Last week we shared a clip featuring a the interview scene from the film “The Internship,” in which Vince Vaughn’s and Owen Wilson’s characters conduct a memorable interview likely to make most hiring managers cringe. We also asked a few experts to weigh in and share how they’d handle the interview if put in a similar situation.
We’re continuing the series this week with another clip, featuring two candidates who took “dress to impress” to a whole new level:
We expect for any candidate who shows up to an interview wearing formal attire to be the talk of the office, and perhaps even a little distracting to the interviewer. We asked a few experts to weigh in and share how they would handle an inappropriately dressed candidate during an interview. Here’s what they shared:
“While I'd certainly feel compelled to make a James Bond/007 joke to the candidate, my initial reaction would be that the individual lost their chance to make a strong first impression. The attire a candidate chooses to wear on an interview reflects their professionalism and investment in the opportunity. Poor taste in clothing is a signal to most HR professionals that the candidate is not taking the interview seriously, as presentation is a key component to many positions these days.” — Mike Lee, Technical Recruiter, Talon Professional Services
“Sadly, this has happened to me before—not always fortunate enough that it’s as ‘dressy’ as a tuxedo. I recommend to ‘never judge a book by its cover.’ Show the same amount of respect any other qualified candidate would have, and conduct your interview as usual. At the end, however, if you decide to move forward, I would mention the appropriate dress attire for next steps in the interview process.” — Kate Alderfer, Director of Sales and Talent Acquisition, Connexions Data Inc.
Thanks to Mike and Kate for sharing your thoughts on this clip and how you’d handle a similar hiring dilemma in real life! For more hilarious hiring stories, download our eBook, “9 Hiring Stories That Will Make You Laugh, Squirm or Cry.”
