Tattoos

[Damn True]

That's only releveant if you're aware of those standards beforehand.

If you aren't aware, you haven't done your homework and you've demonstrated a disrespect for the organization that has granted you an opportunity to interview with them.

If an applicant has not done enough due diligence to research the corporate culture of the organization that he is trying to convince to hire him he has further demonstrated a lack of professionalism. A person who demonstrates professionalism takes the time to learn about the company and it's culture, it's values and exercises enough introspection to determine if he fits or needs to tweak a few things to fit. If he can't put forth that small level of effort...and all it usually takes is a couple of questions to the HR rep who sets up the interview... why on earth would I assume he'd put forth the effort to learn the culture and values of our clients?

Throwing the words "professional appearance" around, and imposing a formal written dress code are two different things.



Mathius

No they aren't. If you don't know what "professional appearance" means within the context of the organization you seek to join you aren't prepared for the interview, let alone prepared to work there. In eleven years in Silicon Valley I've never seen a formal written dress code at any company I've worked for yet the professionals I work with know what a professional appearance is within the context of their individual roles in the organization, as has every applicant I've hired.

Further, a professional appearance is circumstantial. Some of our clients are start-ups. If we are in a meeting with them we dress in a manner that is in keeping with their norm. Often, that is jeans and a golf shirt, if you've seen "The Social Network" you'll have seen that some are even more casual than that...and I've been in that building more times than I care to count. By the same token we have clients that are Fortune 500 companies or government entities. For a meeting in that environment I break out the Boss, Baroni or Fiorelli because a suit is the appropriate standard of dress within those environments. It's about respect for the culture you are being invited into and it is incumbent on you as a job applicant or representative of a company to demonstrate that respect as a function of professionalism.