What not to wear to a job fair

Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground...

A few weeks back, I went down to Lincoln Financial Field for one of those large job fairs where multiple employers hold mass meet-and-greets with would-be employees. Most of the jobs being offered at events such as this one are of the kind where appearance counts: sales, administrative, clerical, retail, and similar jobs where employees deal directly with the general public or business customers.

And as I walked from the subway station to the stadium, I noted that most of the people headed to and from the fair were dressed professionally, in suits, or at the very least, dress shirts and neckties.

And then I saw him. He was a young man, walking back from the stadium with two young women, and he was dressed extremely casually, in the style of the streets: polo shirt, sneakers, and baggy khakis hanging from his hips, with his boxer shorts poking up between pants and shirt.

What kind of job did this kid think he could get dressed like that? I asked myself.

And what are they teaching kids about job and interview readiness?

I suspect the answer to that question is: They're not, whoever they may be. Judging from what I read and see in the news media, the schools are too busy keeping kids from beating each other up to spend any time instructing them in the finer points of landing a job. The parents, I suspect, also don't know enough about applying for service and professsional jobs to be of much use to their children if they have questions about the job search, though I hope I am underestimating the parents here.

Fashion may change all the time, and styles come and go, but when one is looking for a job, the rules haven't changed at all: Professional attire is a must when going on an interview, and a visit to a job fair counts as an interview. Invest in a decent suit and dress shirt, for they will serve you well, not only on the job hunt but on those occasions at work when good first impressions count. Grownups, please pass this on to all the kids you know.

Not dressed for success? Come as you are to the 24/7 career fair that is PhillyJobs.com.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.