I have an interview for a supermarket job tomorrow, its for night work stacking shelves in the health and beauty section. They said the interview would be informal, but what sort of questions might they ask? And what should I be prepared for?

As a successful corporate businessman and a conservative, I am appalled by what passes for the "business look" today, and wondered if I am the only one. Tell me if you were hiring a younger entry level aspiring businessman, would the following attributes be "dealbreakers" to you in hiring them…

1.- Long hair.

2.- A visible tatoo.

3.- A visible piercing.

4.- Lack of a blazer in an interview.

5.- Lack of a tie in an interview.

6.- Lack of a tie OR a blazer in an interview.

7.- Unpressed or wrinkles slacks.

8.- Lack of a handsome business watch.

9.- A dirty car (assuming you can see it.)

10.- "Spikey" or "metrosexual" hairdos, as opposed to a traditional
side business-part presenting oneself in a serious business
manner.

I’m not attempting to sell the items; it’s just recommendations of certain beauty products. Is this legal?

Lately, I’ve been seeing, and reading, more about how one presents him/herself at job interviews. The basic areas I am not challenging (e.g., competency, motivation, previous experience, and education) but I am curious as to why the exterior, and other small things, matters so much to an interviewer?

For example, I recently read when entering a closed door interview, don’t turn your back to the interviewer while you close the door. It’s considered rude and disrespectful to the interviewer. Come on! Are interviewers really this anal?

Another example, is whether one is wearing up-to-date business attire. While I can understand a suit from the 1920s or 1970s would be way out of style for the times, why would it matter to an interviewer if the suit one wears to the interview is 16 years old, yet still fits well?

Furthermore, why does it matter so much to the interviewer if a male with long, clean, and pony-tailed or simple-braided hair wears such hair to an interview? Keep in mind, I’m focusing my interest on hiring this guy for a non-office position but it’s not a labor intensive position either (a computer operator who maintains a network (basically a watchman’s job)). If this guy can do the job well, and he maintains his hair in a pulled-back position during duty hours, why would an interviewer care how long his hair is (unless it would be safety issue)?

Are there any companies who have laid back interviews for professional jobs that pay well? I’m not talking about working the fast-food counter or delivering pizzas as one does while in high school, I’m talking about adult jobs that one takes to feed his/her family. My apologies to those who are working these jobs in today’s economy, I mean no disrespect to you for doing what you have to in order to feed your family and pay your rent/mortgage.

I realize interviewees should present themselves in non-tattered clothing, should have basic grooming skills, and can groom their hair to not interfere during the interview. But, has interviewing prospective employees taken on so much anal retentiveness by the interviewers that one has to be a robot for today’s interview?

I understand many companies are conservative in their behavior, but from what I’ve been reading lately, it seems to me that the interviewers are becoming ultra, ultra conservative in what they want to "see" in an interviewee. Does education, experience, motivation, and tenacity matter anymore to the interviewer?

Your intelligent, non-abusive thoughts?

my daughter got a letter asking her to enter the preteen beauty pageant called "Nations Miss Teen Houston".. But I still don’t know whether to let her do it or not because i know those things usually cost a fortune! so, do you know the price?