Hi JBM ~
I think what you're looking for is often referred to as "Dress for
Success". There is no shortage of websites and online information
along those lines.
Dressing, Attire and Grooming:
==============================
A great many of the "dress for success" type sites seem to be aimed at
dressing appropriately for interviews and suggest dressing
conservatively and "business-like" for job interviews. A few brave
souls pushed on to also actually discussing appropriate dress for the
work place.
Sites I would consider to have really "good" information also stressed
understanding corporate atmosphere. For instance, in a notably casual,
"playful" workplace (such as Google) where informality and "business
casual" is the dress code, a business suit and tie would seem out of
place (unless, of course, the person dressing that way were the Public
Information Officer, or the Chief Financial Officer or in a position
that tradition and opinion dictate a more formal business-oriented
attire).
If you're not sure, though, a rule of thumb for the office place seem
to be that is better to be "overdressed" in a conservative business
way than to be a pair of brown shoes in a tuxedo atmosphere.
A lot of the "dress for success" information seems to convey the same
idea (think IBM blue). I've included some websites for your perusal.
Here's one for men that discusses suits, ties, coats, and offers a
video for sale in order to help get the point across:
- http://www.dressforsuccess.com/index2.html
Kiwi Shoe Care has an informational site, and it's not all about shoes
- http://www.kiwicare.com/dress.htm
About.Com's jobsearch guide offers this advice for dressing for
success:
- http://jobsearch.about.com/library/weekly/aa120201a.htm
Texas A & M offers information on conservative dressing for both men
and women for interviews, as well as desribing "business casual"
- http://careercenter.tamu.edu/Students/S1/S1B2.shtml
How to Dress for Success, discussing clothes for both men and women
and projecting a "professional image" can be found here:
- http://www.howtodressforsuccess.com/appropriate-business-attire.html
This site also offers some good "Dos and Don'ts" which include:
** Preliminary research into dress codes in a particular field
** Preliminary research into dress codes in a particular business
** Other very basic and common sense dos and don'ts of dressing and
other information on appropriate business attire:
- http://www.howtodressforsuccess.com/dosanddonts.html
Books:
Amazon recommends two books, one for women, "New Woman's Dress for
Success" by John T. Molloy:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0446672238/104-1014202-1773512?vi=glance
and
"The New Professional Image: From Business Casual to the Ultimate
Power Look" by Susan Bixler and contributions by Nancy Nix:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1558507299/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/104-1014202-1773512?v=glance&s=books&st=*
Mr. Molloy's book's opening paragraph reads: "FACT: Most American men
dress for failure..." with a more complete discussion of dressing
correctly continues on the Chanimal.com website here:
- http://www.chanimal.com/html/dress.html
Etiquette:
==========
The above-mentioned site, "How to Dress for Success" also discusses
basic etiquette on this page:
- http://www.howtodressforsuccess.com/dosanddonts.html
Ravenwerks Information Center has an excellent all-encompassing
article, "Business Etiquette - More Than Just Eating With the Right
Fork" by Pamela Gamonal, in which she discusses such topics as:
* The Basics (courtesy)
* Treating people with dignity
* Peers and Subordinates
* Customs and Cultural differences
* Language differences
and many other situations within the workplace with basic common sense
can be found here:
- http://www.ravenwerks.com/practices/etiquette.htm
World Biz offers a wide array of business customs and etiquette on its
site at:
- http://www.worldbiz.com/
and Executive Planet offers a different slant which includes such
diverse etiquette matters as how to address people, public behavior,
and gift giving in its business cultural guide here:
- http://www.executiveplanet.com/index2.jsp
The underlying theme is to research so you are not caught unawares and
embarass either yourself or those with whom you are meeting or doing
business.
I think the two sites on International protocol and etiquette are
fascinating, and would be of help in a general way. Ravenswerks
addresses issues in a practical down-to-earth way and common sense
prevails.
I think the above will get you the information you need and enough
subject matter to share in your lectures.
Search terms used -
- dress for success
- business dressing + grooming
- business protocol
- business etiquette
Regards,
Serenata-ga
Google Answers Researcher |
