This anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian from a rural area of the Southern US. This librarian works at a library with 0-10 staff members and has been both a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee.
What Candidates Should Wear
Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?
√ Yes, absolutely! It shows respect and professionalism
An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:
√ Counts as a suit
Bare arms are inappropriate in an interview, even in the summer.
√ True
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.
If a candidate chose to wear interview clothing that was not in keeping in the dress and grooming standards at the university, the candidate would be out of the running.
Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?
√ No
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:
√ Natural colors (black, brown, red, blonde, gray)
The way a candidate dresses should:
√ Be fairly neutral
What This Library Wears
How do you dress when you are going to conduct an interview?
Dressed as formally as I expect the candidate to be.
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 formal
Are there any specific items of clothing, etc. that are forbidden by your dress code? Please check all that apply
√ Jeans
√ Flip flops
√ Visible Tattoos
√ Short skirts/shorts
√ Tank tops
√ Logos/band insignia/slogans
Librarians at your organization wear: Please check all that apply
√ Name tags
√ Badges
Do you have any other comments?
This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!
Photo: suit after a job interview by Flickr user joshchandler
Hiring Librarians 