I loathe people

[andrewducker]

Here is a piece on two (popular) girls who carried out a simple psychology experiment.  One of them dressed up as a goth and then they both went for job interviews in local stores.  They padded the resume of the one who was dressed up more gothily, while the other claimed to have no retail experience at all

Comments

[mb2u]

I had read this before, but it's nice to see someone else comment on it.

[andrewducker]

Nope. On the basis of other times I've heard people talking about it, and things I've read over the past few years.

To be fair, I suspect that it's worse outside of cities and the US has huge swathes of area which fall into that category. Being a goth in NY is probably fairly easy - being so in smalltown Ohio is undoubtably going to be harder.

[wolflady26]

I can't imagine going to a job interview, even at a mall, dressed like either of those two. I wouldn't judge them as people based on their looks, but I would judge them as professionals based on whether they could look at least halfway serious about getting a job. I'd also rather someone met my customers with a big smile than with a pout, so judging only by this picture (maybe Goth Girl was really friendly and charming and open in person, I can't tell) I don't think it's really a surprising conclusion.

[andrewducker]

Were they going for anything professional I'd agree with you. But for casual shopwork this obviously wasn't the case (as the one in the shorts had no problem).

I was more aghast at the way she was treated openly as she walked down the street...

[wolflady26]

To sell things in stores, I think personality and professionalism are paramount.

Though I admit, if the treatment on the streets is as bad as they say, I would disagree with it. I did my fare share of wandering around in gothy clothes, though, and don't think I terrified any mothers, but I have to admit, it was usually in a more appropriate time and place than local malls.

[andrewducker]

There's an appropriate time and place to walk around in your own clothes in a public space?

This concept totally fails to work for me,

[missedith01]

Is the one on the left supposed to be Goth? Looks pretty Goth-Lite to me! I think she looks smart and well-groomed and totally dressed for shop-work.

The other one I would not employ because I have a deep-seated and irrational prejudice against women who carry those stupid little handbags. ;-)

[lilitufire]

Interesting article.

I don't think it's unreasonable for a retail store to expect its employees to conform to a specific dress code *on the job* if they're customer facing. Expecting that she wouldn't do that and basically cold shouldering her out on the basis of her (assumed) personal style is out of order, however.

[andrewducker]

Well, exactly. I wear a tie on the job. But only because they asked me to :->