interview attire and appearance

toastess · Nov 10, 2003

this is probably a silly question that has probably been asked before... but i need to see if my parent's paranoia is justified.

my everyday glasses are tortoiseshell and cat eye shaped and i have four piercings in each ear and am considering getting a few more. will showing up at an interview like this give them a horribly unprofessional opinion of me?

WillowRose · Nov 10, 2003

Your parents' fears are completely justified! 😉

Seriously, I want your glasses! I've been looking for cat eye glasses for ages and can never seem to find exactly what I want. (My husband thinks they'd be incredibly sexy).

As far as the ear piercings...I'd probably keep it to 2 sets per ear for the interview just so the interviewer isn't distracted. Not that I think it's necessarily unprofessional, but us "old folks" tend to look at that and think "what in the world was she thinking?" I have a student who has her nose pierced and some days all I can think is "she has to stick her finger in her nose to put that in....ewwwww."

The glasses shouldn't be a problem at all, I would think. If they suit you, then what's the big deal? I would rather see a little individuality than yet another black skirt suit with the proper glasses, a strand of pearls, and small pearl earrings to match. Just don't wear something that is going to draw attention to your ears instead of what you are saying.

Willow

hsouth · Nov 10, 2003

toastess - I think your parents may have a point (though I hate to admit it!). For my interview I will be taking out my eyebrow ring and reducin gmy earings to 2 sets per ear. I didn't give into the black suit though - I went with dark taupe because it looks better on me and I wanted to be a little different. Good luck!
~h

efex101 · Nov 10, 2003

The attire should be professional and groomed sans the numerous piercings, leave your individuality for when you have been admitted then express yourself by all means. You are competing with hundreds of individuals for a few spots so dress accordingly. I think that your parents are right.

trauma_junky · Nov 10, 2003

It's nice everyone is giving advice on this, but the interview is made to eliminate people like this if I'm not mistaken. If you have to ask then no, but if you don't have the common sense to know that is not a conservative and professional appearence then go to your interview just like that.

ddmo · Nov 10, 2003

look as professional as possible! if i were you i would take out all the earings except for one pair, and wear different glasses. the interview in my opinion is where established members of the medical community look at you and think, "do i want to let this person into the club, would i be comfortable having them be my doctor, do they look like they could replace me one day". Going in with an alternative look will have no positive effects i promise. maybe if you were applying for a graduate degree in english or something but not medicine which for the most part is ultra-conservative in dress. That, and you will look completely out of place compared to the other applicants being interviewed that day, especially if you are interviewing at a good school.

MeowMix · Nov 10, 2003

over the years in grad school, I heard new student applicants described by faculty as:
that chick with the thing in her nose
the one with the really big tits
the guy with the love beads

You want them to remember your intelligence, not your appearance.

Amy B · Nov 10, 2003

Your eye glasses are a must if that is what you have, but please only one pair of earrings.

Professionalism is the key word here. It's not how you would normally dress, but for interviews it is how you need to dress.

Sorry, I have to agree with your parents.😛

ForensicPath · Nov 10, 2003

I made sure that I took out my Prince Albert before the interview

MeowMix · Nov 10, 2003

if the interviewers had seen that part of your anatomy, I'm sure it wouldn't have made much difference if it was decorated or not!

h2cooper · Nov 10, 2003

Toastess-

While I usually do not wear my glasses to interview (they are thicker black rimmed), I had to wear them to one interview because I had a scratched eye. (Ha, my eye doctor wanted me to wear a patch.....I had to say no to that one!) I actually felt very professional, and liked the way they made me stand out.

Sparkles · Nov 10, 2003

My advice is to try to look as BEAUTIFUL as possible.... That way you'll feel good about yourself, and maybe slightly more confident! 😀 😀 😀

toastess · Nov 10, 2003

thanks for the advice guys...

i hate that something as simple as this is an issue... i feel like "normal" glasses don't look as good on me as the odd ones, and i wear such small hoops in my ears that people rarely notice i have that many piercings. while i don't feel i should have to change such minor things about me to impress an interviewer, i don't want to run the risk of leaving the wrong impression. guess it's time to save up for new glasses then... 🙄

Sweet Tea · Nov 10, 2003

I say keep the glasses, but keep the earrings at 2 per ear and use small earrings. while not cat-eyed, i have rather funky glasses that i wore to one interview last year b/c i was having a particuarly bad allergy day and my contacts just refused to go in. i still got in.

i completely understand the parental paranoia-- my mom was convinced i wasn't going to get into med school b/c of my tattoo. my tattoo is on my back and is covered by normal clothes...i had it for a year before my father even knew it was there. 🙄

interview attire and appearance

toastess

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WillowRose

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hsouth

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efex101

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trauma_junky

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ddmo

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MeowMix

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Amy B

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ForensicPath

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Sparkles

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toastess

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