Dress to Impress

This picture is of some of the Microsoft Corporation's employees in 1978. Obviously, knowing what I know now, the answer to the question of if I would have invested in the company is, "YES!" But, let us time travel back to 1978 and show me this same picture and ask me this same question and my answer would be, "NO!" Why? Because the way a person dresses is vital to how people view that person and how seriously the person will be treated. Not a single person in this picture is dressed in professional business attire that would convince me based on first glance that their business would be worth investing in. Showing up to an interview for The New York Times in fishnets and go-go boots is surely not going to land you a job. If you wish to be taken seriously, you must appear to be worth someone's precious time. Especially in interviews, dress says a lot about a person. You are more likely to obtain a position with a company if you come to the interview polished than if you show up in sneakers and jeans with holes. Granted, dress is not everything and will probably not ultimately decide whether or not you receive a job offer, but by dressing to impress those you interview with, it will be easier to convince the interviewers of your genuine interest in obtaining the position with their company.

Example time. You are given a task by your boss to go out on the street and you have one hour to bring him back the best employee you can find. If the employee is a good worker, you get to keep your job. If the employee does shoddy work and is less than impressive to your employer, you will be fired. Let us now assume that you are simply a shift manager at McDonald's and you only need to hire a cashier. So, you set out with your task. How do you decide in only one hour who to hire? You will not have time to ask many questions so you are likely to only talk to those dressed nicely and who you believe would make a good worker and allow you to keep your job. You will make your decision of whether or not to even talk to someone based on your first impression because of their appearance alone. The way a person dresses can say a lot about the degree of professionalism that person will demonstrate. It is important to always dress appropriately. A good rule of thumb for a job interview is to dress one step above the accepted dress the person who obtains the position you have applied for will dress on a daily basis. Always be aware of what you are wearing says about you. It could potentially limit your opportunities or it could create new ones.