Kilted interviewing...

[Riverkilt]

Your wife's a wise woman Gary.

Still comes down to freedom, whether its, beards, tattoos, long hair, piercings, kilts - or any other style of garments you prefer. If the job's more important than the freedom to be yourself, your true self, then it is just a job.

My time working improved greatly when I made the decision, as a young man, to interview as myself and present myself as I prefer/choose/want to dress at job interviews.

Today, when I dress in the morning, I chose my clothing for what I wanna wear, not for what I think the boss expects of me.

Its incredible that in a nation that calls itself free that anyone should have to think about what someone else might think about their manner of dress. And don't get me started on the self-evident birthright to not wear any garments at all (sorry Hank).

Ron

[Yaish]

Just to offer a dissenting opinion I want to relate my short story.

I interviewed for my current job kilted, and bearded. Almost didnt get it. I interviewed at the corporate office though the job was going to be on location, not there. My interviewer (who is also my direct boss and works on site with me) didnt have much problem with the kilt, but the head honchos of the company did.

In the industry I work in we wear uniforms, so really I feel whatever you wear on your own time is irrelevant. However we also do contract work, working at the site of our clients and so there are multiple sets of sensibilities to be considered.
Also, the position I am in is very much all about image. In fact I would say without a respectable and commanding image our job is impossible to do correctly.
I was fortunate that the person I interviewed with recognized my talents despite the kilt, and had just enough pull to get his decision approved despite anyone elses opinions.

Its all worked out well now. I not only got the job I was hired for, but got a promotion two weeks later, and am now being trained to take over the whole site soon. I'm very happy with my job and really pleased I got it. The kilt could have stood in the way of that.

Ultimately my point is not that wearing a kilt to interviews is bad. (If I leave this job, I'll probably interview kilted again) Its just that you need to understand what exactly the kilt means to you.
At one time I was totally into the kilt, as the kilt (and this is even just for modern kilts - I still dont have a traditional tartan)
Now its just clothes. It doesnt have any more important meaning other than something to wear which is both comfortable and practical.
I would have no problem trading in my jeans and t-shirt for slacks and a dress shirt when interviewing, and I dont think there should be a problem trading the kilt in either.
It isnt a betrayal of who you are or what the kilt is, its just a concession to reality. The reality is a job interview is a chance to sell yourself, and as any marketing grad will tell you packaging is important.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, well said Yaish,

If one choses to apply for a position where its known in advance kilts aren't practical, welcome, et.al. then that's your choice.

Don't be going to no kilt rental store and trying on one of those traditional kilts now...you'll just sink the addiction hook deeper and be buying some...no, don't go there...no no no...you'll want some....ahhhhhhhh

Ron

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Gary,

I think that my own outlook mirrors yours. If I am hiring somebody to work for me, I think that they should have a complete understanding of what working for me means, including the fact that I wear a kilt. I also think that will be my perspective when I next have to interview. It is part of the package of who I am.

Yaish, a very thoughtful post. If we ever get to the point that kilts are considered just an alternative to pants, I might change my mind, but for now I will plan on wearing the kilt. However, as in everything, if there is a job that I really want and wearing the kilt to the interview will harm my chances (but I would be able to wear it if hired), then I will have to make a decision.

[Angus MacSpey]

That does not mean I am going to change wearing the kilt, but I might give the candidate some up-front warning during the phone interview so they are not completely surprised.

If I were your potential interviewee, and I heard you say, "Oh, by the way, I'll be wearing a kilt when I interview you," I wouldn't just find it weird. It would be downright creepy. It makes it sound like a bad thing.

"Oh, by the way, when I interview you, I'll be picking toe jam with my teeth, and cleaning my assault rifle on my desk. I hope you don't mind, and we'll like having you here at ABC Corp. Mwuhahahahaaaa! Do you like fava beans and chianti? ftptptptptp!"

You wouldn't bother to tell your interviewee that you'd be wearing khakis and a polo shirt, would you?

KCW, you seem very - overly, I think - concerned about what other people think of you. That's evident from many of your posts. Just remember this: if someone doesn't like you, it's THEIR problem, THEIR loss. Not yours. Tell yourself that, every day, for a while. You can't please everyone anyway, no matter what you do. But you can make yourself happy, and that's infectious.

Riverkilt and Bear have the proper attitude. The people who don't respect them for that aren't worth knowing anyhow.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Angus,

Good point. I had not thought of it from that angle. I will just continue doing what I have been doing, which is that i wear my kilt and part of the whole interview process will include their reaction to the kilt as it will indicate the candidates acceptance of new and different ideas.

As for your second comment, damned if I respond and damned if I don't! Anyway, I don't think I am overly concerned with what others think of me. I would not be wearing my kilts full time if that were the case. But given the newness of kilts to most people, I am fascinated by people's reactions to it and other kilt wearers experiences.

[MACKAY]

Throughout my corporate career I have had the opportunity to interview many candidates for various positions and levels within the companies I was working for at the time. Some of the interviews were for direct hires who would be working for me, or in my department, and many others were as part of a round table of interviews.

While I have never interviewed anyone kilted, I would not hesitate to do so in your situation. As you indicated, you wear a kilt to work daily, so wearing one to the interview would not be inappropriate as you are conveying the same work environment and image as that the candidate will be working under. If you never wore a kilt to work, and did so for the interview purely to see what happened, or throw the candidate for a loop, then I would say that would be completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

One thing I focus on when interviewing a person is their ability to think dynamically. Outside the box if you will. I want to find out how they can handle an agile approach to problem solving and operational development verses regurgitating conventional wisdom and saying what they ‘think’ I want to hear.

Now usually I present some type of a case study, or example of a real life situation or challenge as it relates to the position, and get a feel for how they approach the solution as we discuss different angles and perspectives.

However, I would be interested as to how they approached the kilt. I would fully expect the candidate to inquire about it, and at least be inquisitive. I would see that as someone who is interested in engaging me and shows me that they can be a team player, not afraid to ask questions and speak out and learn something new perhaps.

I actually would not be too sure about someone who just ignored it, or pretended to, as that person may also show the same trait on the job.

Do I want someone who is inquisitive and is looking outside the box and is not afraid to engage me in a conversation about what is, one must admit, and unusually site in the corporate world (for now) or someone who is just looking to play along and sees just the paycheck, and not the job?

Just my thoughts ... best of luck with your interviews,

Brian Mackay

[Raphael]

If you have a slight worry on what the Interviewees will think of you and the company, just wear a pair of pants. What is the big deal here, even if you have to put a pair of Dockers back on? It is not going to be the end of the world.

As an Interviewer, you will be view as a representative of the company. You have to do the best to protect the company's image. You job is more than just asking questions, but it will also be the time for the candidate to get a feel of the company. If you don't present a porfessional attitude, kilted or not, the candidate may not want to join the company even a job offer was made.

There will be candidates who may not recognise that you are wearing the kilt , and some of them may view you as a crossdresser. In the real world, even some of the most educated people out there may think that you are not taking your job seriously and that company is not professional enough.

Remember that you are the probably the first real impression that the candidate will get about the company. Think about the company, and not yourself and your selfish fashion statement. Think as a team. Think big picture.

[mudd]

I know this is slightly off topic, but I have been thinking about it the whole time I have been reading this thread and I have to share.
It was Halloween and we have a tradition of allowing employees to dress in costumes for that day. A coworker of mine had come to work in a cow costume, which was a complete body suite with a hood and covered the hands. At the last minute, she was asked to cover for someone else and do an interview of a candidate. Both she and the candidate acted very professional throughout and neither mentioned anything about the costume.
I told my coworker afterwards, that she should have asked the candidate if they would be willing to dress as an animal if it was necessary for the job.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

...If you never wore a kilt to work, and did so for the interview purely to see what happened, or throw the candidate for a loop, then I would say that would be completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

Absolutely, I can not imagine someone doing that!

...However, I would be interested as to how they approached the kilt. I would fully expect the candidate to inquire about it, and at least be inquisitive. I would see that as someone who is interested in engaging me and shows me that they can be a team player, not afraid to ask questions and speak out and learn something new perhaps.

I actually would not be too sure about someone who just ignored it, or pretended to, as that person may also show the same trait on the job....

Me either. I do not use the kilt as an interview technique, but I am interested in a candidates response to it. If they completely ignored it, I would wonder as well. However, possibly that person is of Scottish/Celtic descent, or an XMarks member, and has no issues with a kilt wearer!