Teacher Rejected From New Job Position After ‘Overdressing’ For The Interview — ‘I Didn’t Show Up In A Tux’
He didn't understand what was wrong with his outfit, which was pretty standard for a job interview.
Nattakorn_Maneerat | Shutterstock Job interviews are a crucial opportunity to put your best foot forward and make a good impression on the person who could potentially be your future employer. It makes sense that you would want to be dressed nicely.
One teacher was accused of dressing a little too nicely at a job interview he had with a school principal.
A teacher didn’t get a new job because he supposedly overdressed for the interview.
A teacher posted on Reddit to share his frustration and confusion after being rejected from a job because of the way he dressed for the interview.
In his opinion, the way he looked was perfectly fine.
antoniodiaz | Shutterstock
He wrote, "I learned through the grapevine that I didn’t get a position because I was ‘overdressed.’”
The teacher explained just what he was wearing that caused such a problem. “I had a suit jacket over a standard shirt and tie,” he said. “I didn’t show up in a tux.”
“Principal apparently thought that was ‘too showy’ and used that as [a] reason to go with the other candidate,” he continued.
The teacher was clearly upset by what happened. “Like, come on,” he said. “I could understand if I showed up in shorts and I got dinged for being too casual, but why reject someone trying to put their best foot forward? And why make that the deciding factor?”
Ultimately, everything worked out for this teacher, even though he still felt a little irked by the whole situation.
“I did find another position, thank goodness, but finding out that was the reason I was rejected has left such a sour taste in my mouth,” he stated.
Commenters sympathized with the teacher but told him it was probably for the best.
The teacher’s fellow Reddit users were kind, but quick to point out the fact that he was probably better off without that job.
“Consider yourself lucky,” one person said.
“The overdressed piece was an excuse. They did not like your personality,” another person speculated. “I’m not saying anything is wrong with your personality. Something triggered a response, and they justified it later.”
A third person argued, “The whole job-hunting process is broken and cruel.”
Given the state of the current economy and how difficult it can be to find a job, this person was probably on the right track.
Others wondered if it had something to do with age.
Yet another Redditor posed an important question to the teacher: “How old was the interviewer?” This may not seem relevant, but it might just be the key to everything.
“Because I feel like wearing a suit/pantsuit/dress for interviews is becoming a generational thing. I’m Gen X… and it was drilled into me to ‘dress your best’ for interviews,” they added.
The teacher wrote that he is in his mid-30s and guessed that the principal was “a little older,” perhaps in her mid-40s.
Workplace strategist Dr. Wasantha Warnasuriya wrote about this very subject for LinkedIn. He noted, “Traditionally, a suit-and-tie or formal attire was the standard uniform, symbolizing professionalism and authority.”
However, according to Dr. Warnasuriya, this has shifted as millennials and Gen Z have entered the workforce.
“They lean towards more casual attire, favoring smart-casual or business-casual styles that blend comfort with professionalism,” he said. “This shift has challenged the rigid standards of traditional dress codes.”
Jacob Lund | Shutterstock
It is possible that this principal believed her millennial job applicant was overdressed, especially given the generation he belongs to.
Then again, it seems strange to assume someone should dress a certain way based on their generation. We’re all taught to look our best for job interviews, so it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary that this teacher did so.
It’s more likely that the principal had some other objection to the teacher and just used his outfit as an excuse.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.