Fashion Disasters OR Discovering My Inner Snob

[Undertow]

I can say from experience that it has been those little friendly reminders that have made all the difference in my behaviors and practices.

Just one single example: I was applying for a position at a large retail chain's corporate branch in Iowa, I was going to be responding to emails sent to the company, etc. In the interview, the hiring manager asked why I was leaving my current position. I advised that I wasn't making enough money, I needed some office experience, and besides, they had terrible insurance options and few meager raises with no chance of promotion.

He thanked me for my honesty but told me that in all his years of hiring, one thing he based his selection on was attitude. He told me I came off as having a negative attitude and normally he wouldn't have hired me. However, I was dressed well, I had a good resume and they really needed the help. So I got the job. But I definitely learned from that experience and I appreciated his bluntness.

 

[Jovan]

Something I also learned the hard way. I haven't interviewed for any really professional positions yet, but I try to keep my response to that sort of question limited to, "I didn't get as many hours as I'd liked." YMMV.

 

[Sin Khan]

Don't Hire Him. Your First Impressions Were Right

I have to agree with the original posters remarks and disagree with most of those who have commented about it.

This guy was going for an interview for a job and it was completely obvious that he did not prepare in the least for it. He jumbled together some cloths that he thought would impress and it clearly showed. He of course did not think that it would.

As well, it was stated that he “Bragged” that his dad was a marine, not that he “mentioned” it. Do you know how many times I’ve brought up the fact that my “dad” was in the air force during a job interview? Never! This “kid”, as some of you have correctly referred to him, was clearing dropping names and credentials of other people in order to impress the person interviewing him. This speaks of a lack of character in my view. What usually happens in these cases is the “kid” could tell that his other information doesn’t impress anyone so he quickly tries to add other people to the conversation for good measure. Poor judgment on his part, that’s for sure.

I think that you were right about your first impressions about this guy and I get from your post that it was negative. First impressions can be deceiving, yes, but that is usually when we think highly of someone’s first impressions. Rarely are our instincts wrong when we think negatively of someone the first time we meet them.

In this case this guy was “trying” to impress you but you were too smart for him. You weren’t fooled by his careless attempts at “dressing the part” and what you saw was the real person in his actions, not a ruse.

I wouldn’t hire him at all, that is, unless you want someone who will only do the minimal job that they have too to get by.

Everyone has said, bee easy on the “kid”, but I say be easy on your business and your other employees and only hire people who care about your company and want to work for someone who cares about his employees, not fools who are just out to impress someone in order to get a paycheck.

Don't be so hard on the kid some would say, but I say hiring kids is against the law.

 

[John in Covina]

ESP or Osmosis

Him wearing a suit at all shows it is swinging....
And seriously...instead of returning the compliment, maybe next time you could say 'Son, not sure if you know this, but you remove that tag....and its perfectly allowable to unbutton the buttons of the jacket when sitting'

How are people supposed to meet your high sartorial standards if you don't even -help- those who are TRYING....

******************
Good point! All the knowledge in the world is really not useful until you pass it on. Most young men today need a MENTOR. It sounds like it would have been a great opportunity to pass along some of that hard won smarts on dressing up.

Most people don't have ESP on this stuff so all they know is from osmosis what they have seen and or heard.

 

[Jovan]

Sin Khan makes a few good points. Whatever your heart tells you, in the end. You're the one hiring, not us!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

ahh but very few of us said to -hire- him....

we were only stating that if -no one- can ever live up to expectations but other Tasteful FL'ers......then perhaps we should -teach- the masses...as opposed to merely being revolted by people and thus becoming whiney old men...or living in a cave so that we only have to see our own wonderous sartorial excellence in mirrors!

 

[Tomasso]

The label on the sleeve was probably an oversight.

I doubt it. Leaving the maker's label on jackets began as an urban (inner-city) trend about a decade ago and has leaked out to suburbia and beyond while now being eschewed by its authors. Maybe it's a way of retaining street cred while wearing the man's garb. [huh]

 

[wedding belle]

Do letus know if the young man

gets the job. It sounds as if he made a valiant effort! Nerves probably explain the closed buttons (it would be the last thing on my mind in an interview) and maybe he didn't have someone to cast a final loving eye and catch the label (I was quite a reasonable age when I first realised that they were to be removed.....it feels very odd tearing something that is sewn onto something as pricey as a new suit!)

And be thankful - I was once on an interview panel and th guy in qquestion wore a comedy tie that he then proceeded to play to us, he also was very proud of his matching comedy socks - and this was for a senior counselling role with undergraduates..... Now that was distracting

 

[Paisley]

I still don't know what job the young man was interviewing for, only that he had "most of the qualifications." These days, that and a good attitude are hard to find. If you add "sharp dresser" to the list, the position might go unfilled for months or years.