Cultural expression in the workplace, Part I

Posted on December 12, 2011
Filed Under Attire, Corporate Policy, Employment, The Workplace | Leave a Comment

By Shun McGhee, Guest Contributor

In the early 90’s, fashion for me included sneakers, jean overalls, and an Africa medallion. Back then, I could still grow hair and wore a high-topped fade, also known as a box-Philly. My aunt told me not to go to job interviews wearing this hair style. Though she liked the hairstyle (she should have, as she was my barber), she feared that I wouldn’t be hired because they wouldn’t accept my appearance. This was based on what was happening at the time, especially since news publications were discussing the firing of an African American stewardess for wearing a braided hairstyle. I filed auntie’s advice away and decided to see for myself. Read more

Learning how to dress the part

Posted on June 2, 2011
Filed Under Attire, Employment, Finding a Job, Interview | Leave a Comment

Recently, a friend of mine attended an interview for a practicum placement for her doctoral program. As a doctoral student with well-developed interests in forensic psychology and over a year of working at the U.S. Probation Office, she knew that the interview for the practicum placement—which was at a maximum security state prison—would be unlike most. For good reason, each of the interviewees were instructed long before the interview to wear something “casual”, insofar as part of their interview would include a tour of the prison. Imagine my friend’s surprise when she discovered that the person with whom she was carpooling to the practicum site not only categorically dismissed this advice, but decided to wear a sheer top with a low cut front and back into a maximum security prison. Unfortunately, her carpooling buddy learned the hard way that while dressing-up may impress your interviewers and project an air of professionalism, her decision to attend an interview in such garb in this instance actually demonstrated a lack of professionalism and judgment. However, her choice of garb, even in another context, would have been interpreted as unprofessional. Read more

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