All Dressed Up, and Nowhere to Go

(Note: astute readers will notice that this blog has gone through a few different visual incarnations lately. I changed the template back to this one after deciding I didn't care for the others.)

I don't know about you, but I usually don't spend my days at home sitting around in a suit and tie. Frankly, it's an accomplishment if I'm wearing socks. No, when I'm home, I keep it casual.

And yet, there's quite a few articles and blog posts about there on job hunting that say you should get dressed each day as if you're going to work when doing your job search.

Why? This doesn't make any sense to me.

I suppose the reasoning is that, by putting on your work clothes, you get in the business mindset and are more likely to treat your search like a job, with regular hours and a structured day. Now, the treating-it-like-a-job part is something I agree with. Most of us need structure to get the best use of our time. But the clothes? I don't agree there. Being professional and focused is something you should be able to do no matter what you're wearing, and I think that most of us are perfectly capable of staying on task, writing great emails, and talking to recruiters and contacts on the phone while wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants.

Of course, I don't like saying "never" on this blog. If you really finds that this helps you, then by all means do it and don't let me tell you otherwise. And obviously, if you're going out and meeting with people face-to-face, you should look professional. But for day to day searching of job websites, maintaining your social media networks, and researching companies? Bring on the bunny slippers.