For Better or Worse

For Better or Worse·

First posted on Facebook April 18,2011

Last edited May 6, 2021

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For Better or Worse

When I was the university senior almost 20 years ago, there was a non-credit but important session simulating job interview and workplace environment. The session was aimed at educating the seniors to be ready, well prepared and qualified enough to be hired by big corporations starting from how to write a proper job application letter, how to master job interview and what "proper manner" means in workplace including dress code. Seeing what happens now, I cannot help but feel that I am now too "senior" to understand recent office fashion and office manner that now varies from person to person.

During the session, I was taught to write a job application letter in an extremely formal pattern with the utmost perfect spelling and good-quality attached document as specified in classified ads. If lucky to be called for an interview, I was told to make myself always available and it was a must to arrive at the venue ahead of appointment time. That was because being late or any requests for interview postponement can be considered as not having good intention to get the job or even insulting towards the employer-to-be. And if further lucky enough to be hired, I was told to be well abided by the employment rules and regulations.

But things have now changed. While companies tend to post job vacancies on websites, job applicants also search internet for positions and send applications online for the sake of convenience. As far as I am concerned as one of the recruitment committee, I have been receiving many online application letters per day. Regretably, most of them are not well prepared at all. Not only typo-error problem but also word selection flaw in application letter is always seen. What's more, some applications send "add as friend" request to my corporate email to let me see their profiles and portfolios in Facebook. Besides the lack of formal letter writing techniques, what further surprises me is the photo attached to application letter which should be described as a "private" photo which is supposed to send to friend rather than a "formal" photo used for job application. During interview process, not only punctualness that cannot be expected, but also "no show" that happens from time to time upset me badly. My unexpected experience as a part of recruitment committee is the day I received an online application with an arrogant remark saying he would prefer telephone interview as he had already been to many job interviews but in vain. So, he blamed those who had previously called him for interviews but did not decide to hire him. Oh my goodness!, what a remark, I think. Moreover, how applicants dress can surprise me to death. Ladies dare to appear in informal dresses with thick cosmetics while gentlemen tend to wear blue jeans and polo shirts instead of slacks with proper plain color shirts. However, dress code problem seems to be a minor issue when compared to employee discipline problem that usually causes headache to HR people.

It can be understood that fashion and norm change according to ages and time if those are private issues and done in private places and times. I am not against wearing denim shorts with sleeveless tops and sandals while wandering in shopping malls. However, what and how to act or behave in or towards workplace must be well observed regardless being in Gen-Y, Gen-X or Gen-Z. In this regard, generation does not really matter but "PROFESSIONALITY" does.

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published in Thai language in Elle Magazine #December 2010