Taking a chance at a job interview

[dfmacliam]

I say, be realistic... If you feel you need an edge over the other canidates, wear the kilt, and be noticed.. It will either work for, or against you, but that would depend on your interviewing skills. If you do not get the job, it was a choice you made, a chance you took, and in my opinion, no reason to call foul. Sometimes, the best qualified, is not always the best for the job, it's the persons ability to fit into the companies means of thought.. Personality, to be able to step out of the box, and to be able to walk with confidence, yet be humble.. Which is different from being cocky...
I wish you luck on your job quest, and I hope you are able to show the perspective employers, that you have the ability and confidence they require.

[BEEDEE]

Ron
Who wore a kilt to a board of directors selection interview and was chosen for that volunteer position.

Like Ron, I went kilted to my interview for Executive Director for our local Community College Foundation. I live in a small, rural, conservative county in North Carolina. No comment about the kilt at the time. Got the job and now everyone in the county recognizes me. It's a great opener when I go talk about giving to the Foundation.

Brian

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

Hello Aldisimo, the best of luck
and I hope you get the job.
Go kilted.
Kind wishes.

[KFCarter]

Best of luck, Aldisimo. Do whatever makes you feel the most confident... the most like yourself.
Your BRIKs brothers are behind you!!

[Kilted Jeeper]

Whatever you decide to wear, good luck!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I say go kilted, if they reject you because of your dress and not your talent, you don't want to work there anyway!

The problem with this line of reasoning is that you will never know why they didn't hire you.

Look, it's time to get real here. Unemployment in the USA is 9.2%, which means that the odds are there will be one or two guys with qualifications equal to yours. What you have to do is give the HR folks a reason to hire you, not reject your application. Forget what everyone else says about wearing the kilt-- they've nothing to loose if you are turned down for the job-- and go in looking your best, not looking like you dressed to distract the interviewing team.

For what it's worth, a pair of highly polished shoes will say more about you in an interview than your wearing a kilt.

[Splash_4]

The problem with this line of reasoning is that you will never know why they didn't hire you.

Look, it's time to get real here. Unemployment in the USA is 9.2%, which means that the odds are there will be one or two guys with qualifications equal to yours. What you have to do is give the HR folks a reason to hire you, not reject your application. Forget what everyone else says about wearing the kilt-- they've nothing to loose if you are turned down for the job-- and go in looking your best, not looking like you dressed to distract the interviewing team.

For what it's worth, a pair of highly polished shoes will say more about you in an interview than your wearing a kilt.

This is probably the best advice I have seen in the thread so far. With 10% unemployment, the hiring organization has all of the choice.

Either way, keep your head about you and project confidence. Do not be afraid to say "I don't know" to any question either.

[pauljsharp]

I would say wear the trousers. Only because when you go to an interview you don't want to distract from your quality as a potential employee. Your job as an applicant is to make only your qualificaions stand out, nothing more. Unfortunatly, this is the world we live in.

[Baruco]

The problem with this line of reasoning is that you will never know why they didn't hire you.

Look, it's time to get real here. Unemployment in the USA is 9.2%, which means that the odds are there will be one or two guys with qualifications equal to yours. What you have to do is give the HR folks a reason to hire you, not reject your application. Forget what everyone else says about wearing the kilt-- they've nothing to loose if you are turned down for the job-- and go in looking your best, not looking like you dressed to distract the interviewing team.

For what it's worth, a pair of highly polished shoes will say more about you in an interview than your wearing a kilt.

Definitively is the best advice, any way depends on the culture of the country and place, here in Mexico says "to the country you go do what you see " (al país que fueres haz lo que vieres), here in Mexico the unemployment is also high, and the HR folks usually are too strict in what they defines as correct, if you are qualified or not, so for the interview you have to be confident, and more formal guy in the country, once you get the job, you talk with your boss to know if its "safe" to go kilted.

Luckyly several enterprises are betting for the skills and not for what you wear.

good Luck for your Job Interview.

[pdcorlis]

What type of job are you applying for? How badly do you need this job? How would you describe the community you live in? What is the corporate culture of this potential employer? Just a few questions to help resolve the issue...

I guess I'm on the fence here, both Ron and MacMillan make excellent points. As one who has been on dozens of hiring committees, and wears a kilt daily, I can share this bit of insight. There are always at least three excellent - essentially equal candidates for any position. By the time you get to an interview the candidates share nearly identical skills and abilities. At that point, the committee will be looking for reasons to eliminate candidates. You see its as much about deciding who not to hire as it is about who to hire. Do you want to stand out from the "crowd?" Yup - but be sure its for all the right reasons.

Whatever you decide - Good Luck at the interview!