To Be or not To Be

In this day and age, fashion statements are everywhere and they vary greatly from person to person, group to group. How you dress says a lot about who you are or are trying to be. But when it comes to applying for a job, especially one in the customer service field, you have to take a hard look at your look. Are you willing to change your "look" to conform to the expected look of the company you are wishing to interview with?

It is always important to do a little initial homework before applying or interviewing with a potential employer. Find out what kind of dress code and standards are expected, and then determine if you are willing and able to align yourself with that code and still be happy.

I know of companies that do not allow their employees to have any out of the ordinary hair colors. I know of some jobs that do not allow me to wear facial jewelry, even ear rings. Visible tattoos are a no no at some jobs. There are many positions that frown heavily on men who walk around with their pants hanging down. These type of rules and regulations do exist out there, and maybe you have not even considered this. What if you like having a colored streak or highlights in your hair? What if you have visible tattoos or face piercings, even very mild ones. If you walked into your interview without knowing these things were not allowed, you would immediately lose points, and could possibly be passed over for the position.

Are you willing to change for the position, and adhere to the company code and regulation? Would you be happy doing so? These things need to be considered before beginning your journey into looking for a job. You may not consider it fair that you are not "allowed to be yourself" as you wish, but when you are involved in customer service you have to consider that you are the company face that the customer sees, and your "look" may not be the best one to gain the trust and business of a very wide type of clientele.

I have known people in the type of positions with such regulations as mentioned above, and they have taken steps to abide by the rules while on work grounds, but inwardly I am sure it was tough. It is hard to be totally happy in a position where you feel uncomfortable, so be sure you are comfortable and flexible enough to work in the environment where you seek employment. Don't wait to be surprised during job orientation, and walk away with a bad attitude. Research ahead of time, be informed, and see if you desire to conform. A happy job is a healthy job.

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and an avid musician who is active in two local bands. He is also a lover of books, having a large personal library and squeezes in as much reading as often as he can. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Customer Service Jobs blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.