Well, this was the third time I opened the room. Lots of visitors and (I think) a bit more active participation. No disruption so that was nice too.
This time the lesson lasted its alloted hour, which was much better, longer and I think people get too tired, I know I do.The topic was interesting to get a mental picture of what people look like, those brave enough to describe themselves and those brave enough to guess what I look like.
The Reading
An article in U.S.A. Today spoke about candidates turning up for job interviews wearing jeans, purple sweat suits, and high heels or sneakers. Other applicants aren't afraid to show pierced body parts and spiked hair. Still others chew gum or show up in rumpled clothes or with their trousers falling down. One recruiter even told a candidate with his trousers down below his hips, "Pull your trousers up." According to the article, their outlandish dress cost some candidates the job.
Should it really make a difference how you dress and act? In many cases, it does. I'll never forget the story I heard about a young man being interviewed for an accounting position. He had been out of work for a few months and wanted to show the interviewer why. He took off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt and started to pull down his trousers (this is a true story) to show them the scar from a boat accident.
He didn't get the job. Neither did the young lady in a bright red skirt so short and tight that she could hardly sit down! In the conservative business climate that I work in, appearances do matter. In other environments it isn't as important. However, it does make sense to dress your best for an interview, regardless of the dress code at the organisation. If you're in doubt about how to dress for an interview, it is much better to be overdressed than underdressed (or undressed).