This anonymous interview is with a recruiter. This person has been a hiring manager and a 3rd party library recruiter for a recruiting agency with 0-10 staff members in an urban area of the UK.
What Candidates Should Wear
Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?
√ Probably, yes (but it’s ok if the candidate wears something a little less formal)
An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:
√ Counts as a suit
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?
√ Either pantyhose or tights. Bare legs are inappropriate
Women should wear make-up to an interview:
√ I don’t care, as long as it’s not over-the-top
Is there anything a candidate might wear that would cause them to be instantly out of the running? If you have any funny stories about horrifying interview outfits, we’d love to hear them.
flip flops, ripped jeans, clothes with overtly political slogans would raise serious red flags. I’ve had someone keep on an outdoor hooded coat throughout an interview, with the hood up, which made me wonder what they were hiding.
Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?
√ Yes, the higher the position, the more formal I expect the candidate to dress
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
√ Earrings
Which hair colors are acceptable for candidates:
√ All of them, even pink
The way a candidate dresses should:
√ Be fairly neutral
How does what a candidate wears affect your hiring decision?
The way someone presents themselves reflects the way they think about themselves, their level of self confidence, their level of care and attention to detail, and how much they respect themselves and the interview process – no wonder it has such an influence!
I think that any well coordinated, smart, outfit that reflects the level of formality at the organisation, with a high level of personal grooming, would positively affect my hiring decision.
What This Library Wears
How do you dress when you are going to conduct an interview?
In a suit.
On a scale of one (too dressed up for my workplace) to five (too casual), khakis and a polo shirt are:
4
What’s the dress code at your library/organization?
√ Business casual
Are there any specific items of clothing, etc. that are forbidden by your dress code? Please check all that apply
√ Flip flops
√ Short skirts/shorts
√ Logos/band insignia/slogans
Librarians at your organization wear: Please check all that apply
Name tags
Badges
Uniforms
Shirt, waistcoat/vest, or other single piece of clothing issued by the library
Other:
This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!
Photo: Ambro on FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Hiring Librarians 