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?
Leberth,
I would think so. The talent and skills the candidate brings to the job are critical. Through coaching, you can guide an employee toward appropriate attire. It may be necessary on the other side of the topic to alter your expectation for attire. How crucial is attire to one's job performance?
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Thank you Dr. Kapper. That is an is an area that I have always questioned when it came to the hiring process. I would always question myself weather to take the risk or not.
Leberth
Leberth,
You are most welcome, Leberth.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I have accepted the responsibility to groom candidates if they appear to be the right candidate.
When I graduated from college 40 years ago, I purchased my interview suit and did not realize I left my tag on my sleeve. The Executive Director pointed this fact out after the interview. Long hair and beards were also popular at this time. I had both. The ED was good enough to point out that I would not be perceived as professional.
I appreciated his candor and followed his direction. He employed and trained me. I believe it was mutually beneficial for the two of us.
I have hired many people who eventually changed their grooming habits when they saw the benefits.
James,
Great personal story, James. You have been fortunate to come across potential employers who saw your potential and provided the necessary guidance. I am sure that you have paid back that good fortune many times over as you have mentored others regarding their appearance. I think that is our obligation when we see the potential in candidates.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I do believe it's worth taking the risk providing you take the time with that candidate to explain your company dress code policy. I’ve created a collage of business attire to give my candidates a visual of what we expect, only because one's perception of Business attire differs from others.
Genniene,
That's a great idea--sharing pictures of appropriate attire. I remember visiting a campus on a warm summer day and seeing an admissions rep in hot pants talking to a prospective student and her parents. I was shocked! Obviously, no one had seen fit to have a discussion with her regarding what was appropriate dress. She was still one of the best reps, though. That is one responsibility of a supervisor, albeit an uncomfortable task.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I 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!
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
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.
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
Make sure that the candidate understands the dress policy. Make it clear in the interview phase.
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
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?
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
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?
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
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!
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
