Interview Etiquette

[Triskeliongirl]

It might be regional, but few women here in SoCalif (except in the legal profession) wear hose anymore, depending on age and the shape of your legs, of course. That said, it couldn't hurt, as long as the hose is the right color.

OK, I quoted the wrong post, but I am still baffled that in CA women don't wear hose with a suit.

[CycleChic06]

Hmmm...there is a lot of advice on here. I agree that my friend's (she's actually my former boss and is now my friend) experiences may be vastly different from mine, and that I shouldn't take everything she says word for word. She was just trying to help me by telling me her experience.

I'm not sure I agree with the letting them name a number first. I'm expecting to be low balled, and I'm expecting for them to name a number that's below what I'm making now. I'd hate for them to do that and then have to work my way up from there. I'd rather start high, ask them for 10% more than I'm making now (which I don't think is unreasonable for changing jobs) and have them knock the number down. If they laugh at the number I tell them, it's up to them to give me a reasonable number and I can work the situation from there.

I'm not desperate for a job, I actually still kinda like the job I'm in now, it's just that the one I'm interviewing for offers me new oppurtunities. So that gives me an upper hand in this situation and from what I they told me, they want to get someone in there 'fast' so it seems they are somewhat desperate to hire someone, which gives me an even higher upper hand. This is business and I'm not going to be walked all over in this situation.

[CycleChic06]

Isn't this the way of things?

If you REALLY want this job and there are many qualified candidates, he has the upper hand. Focus on getting something far to start with specific criteria to earn specific raises in the future. Maybe determine if there are non-cash benefits that can close the gap...

If you REALLY want this job and there are few qualified candidates, then the question is whether you have the moxey (and poker face) to POLITELY imply your willingness to not proceed (or be slightly pensive in your response) if it's not going your way...

In either event, be armed with salary comps for the position to support your case.

Don't feel bad about asking for something. HOW you handle it will determine the extent to which he respects you later. There is no advantage to being taken advantage of...

You give in an interesting prespective. I want this (as opposed to REALLY wanting this). I think it would be an exciting oppurtunity for me. At the same time I'm slightly apprehensive as the benefits aren't nearly as good as I'm getting right now. As my dad said, it's like buying a car, you have to have the mindset that you are willing to walk away. If I go in there saying this is the only job for me and I really want it, I'll get steamrolled in negotiations.

[emily_in_nc]

OK, I quoted the wrong post, but I am still baffled that in CA women don't wear hose with a suit.

I'd noticed this on TV, that the "beautiful people" (typically women in their 20s-early 30s, tan, fit, real estate agents and the like, etc.) don't wear stockings with suits and business dresses. But, many women do not fit those parameters! I for one would not want my spider veins, freckles, and scars hanging out for all the world to see at a job interview....

Found this post on a website:

Dear Kathi,

Is it optional to wear nylons at work these days? I work at a bank and would love to forgo the pantyhose ordeal.

Christy, Del Mar

Christy,

The business environment in Southern California is more casual than most other cities. With the warmer climate, women often wear sandals and open-toed shoes 6-9 months of the year. In my opinion, with the proper shoes, you can dress very professionally without hose.
With this in mind, if you are still doubt about your particular bank, ask a trusted manager. If this isn’t possible, pay attention to your superiors. Does everyone wear hose every day?
It pays to dress similar to your superiors. It makes it easier for them to see you as a pier and your chances for advancement are increased. Some banks are still very conservative and you don’t want to jeopardize your job advancement.
Remember, dress not for the position you are in, but for the position you aspire to attain.

Kathi is a professional organizer, image consultant and event planner based in San Diego California.

I really do think at least SoCal is a different from the rest of the world, but I would definitely wear hose to an interview, even if wasn't going to be necessary after getting the job.

Emily

[Duck on Wheels]

... It makes it easier for them to see you as a pier ...

But would I want them to see me as a pier? Personally, I'd rather be seen as the sailboat.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But would I want them to see me as a pier? Personally, I'd rather be seen as the sailboat.

Har har, I was about to say that!
Then if they don't like you, you can tell them to take a long walk on a short pier!

[SouthernBelle]

It also pays to talk good and spelt stuff write at work. So be similarly with your supers.

[Dianyla]

...... and take out the exotic piercings

Ha! If the piercings in question aren't concealed with normal clothing, then they're not truly exotic in my book! I work in a pretty conservative healthcare environment - only 4 of my 11 holes are publicly visible.

Up to two piercings per ear is typically considered acceptable as long as the jewelry is in good taste and the piercing in question is not very extreme. Traditional lobes and some discrete cartilage piercings are usually well-tolerated. Noticeably heavy gauge items (if the gauge is in single digits or measured in inches that's a bad sign), plugs, or chunky industrial jewelry is just not going to fly. Most facial piercings such as lips, septums, brows, and tongues are pretty much out. The only facial piercing I've seen be generally accepted in professional environments is a small nose stud - no actual rings or tacky Christina nosebling.

Also, you can get flesh-colored retainers to wear in piercings at least for the interview. If you land the job, you can wear these retainers daily if needs be.

[Kitsune06]

I have a black niobium septum retainer for that very reason. At 12g, it's not very noticeable at all... Oh, and I have actually not yet run into problems with my tongue pierce, though I'm sure it's an eventuality. I removed it for interviews. Hard to hide once you get into single digits with those, too.
My 1/2 inch lobes are generally decorated with flat black horn plugs. Women can get away with solid plugs more easily because it's 'just an earring'. wear hollow ones and then more conservative folks go . I know.

Like you only 4 of my 10 are visible. My tattoo is invisible in normal work clothes.

Hygiene about piercings is absolutely important. Hence my organic plugs. Funk happens, but much less so with organics (bone, wood, horn...) and if you keep them clean and oiled, so much the better. Silicone (esp. the new implant grade ones from Kaos now) is very passable, too, but you should always remove it to give the fistula (yes, the insides of piercings are called that too) a chance to breathe. Skin is skin.

Oils vary in lubricity. I use vitamin E on my plugs and Lavender on a couple barbells, where a very light oil is necessary.

Happy piercings don't produce as much funk. Funk smells nasty and is one of those things that cannot be covered up. How does this tie in with Interview/Work etiquette? You had to ask, huh? I worked with a girl for a while, very nice, very sweet, had ear funk that I just could not stand... and tried to cover it up with perfume. Do not be that girl.

[Trek420]

It also pays to talk good and spelt stuff write at work. So be similarly with your supers.

There's spelt under the pier

Otherwise you'd be a dock....dock in pay.

[Mr. Bloom]

You give in an interesting prespective. I want this (as opposed to REALLY wanting this). I think it would be an exciting oppurtunity for me. At the same time I'm slightly apprehensive as the benefits aren't nearly as good as I'm getting right now. As my dad said, it's like buying a car, you have to have the mindset that you are willing to walk away. If I go in there saying this is the only job for me and I really want it, I'll get steamrolled in negotiations.

CC06...with this perspective, you don't need to be a good negotiator...you've got the upper hand...you win either way. Sounds like your dad knows what he's talking about too....

Let us know how it goes.

[winddance]

Everything winddance said is good advice.

I should totally frame this...

(really, I have to credit everything I said to a particularly awesome college professor. But still.)

[Dianyla]

I worked with a girl for a while, very nice, very sweet, had ear funk that I just could not stand... and tried to cover it up with perfume. Do not be that girl.

OMG, I'm dying here. There's just not enough patchouli in the world to counter that funk. Speaking of which don't get me started on funky dreads, either!

[CycleChic06]

Happy piercings don't produce as much funk. Funk smells nasty and is one of those things that cannot be covered up. How does this tie in with Interview/Work etiquette? You had to ask, huh? I worked with a girl for a while, very nice, very sweet, had ear funk that I just could not stand... and tried to cover it up with perfume. Do not be that girl.

I honestly had no idea that ear funk even exisited, had a name and smelled bad. I mean, it comes from a piercing in your ear...and it smells bad. Blechhh...excuse me while I go puke, it just sounds soooo nasty.

[mimitabby]

I honestly had no idea that ear funk even exisited, had a name and smelled bad. I mean, it comes from a piercing in your ear...and it smells bad. Blechhh...excuse me while I go puke, it just sounds soooo nasty.

my ears have never smelled bad, but they reject every kind of earring known to mankind. It makes me sad, too, because I love earrings and for a while, my husband was buying them constantly for me, and a lot of his choices were excellent. But invariably, those two tiny holes, when filled with a clean stud of
24 k gold, stainless steel or whatever else, will start getting red and sore and swollen before the day is out.
Once about 5 years ago, I was on broad spectrum antibiotics, so started again with the earrings to see if we could get over the infection cycle.
Until the antibiotics regimen was over, I could wear earrings. Then the swelling and soreness came back.
It blows my mind that people can have holes in their noses and lips and...
and I can't even have holes in my earlobes!