Objectives
Students will:
- Understand what being dressed appropriately means.
- Understand the importance of being dressed appropriately at a job interview.
- Understand why they can't expect to be hired if they dress inappropriately at a job interview. 4. Identify what attire would be appropriate for different types of jobs for which students might be interviewing.
- Recognize how proper attire shows good judgment.
- Recognize why good judgment is a quality that employers value in employees.
- Recognize the difference between dressing for a job interview and dressing for the neighborhood or for social occasions.
- Model successfully wearing clothes that are appropriate for a job interview.
Step 1: Lesson Introduction
Last time, we learned why it's important to accept a low wage to get started. We found out that if you demand a high wage, you probably won't get hired. Today, we'll look at another way you can make sure you don't get hired: wearing the wrong clothes at the interview. Why do you think it matters what you wear to the interview? Why do you think an employer might not want to hire you if you're wearing the wrong clothes for the interview? In today's video, we'll find out the answers to these questions. We'll also see how wearing the right clothes can help you convince the boss that you're the right person for the job.
▶️ Show the video.
⏸️ Stop the video when the "Pause for Discussion" title appears on the screen.
Step 2: Guided Discussion, Part 1
In what ways was the job applicant not smart?
She wore the wrong clothes to the interview. She wore short running shorts that were much too casual and exposed to too much skin. Her T-shirt and flannel shirt were also too casual. Her hair was in a bandanna; this might be OK if she was cleaning the house or washing the car, but it's not appropriate for a job interview. Ask students what appropriate means. Tell them that it means wearing the right clothes for the right occasion. The applicant was also chewing gum, which is distracting and never appropriate for an interview. Her nonverbal behavior was also distracting; she leaned back, rubbed her legs, closed her eyes, and looked around. She looked self-conscious and embarrassed about the way she was dressed. Her tone of voice failed to convey any interest in the job.
What happened to the job applicant because she was not smart?
By being so uncomfortable with herself, she made the boss uncomfortable. He frowned when he saw how she was dressed; he couldn't believe she was there for an interview. He had to lecture her that his company expects employees to act and dress responsibly and professionally. He could see that she didn't know how to do this. He had to tell her that his employees wear pants since she obviously didn't realize this from the way she was dressed. He said that he "may or may not" call her, but it was obvious that he would never hire her.
Why did the job applicant's mistakes prevent her from being hired?
The boss wouldn't be confident hiring this applicant. He said that his employees work with customers, and customers expect employees to come across as professional and responsible representatives of the organization. The way this applicant was dressed would turn customers off, which would lose a lot of money for the company. Her attire showed bad judgment. It made the boss believe that she would use poor judgment as an employee as well. This would make her a problem employee who would be difficult to supervise. By showing so much skin at the interview, she caused a distraction. Doing this would also cause a distraction to other employees if he hired her. Employers don't want their employees to be distracted or to be focusing on the bodies of their co-workers. They want employees focused on their work.
How could the job applicant have been JobSmart?
Have students discuss ways that the job applicant could have been JobSmart in the same situation. Then tell students to watch the next part of the video to see one way the job applicant could have been JobSmart.
▶️ Start the video again.
⏸️ Stop the video when the "Pause for Discussion" title appears on the screen.
Step 3: Guided Discussion, Part 2
How was the job applicant JobSmart this time?
She dressed appropriately for the interview. She got rid of the bandanna, yet still had her hair pulled out of her face. She wore pants, and all of her clothes were businesslike and professional. She asked if the company had a dress code. This showed that she was aware of the importance of proper attire and that would be a responsible employee. She got rid of the gum. Her nonverbal behavior was much better: she nodded and listened attentively, she maintained eye contact, and sat up straight. Her tone of voice was serious and conveyed interest.
What happened because she was JobSmart?
She undoubtedly got the job. By showing the boss that she knew how to dress responsibly and professionally, she convinced him that she would be a responsible, professional employee. Her attire helped make her feel comfortable and confident in herself; this helped make them feel comfortable and confident in her as well. The boss praised her for asking about the company's dress code. Her question showed that she was interested in being a good employee. The boss smiled and expressed confidence in her as the interview concluded. This showed that he intended to hire her. Her good judgment made the boss confident that she would use good judgment in everything she did as an employee.
Step 4: Activities
- Invite employers or employment counselors from the community to discuss:
- The importance of being dressed appropriately at a job interview
- The types of attire they look for in a job applicant
- What attire would be appropriate for a fast-food job, a factory job, a construction job, a supermarket job, and other types of jobs for which students might be interviewing
- Examples of good and bad attire they have seen in job applicants
- How proper attire shows good judgment, and why good judgment is a quality they value in employees
- Instances when an applicant's attire has influenced a decision to hire or not to hire someone.
- Have students create charts of clothes that are appropriate for a job interview for different types of employment.
- Have students cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers of people whose clothes are appropriate or inappropriate for a job interview. Ask students to identify in what specific ways the clothes in each picture are either appropriate or inappropriate. Then have students create separate collages of the pictures, entitled "Appropriate Clothes" and "Inappropriate Clothes."
- Have students cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers of people whose clothes are appropriate for a) the neighborhood, and b) a party or dance club. Then have students create separate collages of the pictures, entitled "Dressing for the Neighborhood" and "Dressing for a Party or Dance Club." Have students discuss specific differences between this attire and the attire in the "Appropriate Clothes" collage.
- Have students come to class modeling clothes that are appropriate for a job interview. Have students take turns receiving feedback from the class on what is appropriate or inappropriate about their attire. Encourage the class to refer to their charts during this feedback if necessary.