School's out and it's time to find a summer job. If you aren't reading this until the fall semester, you're probably looking for a good part-time job while you attend classes. Whether you're going to a job interview, your first day on the job, or your first day of class at the university, it pays to look professional. College students I talk to often don't understand the value of looking well, preferring to go with the stylishly disheveled hair and a pair of flip-flops. What they might not understand just yet is they are sending a message to everyone around them with the image they set for the world.
Besides attending culinary school, I'm driven in the workforce. I was a hiring manager for a time in food preparation when I was a bit younger. As a hiring manager, it appalled me to see what my fellow youths wore into my workplace when they came to pick up or drop off an application. To me, this was akin to asking out a girl when after coming from gym and while stinking of sweat and sour clothes.
If you're a teen who's had one or two jobs at most and still no bankable skills, why would I hire you instead of a better dressed teenager who has a similar resume? I'm not being a jerk. I'm providing advice, so I have an answer to that question.
To help youths secure their first or second job a little quicker and save the people hiring them some potential aggravation, I want to make a few suggestions.
Be Businesslike - First, wear a suit when you pick up an application, drop off an application, and anytime in-between when you might speak to a potential employer. This doesn't have to be a major expense. One suit is all you need. This is going to make you stand out from your peers. If you don't have the money to buy a suit, then wear a nice button-up shirt and Dockers-style pants. Also, carry a pen with you to fill out the application. This might seem minor, but it shows you gave some forethought to your job search and you're on-the-ball. These things make you seem conscientious.
Don't Shoe Your Toes - No matter what you do, always wear closed-toe shoes. It's appropriate for women to wear sandals in a school atmosphere, but only because they have better foot care than most men. Also, it's socially more acceptable. Neither gender should wear flip flops to class. Neither should wear them into a place of business, if they ever intend on working there. In this case, never wear sandals or flip flops, especially if you're applying for some manner of service profession or food service job. Having open toed footwear not only shows a contempt for convention, but it's unsanitary.
I would suggest following these procedures for college classes, too. While you might not wear a suit to class every day, at least wear "business casual" attire. Wear t-shirts and sandals and looking (or smelling) like you stink is a bad idea. Carry with you the books you need for the class and keep your work in ring binders with leather.
Make Many Friends, Make No Enemies - A bigger part of your college experience than you would imagine involves meeting people. You can network with people who can help you in your chosen profession for the rest of your life. This goes for fellow students, but also for professors and undergraduate instructors. These people might give you a recommendation some day. Cultivate professorial friendships and you can make your instructors references on your resume. You might not impress the professor with a simple appearance, but by looking like a serious student, you're going to make a good impression most of the time.
It should be noted that you'll have more pride in yourself if you feel good about how you look. What's in your mind is reflected in your outward behavior. As the old adage goes, "As above, so below."
