This anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian who has been a member of a hiring or search committee. This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members in a Suburban area in the Southern US.
What Candidates Should Wear
Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?
√ I don’t care
An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:
√ I do not know and/or care
Bare arms are inappropriate in an interview, even in the summer.
√ False
If a woman wears a skirt to an interview, should she also wear pantyhose?
√ No, but it’s not a dealbreaker
Women should wear make-up to an interview:
√ I don’t care, as long as it’s not over-the-top
Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?
√ I don’t care
Which jewelry may candidates wear: (Please select all that are acceptable)
√ Single, simple necklace, bracelet, and/or ring
√ A few simple necklaces, bracelets, and/or rings
√ Arty or more elaborate necklaces, bracelets, or rings
√ Nose Ring (nostril)
√ Earrings
√ Multiple Ear Piercings
√ Large gauge ear jewelry (stretched ears)
Which hair colors are acceptable for candidates:
√ All of them, even pink
The way a candidate dresses should:
√ I don’t really care how a candidate dresses
How does what a candidate wears affect your hiring decision?
I was on a hiring committee about 6 months ago, and I can only remember one out of 4 interviewees’ outfits, only because I thought it was a little frumpy. I think keeping your outfit fairly neutral will ensure that people don’t remember you for what you wore, but how you interviewed or presented. Also, I would hope that a candidate dresses the way they expect to dress when they come to work. In that sense, I think it is unrealistic to expect that either men or women will wear a suit to work everyday here at my library, therefore I don’t expect that they must wear one to an interview.
What This Library Wears
How do you dress when you are going to conduct an interview?
I may wear a dress (even a bright pink one) or a nice button-down shirt with trousers. I just wear what I usually wear to work, but make sure it is one of my nicer outfits (i.e., not jeans).
On a scale of one (too dressed up for my workplace) to five (too casual), khakis and a polo shirt are:
3
What’s the dress code at your library/organization?
√ Casual
Are there any specific items of clothing, etc. that are forbidden by your dress code? (Please check all that apply)
√ N/A: We wear what we want!
This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!
Photo: Wardrobe Remix by Flickr user Mike_fleming , under creative commons license
