Samantha says "When I interview potential employees, my first impression is what I see. If you dress sloppily, your chances of being hired have dropped to less than 1%. This goes for both men and women."
On the other hand, Leah says "Pantyhose are no longer worn, and wearing them makes you look like a giant dorky idiot."
Another person who commented, and who says she is a giant dorky idiot, warns "Many companies remain 'conservative' and they are not all in the midwest. It is an absolute that you know about the culture of an organization before you go into the interview."
There are lots of other opinions, on both sides of the pantyhose fence, on whether you should wear pantyhose to a job interview.
Cover letters, believe it or not, can be just as controversial as pantyhose. Rufus says "Walking into a job opening without a cover letter is like not tying up the bathrobe. You may have nice stuff, but you want to control the rate of exposure." Jared, on the other hand, doesn't bother sending cover letters at all.
I'm in favor of cover letters. I think they give you an opportunity to make a good impression and help your resume stand out from the crowd. I'm in favor of pantyhose, too, though my teenage daughter can't imagine wearing them under any circumstances.
Then, we have lying on your resume. I'm always surprised at the people who say they don't have any qualms about it. And, not quite as controversial, but still with varied opinions, are following up after an interview and quitting without notice.
How about you? What do you think? Pantyhose or no way? Cover letters - yes or no? Giving notice or not? Following up or waiting to hear?
- Should you wear pantyhose to a job interview?
- Do you need a cover letter?
- Would you lie on your resume?
- What not to wear to an interview?
- How should you follow up after an interview?
- Would you quit without notice?
Related: Top 10 Job Search Do's and Don'ts
Image Copyright Alexander Oshvintsev
Preface: I am 22 and a recent graduate currently on the job market, so this is all very applicable to me. And I’m going into editing/publishing, so keep in mind that more creative industries have different guidelines and norms.
Pantyhose is a no-go for me. I’m not a fan of sheer hose. Opaque tights are fabulous, but only when it’s cold outside.
But cover letters? I didn’t know not sending a cover letter was an option! My ability to write a good cover letter for a certain listing demonstrates (to me) how much I want the job. If it takes a while to get something decent on paper, then chances are the job isn’t something I’d really enjoy doing. If it’s speedy and confident, then I know I’ve got a chance for an interview and a great potential work situation.
very hard to find a job this time
Pantyhose are an absolute must. Skipping them is cutting corners, skipping details, and being aggressively casual – pushing to see whether you can get away with lower standards. Few employers want that attitude, and are eager to find reasons to cull you from their horde of equally qualified applicants.
And don’t treat them as an afterthought – cheap hose are almost worse than none at all. Make them sheer, high quality, in a flattering color, and subtle.
Nice hose are silky-smooth, pleasant to wear, even out flaws, and present a sleek, polished, finished, professional image. They’re as indispensable as makeup.
I am not sure what blue collar environemnt this writer seems to be stuck in but as an employer myself in a corpoarte and professional emvironement, I know we expect our employees to dress professional dress. Some women really just need to see pictures of just their legs at some point and realize they need all the help Pantyhose can muster. I was brought up in them and have been in them myself all day every day since I started juniro High school. There is just something sloppy, slovenly and completely unprofessional about our current majority of women “professionals”. I take great offense to the threads telling women to dress up and look good for the interview as if you are seleling a product no one will ever see again.
To meeif you cannot take enough pride in yourself to look GOOD all the time you will not take enough pridein your work to benefit me or my company. Dress up or get out.
Easy one: Would you wear sandals to an interview? What if a guy wore shoes and long pants (of course) but no socks? An interview is where you wear a formal outfit, and although it doesn’t have to be a tuxedo (for me) or an evening gown (for women), it should be something that conveys the fact that you’re aware that the workplace is a place where you can’t always wear the comfortable, cool, leisurely outfit. High heels are no longer a requirement (and should never have been), but pantyhose covers up the “bareness” — thigh-highs would work equally well, or any other form of nylon — and conveys to a prospective employer, “This applicant is erring on the side of what’s a little less comfortable, and I’d rather hire her than an employee who is willing to offend me by assuming that I don’t prefer pantyhose in a professional setting.”
Panty hose is a YES for me. I think for an interview I can deal with wearing them for a few hours….I believe with men who are visual anyway, will find it completes your outfit or dress….if it means getting the job I would wear panty hose, if u don’t like panty hose, try thigh highs, those might work…if you were slacks, at least use knee highs….
Yes to the Cover letter, it is your introduction to you. If you don’t provide the company with any info about yourself, it’s tossed you don’t stand a chance.
A lie is a lie is a lie….never lie on a resume, what for to make more of an ass of yourself than you already project, gives you a black eye for future hirings…..remember some still call for a reference you don’t stand a chance. Besides if you lie on this what else are you lying about? You are not trustworthy at all so why bother applying, this shows lack of character on your part…
Quitting without notice epends on the situation. I don’t think you should burn bridges, but they are your bridges….
Maybe I’m not supposed to comment because I’m a man and don’t know what it is like to have to wear pantyhose, but as a Hiring Manager I instantly eliminate an applicant from consideration if they are bare-legged for an interview, and there is nothing that person can say during the interview that puts them back into consideration. First impressions are lasting impressions and that first instant when I see an applicant and see if they are wearing hosiery or are bare-legged tells me all I need to know. I am definitely not an “old geezer” (I’m in my early 40s) but to me nothing looks more UN-professional than a woman wearing a skirt or dress and being bare-legged, especially in a professional/office work environment. Furthermore, bare legs for a job interview is an overt display of disrespect – disrespect for the interviewer, disrespect for the position applied for, and disrespect for the company itself. I can bend a little on the issue of whether women are required to wear pantyhose to work each and every day, especially on hot humid days (still think it looks unprofessional), but definitely cannot yield on the issue of whether or not to wear pantyhose to a job interview – the answer is an unequivocal, definite YES.