| Topic Name: |
Wear my ring to the interview? |
| Message Name: |
Do you sincerely want the job? |
| Date Posted: |
01/26/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
I'm a senior in college and recently became engaged. The ring is very large and attracts attention which might be the problem. I'm interviewing with a high-power strategic consulting firm and was wondering if I shouldn't even wear the ring during the interview? Both my fiance and I wouldn't mind if I took it off for the interviews, but should I even worry about this? It's always weird talking about personal matters during interviews and I could only see how it would conjure up negative or neutral responses, nothing positive. Any insights? |
| Message: |
Pros and cons: For, you have a life outside and should be proud of that and your fiance, as no doubt you are.
Against, in the interviewers head will be that you'll be getting married soon and hence my lose "committment" to the firm. You haven't mentioned what your fiance does or is interviewing for. If it's a job which will take him overseas then of course they'll be worried that you may want to move all over the shop to follow him (after all, being married and apart six months of the year really isn't much fun! Especially in the first few years of marriage when you should be having fun together)
OTOH, one way out of the problem given that you're a college senior might be this. If you wear it and get asked simply say you have no plans at present for a wedding date (assuming you haven't) and immediately bring up yourself the question of business school sponsorship, i.e., as part of your career advancement you'd be expecting to go to b-school in a couple of years anyway so why should they worry about what might happen in your family life anyway.
Btw, one other word of warning, which I'm sure you know anyway, take anything they say about non-discrimination with a pinch of salt. Most firms are pretty equal in the first few years but later on, expect it to start kicking in, if you are planning a long term career in consulting. I know of at least one firm which, in response to a discrimination suit recently filed against them is arguing that its policies on non-discrimination, although referred to in employee contracts, are not enforceable on the company, i.e., "We're not prepared to stand behind our word on this".
Which brings us to the last point. If you're really concerned that wearing your engagement ring might scupper your chances at the interview with this firm ... is that really the sort of firm you want to work for?
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