Today, I was not in the mood to write a blog, but then I saw this interesting topic in the Hive Learner Community, which compelled me to share my experience and views on it. We have established certain norms for conducting interviews, and in my opinion, there is logic behind these practices and their requirements. Nowadays, we frequently question everything we were taught or that has been happening from the beginning. However, there must have been some group of people who, for various reasons, set these trends that we are following.
I have seen many posts on Facebook and other social platforms regarding this interview topic, where they show interviewees not giving any value to the interviewer and taking it very casually in terms of their body language, appearance, and way of talking, relying solely on their skills. I think this spreads a wrong message, especially to freshers.
Having clarity on the system is mandatory. In the corporate world, just skills will not save you. You need to have proper etiquette or at least basic knowledge of presentation. Your physical appearance is the first step. It doesn’t mean that you need to buy branded clothes or look handsome/beautiful to the interviewer. It’s simple: just present yourself at your best. Believe me, proper formal attire gives you extra confidence in yourself. I am specifically talking about job interviews in organizations, where both your presentation and skills matter a lot.
For the last couple of years, I have not given a single interview, but yes, there was a time when I attended many interviews at different organizations, both small and large. The first impression is your appearance. Whether you are too thin, fat, black, or whatever, you are handsome/beautiful only if you present yourself as such. If you have a lot of skills but lack the skill of presenting yourself, then you cannot survive in the corporate world. This is not about remote or freelance jobs.
However, I do agree that trends are changing, and the way most people with skills are handling interviews is very different from how I used to. In fact, for the job I have now, I attended the interview in casual dressing, without a proper shave, and with a messy hairstyle. That interview was with the CEO. I got a call and was asked to come within an hour as the CEO was going out of town, so it was that quick. The CEO interviewed me, questioning me about my experience and other logistic matters, and finalized me for the position in just one day. I could say that he saw the positivity in my skills because I didn’t have time to present myself properly. Still, I am against such a casual way of interviewing.
My CEO is a bit different from others, but the majority don’t follow the same approach. Both presentation and skills are considered, and if you don’t have skills and are a fresher, then your physical appearance is all that matters. It also reflects your ability to represent the company in the future. I had a lesson in my first job where we were asked to come in formal dress with a tie. It was a call center for an airline. The first lesson our manager gave us was on why we were asked to wear a tie when we didn’t have to deal with customers face-to-face. None of us answered. She said it is because when you dress well in formal attire and wear a tie, your sitting position automatically gets better, and your voice becomes more confident. You will not feel casual at all and will attend the calls professionally. I do agree with all of this because I experienced it myself. She said it doesn’t matter how you look; what matters is how you present yourself.