hygiene!
Dr. Patricia Kapper
