Job Interviews

Hey, guys! If you’re anything like me, you hate getting dressed up for any occasion. It always feels so stuffy and uncomfortable, so we just don’t like to do it. When I was getting married for the first time, I told my now ex that I wanted to wear a t-shirt and jeans instead of a tux. Well, she had the upper hand on that one, so I was forced to wear a tux. Was I uncomfortable? Yes. Did it feel stuffy? Yes. However, there are some occasions for which one must dress appropriately, and one of those occasions is a job interview.

When I first started out in my career as a teacher, I had no clue about what I should wear to a job interview. I had had jobs in HVAC and commercial and industrial insulation, and all I ever needed was a t-shirt and jeans. That was enough. The employers just wanted to know that I would learn fast and work hard. When I started interviewing for teaching positions, however, I could not get away with that look. So, I put on my khakis and a shirt and tie. I interviewed for multiple positions at different colleges across the state, but I was not getting call backs. Then, one day, my boss at the community college where I taught as an adjunct said, “You should wear a suit with a belt and nice shoes when you interview.” I thought to myself that I should be judged on my experience, not what I wear. I didn’t even own a suit. So, off to Men’s Wearhouse I went.

This was a big step for me since I had never imagined that I would be wearing a suit to a job interview. I got fitted for a suit, belt, and nice shoes, and I was on my way. After a couple more interviews in my new suit, I landed a job teaching English combined with World History at a local charter school. I was happy, but after a year, I found the job didn’t suit me (😊). I immediately jumped into my interview suit and interviewed for a job at the community college a couple of hours away. The first interview went well, and I got a call back for a second interview. I wore the same suit because I knew I would be interview by someone who had not seen it. After that interview, I waited. Sure enough, days later, I was offered a full-time position. This suit thing combined with my experience really worked! I finally landed my dream job.

What’s my point? Well, I would suggest going and buying a suit for your job interviews. This will show that you take the position seriously, and it will gain you more respect from the interviewers. When they see that you are serious about securing employment with their company, that will almost surely give you a leg up on the competition (pardon the cliché). Now, you might be asking, “Should I wear a suit to my interview at the Speedway gas station down the street?” I say, YES! Get into the habit of dressing this way for job interviews, and when you finally get interviewed for your dream job, you will be ready. I know that suits are uncomfortable and stuffy, but wearing one every so often will not kill you, and it will help you in the long run. Remember, it doesn’t have to be fancy but it should match and include a jacket, a belt, and nice shoes. You could put a suit together at your local Goodwill in no time and pay very little for it. So, what are you waiting for? Get that suit and get that job!