What should entry level librarians wear to job interviews? Is a suit a necessity?
To answer this question, the members of AUTOCAT, the international discussion list for
questions related to cataloging and authority control, were asked (2/21/2006) to answer
the following questions:
1. Is a suit still the norm for interviews for both male and female entry
level librarians?
2. Is a pant suit okay for women?
3. Are a jacket and slacks okay for men?
4. What are definite no-nos?
5. Anything else you want me to share with the students about this?
Some 104 AUTOCAT members sent responses.
First, I want to thank the AUTOCAT respondents for the time and serious responses they
gave. Next, I want to thank my fantastic GA, Kristi Wright, for her hard work in compiling
the responses and drafting the summaries.
INTERVIEW CLOTHING SURVEY RESULTS:
To answer this question, the members of AUTOCAT, the international discussion list for
questions related to cataloging and authority control, were asked (2/21/2006) to answer
the following questions:
1. Is a suit still the norm for interviews for both male and female entry
level librarians?
2. Is a pant suit okay for women?
3. Are a jacket and slacks okay for men?
4. What are definite no-nos?
5. Anything else you want me to share with the students about this?
Some 104 AUTOCAT members sent responses.
First, I want to thank the AUTOCAT respondents for the time and serious responses they
gave. Next, I want to thank my fantastic GA, Kristi Wright, for her hard work in compiling
the responses and drafting the summaries.
INTERVIEW CLOTHING SURVEY RESULTS:
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Comments Summary:
LINKS TO SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS: POSITIVE and NEGATIVE
- For most libraries, a suit is still the norm for job candidates.
- Even in workplaces that do not require the employees to wear suits on
their normal workdays, suits are still often expected of the candidates.
This is because successfully wearing a suit conveys professionalism,
attention to detail, respect for the organization, a desire to obtain the
position, and the ability to dress up and look nice when necessary. - Many who said a suit was not a necessity said that something similar, i.e.
something formal and including a jacket, was. - It is generally expected that people will dress better for their interview
than they will on the job.
- Suits are most necessary in corporate environments.
- The majority of the time candidates in law library interviews are expected
to be in a suit. This includes both academic and special law libraries.
These environments are also the ones where a candidate is most likely to
need to dress up on a normal workday.
- Academic, public, and other libraries are less likely to judge a candidate
harshly for not wearing a suit.
- However, these settings definitely expect candidates to dress nicely and
most would prefer a suit if it is an option.
- The environments that do not require a suit are those that are extremely casual.
- These might include a very small special library in which employees
consistently wear jeans to work. Some replies indicate that candidates
interviewing in this environment would be very uncomfortable in a suit
due to the casual attire of the employees. However, such responses were
very few.
- The majority of the responses indicate that a pantsuit is definitely okay for
women.
- It is considered especially appropriate for interviews which may include a
walking tour of the facilities. - However, some employers do prefer a suit with a skirt or dress (but only
if it is long enough to cover the knees).
- Most of the time, a jacket and trousers are suitable attire for men
- Provided that the man wears a conservative tie
- If unsure as to whether the jacket/slacks combination is well-coordinated,
it is recommended that a man wears a traditional suit to be safe. - In some libraries, particularly those with a more causal setting, it is
recommended that men wear the jacket/slacks combination (with a tie)
because a suit might make them appear overdressed.
LINKS TO SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS: POSITIVE and NEGATIVE
Librarians' Job Interview Attire Survey Results
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