New York Lawyer
June 17, 2004

Q:
I interviewed someone today who went to school later in life and just doesn't look up to date. He's dressed too formally, his glasses are huge, his suit seemed old and outdated. I desperately wanted to take him aside and tell him to smarten up his look - not only is he old, but he looks out of it and I know that other people in my office will feel put off.

Of course, though, I know that you can't say anything to people about such things - but shouldn't people who already have a strike against them (even if it's illegal not to hire people due to age-ism) try to manage the interviewing process better in terms of their appearance?

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A:

There's no question that older people in general, including mature law graduates, face greater obstacles than their younger counterparts. Ageism is a major form of discrimination: 22% of the matters brought before the EEOC involve allegations of age discrimination. But while we know it's illegal, we also know that doesn't stop it from occurring. Older grads can help themselves by observing roughly the same rules that others have to abide by in terms of interviewing and presentation. After all, they should keep up with the times no matter what.

"We would say that there are some challenges involved, but there are also great opportunities too," says Wendy Siegel, associate director, recruitment and marketing, in the office of career services at New York University School of Law. "Given that most of our older students are second-career people, and have terrific experience, we see it as a value added."

NYU pairs older grads up with alums who also were of a certain age when they became lawyers, letting them deliver the tips for a job-winning performance. Also, the NYU career people try to be aware of how people are coming across before they hit the streets, Siegel reports: "We use mock interviews and try to catch problems on the front end as best as possible." If there's a concern, the career services person says something like: "That may be your personal style, but law firms may be looking for a different type of look."

Problems with presentation in interviews, of course, cross age lines, as Elizabeth Beebe points out. Beebe, director of careers services at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, suggests, "You should always look sharp and clean, and while it's not a time to be stylish, you don't want your fashion sense or lack thereof to be what makes or breaks you getting an offer somewhere." She's seen faux-pas galore in her time, including too-short skirts, open-toed shoes, no stockings on women, and bright white socks with a navy-blue suit for a guy.

She agrees that periodically there are issues with dress and presentation that the career services office deals with. In fact, she says that if firms interview a candidate and there's a problem they feel awkward about handling, they should simply call the career services office. "It's easier for the career services office to help them out without having the firm be put in an uncomfortable position giving that feedback," Beebe says. "We're used to having to give that kind of feedback."

So send along some feedback to the law school, and maybe your older recruit will ditch his owl glasses and spring for a new suit.

Sincerely,
Holly English
Principal Consultant, Values at Work