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Thu, Jun 4, 2009
There have been any number of opinion polls and surveys carried out over the years to try to establish whether what you wear to work has any bearing on productivity or not. While some consider that casual attire leads to a sloppy state of mind and sloppy work, others believe that a more relaxed mode of dress increases morale and therefore increases productivity. Google's Corporate Information page on their website even contains a section on "You can be serious without a suit", where they talk about putting the stress on team achievements and pride in personal accomplishments, presumably rather than on what their workers wear to work.
In truth, the research that has been done has not proved anything either way in terms of cold, hard bank balance facts, and perhaps it affects different people in different ways anyway. What I was pondering over, however, was whether what you wear makes any difference if you are unemployed and looking for work. Does it affect your way of thinking, or your chances, if you spend all day in your pajamas or go out in your tracksuit?
In some ways, keeping up your image certainly does matter. If you are taking every opportunity to network, which you should be, you never know who you are going to encounter, when or where. If you are caught out in the grease-spotted t-shirt that you've been wearing for the last three days and haven't bothered to shave, the impression that you leave might not be one of tremendous professionalism.
As to whether staying in your PJs all day affects your thinking, I guess only you can judge, although many people would agree that being dressed smartly helps to put them in a more professional state of mind, as well as making them feel better about themselves. It is almost as though when they put on a business suit, they become a different part of themselves.
Of course full business attire isn't exactly practical around the house, but even smart casual dress will unquestionably make you feel different than conducting your job search wearing nothing but boxer shorts!
If you're not convinced, give it a try and let me know whether it made you feel more motivated or productive.
Wilson Chua Intergity Career Transitions www.integritycareertransitions.com 750 South Shipyard Drive, Suite 300, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 Toll Free: 1-302-442-4100 Tel. No.: (302) 504-9960
Tags: career, career transition, career counseling