Dress for Success

[Alex Case]

Good point, although it is more important in Asia than in some other places. Not sure IBM is the right choice of a successful company nowadays though...

[Eva]

Thats a nice experience ........




Eva

[max_bt]

In today’s society, appearance is crucial when it comes down to job applications and such. People will judge on your appearance no matter what they say, it is an unconscious process. As an English teacher, you work directly with the customer, therefore how one looks is important. However, it is mostly important on the first occasion because your customer does not know you yet. After you made your first impression and the customer knows that he is in good hands, how you dress will not matter as much as it first did. Indeed, when your students trust you and know that you are a qualified teacher, appearance does not matter as much.

However, the teacher has to keep in mind that apperance still plays a certain role. It might not have as much impact as the first time. Still standards have to be kept to a certain level because you are still working and people constantly judge you. Age group is also somehting to consider when teaching. Different values are attached to certain age groups and it should be considered by the teacher.

To conclude, I think the most important part about appearance when teaching is the following: do not wear anything that could distract the learner from the focus of the lesson.

[systematic]

Good points all. Something that hasn't been discussed much on this board.
Alex's point about Asia is absolutely true, and even I had to change radically from my jeans and T-shirts of European academia. In fact in Thai government schools, teachers wear military style uniforms, and the private schools offer pleasein uniforms for their female teachers. males a re expectede to wear standard business attire - with a tie.

Going for a job:
One of the most important tips for succes is to do some research and find out what the school's dress code is and go to the interview deressed for the part. This is one of the reasons why canditaes who are available in the country for a personal interview will get a better chance than those who apply from abroad.
If in doubt take the IBM model.

Here are some dress code articles that also contain links to one or two others.
http://www.nittayo.org/faq.html#question17
http://www.nittayo.org/clothing.html
http://www.nittayo.org/ten_tips.html : paragraph 10.

[brookevsworld]

There are different parts of the world that take appearance way more seriously than others. People in these countries think that Americans dress like slobs (some of us do, yes) but they will spend a crazy amount of money on clothes. If you are applying for a job, or working, in these countries, chances are your students will also take into account your clothes and appearance when deciding if you are a good teacher or not!

[petershell]

I agree totally about about the importance of dressing appropriately.
In Korea they have a saying "Clothes give you wings."