'Have you tried wearing a shirt and a tie?': Random unhinged stranger accosts job-seeker in blistering rant, internet divided

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 16, 2022 11:00 AM EST

Receiving unsolicited advice from random strangers always leads to an unsavory interaction…

This user posted to Reddit to explain their most recent run-in with an aggressive stranger who had some unwanted advice for the OP. While the OP was searching for a new job and weathering the stress of interviewing, they decided to grab a meal with a friend. But suddenly, a random stranger walked up to the group and said, "Have you tried wearing a shirt and tie?"

From there, the conversation got explosive. OP was not happy to hear this during such a stressful time in their life, and completely flipped out. After posting about it to Reddit, commenters chimed in with their own opinions about how people should dress for job interviews. Is it ok to dress how the workplace dresses, even if it's casual? Or should people always wear suits or dresses to interviews, even if that tradition is kind of old? Commenters were completely divided - and not just by age, as some older people sided with the OP. Keep reading about this dramatic encounter below. 

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  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/Royal Camera12 12 hours ago Boomer told me I couldn't find a job because my generation is lazy and I just lost it. I've never see myself as a high tempered person, but this incident hits different. This happened 2 months ago when I was still searching for a new job. Been searching for a job for 5 months and I was incredibly stressed. Decided to take a break to hang out with a friend at McDonalds. We were talking about strategies on how to get a job and an old couple next to us
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 02
    Organism - They intrupted us and said "have you tried wearing a shirt and a tie? They make a great impression on the interviewer." At first they sounded very friendly so I invited them to the conversation and said "oh I usually just wear casual clothing because [reason]". Then this boomer intrupted me half way and said "This is why you couldn't get a job. Your generation is too lazy". I replied for more clarification, being dumbfounded by his comment.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 03
    Font - He then went on to saying all this garbage "oh your generation no longer wants to work" blah blah blah "when I was your age I did... blah blah blah" lost it. Stood up and started screaming back at them. Whole restaurant heard it and everyone went silent. Had to walk out to take a breath. Never been this angry before. If that boomer was younger, I would've thrown hands.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 04
    Font - I know it is very unprofessional for me, but it was just the heat of the moment. All the depression and anger piled up for this moment. Edit: I've decided to sign up for therapy and anger management class with my local hospital.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 05

    Commenters were split - some thought OP should dress much nicer

    Font - SPR TJamesV 10 hr. ago What did you say exactly? I'm curious what retribution you said in anger lol. As far as the point about suit and tie that everyone is jumping on, it depends entirely on the job. I never wear more than a nice button- up and jeans, but I'm usually interviewing for trades/warehouse type stuff. Point is you gotta look the part. Reply Give Award Share Report Save Follow 325 RoyalCamera12 OP 10 hr. ago Just ranting about how I am working hard in finding a job in a very ho
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 06
    Font - SqurrelGuy 9 hr. ago I figured that software development is a field where it is uncommon to wear a suit Generally yeah, but it depends on the company. Finance and banking sectors might still expect suits. I figured that wearing casual clothing will give an impression of a chilled and relaxed personality Maybe too chilled... For first impressions you can't go wrong with a nice shirt and it will never be too much (polo shirt at the very least)
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 07
    Font - goodcommasoft. 7 hr. ago You're wrong on this. Why are you matching what the recruiters are doing? They're not interviewing a bunch of other recruiters, they're interviewing recruits, who all are vying for that job. They all follow the normalities of putting on a nice dress shirt and acting like they know their shit to the recruiter, and that's who you are up against - not other pj-wearing recruiters. Reply Share 18
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  • 08
    Font - George Johnson2579 - 6 hr. ago Just a nice and clean black or white shirt. That's all you need. :) 쇼 3 Reply Share
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  • 09

    People also debated tried-and-true strategies, versus new job interview techniques

    Font - nrp1982 12 hr. ago haha my old man thinks printing out resumes and doing 5 days free work for a company is a good thing..., Reply Give Award Share Report Save Follow 1.4k Individual_Bar7021 - 11 hr. ago My boomer mom says things like "well why don't you just call them? I would always just call people" like that isn't how things work at allIIII anymore. Please, go apply for jobs. Reply Share 741 ...
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 10
    Font - madpeachiepie. 9 hr. ago Call which people? I'm also a boomer, and I never called anyone. Is she talking about following up an interview with a phone call, asking what their decision is? Because that's never been a thing. I'm not sure how that would work. Most people who are in charge of hiring would be extremely annoyed by this, but maybe your mom was so unbelievably good looking and capable at everything back in the day that people hired her in spite of the annoying phone calls. What I'
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 11
    Font - Sudden_Schedule5432 9 hr. ago Both my boomer parents told me I needed to follow up IN PERSON. It wasn't until I was 18 that I realized why I was getting black listed at every job Reply Share 138 madpeachiepie. 8 hr. ago LOL they are so full of s and they know it. If they followed their own advice they'd still be unemployed and living in your grandma's basement. Reply Share 80 thomasque72. 7 hr. ago They aren't full of They did follow their own advice and they made a very comfortable livin
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 12
    Font - Familiar_East_9021 - 6 hr. ago Maybe I've had different experiences but as a teenager walking into Retail places, like Barnes and noble, and asking for a job always worked for me. I got hired on the spot at 3 different locations. Now if you're looking for more of a career, that's a whole different thing. It's so difficult, unless you know someone who works there.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 13
    Font - MalfuriousPete. 7 hr. ago My mom used to say to me I have to "pound the pavement" when I was looking for a job when I was younger. No idea what the that meant 21 Reply Give Award Share Report Save Follow
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 14
    Font - Fl333r 1 hr. ago Bro I legit think you may have anger issues. Walking away is always an option but it seems like you'd rather get charged with assault than just leave. Reply Share Vote ... RoyalCamera12 OP 54 min. ago Yeah I agree. Hearing about it now, I should've taken the situation differently. Throughout my life I had angry issues, but I didn't know that this post would expose me to it. I've signed up for therapy this week. I hope my life changes for the better. Vote Reply Share ...
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 15
    Font - smooze420 7 hr. ago Actually you more than likely fit into their view of "your generation" by screaming at them and throwing a tantrum like a 2 yo. Assaulting them would only make things much worse for you. I'm not saying they were in the right because they were not. Hardly anyone wears a tie to interviews anymore. When I actually get interviews I'm usually over dressed with a simple button down shirt and tie.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 16
    Font - angelofessence1 - 9 hr. ago Lol, put them through the 2 hour long application process asking for your entire life history and asking you to put in all your cv/resume data on their company application form so they can skimp on data entry. Followed by 4 unconstructive interviews being grilled 3 against 1 about why you want to work for the company (and heaven forbid you say money or you're out, you have to lie and play a mental mind game proclaiming your utter love dedication and undying dev
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 17
    Font - fugensnot 7 hr. ago You don't want to work ... which is why you're going on all these job interviews? Jesus dude. I hope you shouted a very logical response to that bit of lack of logic.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 18
    Font - Glittering-Star-9545 - 9 hr. ago I'm not sure when the transition happened, but it feels really strange to dress up in a suit for an interview and then have the people interviewing you in casual. Casual clothes can still be good clothes, just not formal. For an interview, I usually wear the best version I have of what I'd expect to wear to the office. I'd even go as high as a blazer. But yeah, it used to always be suits and ties. That's probably what the boomers remember.
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 19
    Font - Accomplished-Gear527 7 hr. ago That's one thing my parents don't understand about the current market is that it's brutal. You need to send 10 resumes a day, 5 days a week in hopes of getting 1 interview that ghosts you. Even using resume scanners and getting 70% matches, you're not getting interviews
    via r/recruitingh***
  • 20

    In the end though...most people think OP should just wear a nice outfit to their interview.

    Font - -Tarro- 11 hr. ago suit is a good idea though .
    via r/recruitingh***

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