Work Apparel

[Little Bill]

I see Postal workers, UPS & Fedex drivers and others wearing short pants in the summer months. Do you think it unprofessional for an electrician to wear short pants, depending of course on the job at hand? I don't really have a strong opinion either way, just wanted some thoughts.

 

[S'mise]

I don't think it's unprofessional, but It's unsafe it theres an arc-flash.

 

[Little Bill]

I don't think it's unprofessional, but It's unsafe it theres an arc-flash.

I did say depending on the job at hand.

 

[S'mise]

So tell the cusomer; Yes sir, I'll get right to work. Oh, Do you have somewhere where I can change? :grin:

 

[ceb58]

I see Postal workers, UPS & Fedex drivers and others wearing short pants in the summer months. Do you think it unprofessional for an electrician to wear short pants, depending of course on the job at hand? I don't really have a strong opinion either way, just wanted some thoughts.

In your examples the shorts are part of a uniform. The shorts match the shirts. If you are doing residential MPO is it is unprofessional to show up at a customers home wearing shorts. The ones that I see wearing shorts are nothing more than cut off jeans with holes. Remember presentation is every thing. Every one complains about people not taking this trade seriously. And customers complaining about what we charge for the service we do. Put your self in the customers shoes. If you pull up in and old truck with the muffler tied up with wire, wearing old cut off jeans and a raged shirt. What is the customer going to think? You may be the best around, you may know the code book forward and backwards. That will not matter. There first thought is "what have I gotten into" and "dose this guy have a clue".

 

[iwire]

IMPO shorts are unprofessional looking.

 

[busman]

I only wear shorts, unless it's below about 20 degrees outside. They are not ragged cut-offs. They are LL Bean work shorts with lots of pockets. My truck is new and clean. I've never had anyone complain about the way I look. But, then again, I've never advertised, so all my business is word-of-mouth and I think peoples first impression of me comes from what they hear, not what they see. If I depended on advertising, I would probably wear long pants and a uniform shirt.

Mark

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I see Postal workers, UPS & Fedex drivers and others wearing short pants in the summer months. Do you think it unprofessional for an electrician to wear short pants, depending of course on the job at hand? I don't really have a strong opinion either way, just wanted some thoughts.

I wore shorts almost my entire career in the summer. I could care less if someone thought it was unprofessional.

 

[tkb]

Shorts are unprofessional. So are tank tops, sneekers and ball caps on backwards.

 

[satcom]

Shorts are unprofessional. So are tank tops, sneekers and ball caps on backwards.

You can express yourself out of business with poor choice in dress, but there will always be some that feel the need to jump off the bridge

 

[broadgage]

Shorts are unprofessional. So are tank tops, sneekers and ball caps on backwards.

Agree, possibly acceptable in extremely hot conditions, such as outdoors hot climates or in very hot buildings, but not IMHO acceptable for everday workwear in most enviroments.
Shorts MIGHT be acceptable in countries and situations where other proffesionals are wearing them, but in general best avoided.

 

[220/221]

IMPO shorts are unprofessional looking.

While I completely agree with you, that's all we wear

My busness partner dresses properly as he has most of the pre contract customer contact. Our lighting/bucket truck guy also dresses correctly in long pants and a button/collar work shirt.

The rest of the scrubs, including me, are in shorts, tshirts 95% of the time.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

You can express yourself out of business with poor choice in dress, but there will always be some that feel the need to jump off the bridge

If this were true then I wouldn't have lasted a year in business nevermind 30 years. I never had uniforms and we did good work-- who cares what you look like. Now bad body odor and you would get sent home to take a bath but ripped jeans, shorts, etc I could care less. It never affected my business now maybe somewhere else it would have.

 

[chris kennedy]

I wear shorts everyday, like painter shorts. Like Dennis I couldn't care less what people think and it certainly hasn't hurt my career.

 

[satcom]

It is not a matter of what people think, but in business being more like your customers

Here are some good tips on dress for business http://www.davekahle.com/qa/dress.htm

 

[220/221]

It is not a matter of what people think, but in business being more like your customers

Here are some good tips on dress for business http://www.davekahle.com/qa/dress.htm

Again, even though I don't follow this line of thinking, I do completely agree with it.

Here is a typical day on the job with my clown squad. Installing parking lot poles/lights. One kid (my 39 YO son) decides that a skateboard would be a good way to get around between poles. They busted their asses for 12 hours that day in order to get all the lights up and running so who am I to complain about safety?

 

[cadpoint]

Sudo un related; there are various plants around here allow shorts out on the plant floor and it's been like that for years, I've never quite understood that, and have never practiced it either!

Every construction company, I've ever been with has never allowed this work apparel, ever!


But alas...

I fell in love with some girl in over-all's, I don't think it's a stretch to go with a pair when required otherwise!

 

[goldstar]

Favorable impressions are important (even for those who don't care or think their customers don't care). You should always give the impression that you're doing well (even if you're not). Have a clean looking work van with custom lettering, neat and clean work shirts with your company's name on it, clean and neat trousers (or shorts) with no holes in them.

Now, IMHO if you're working in a plant or a building that is air conditioned then long pants and a neat and clean shirt are the way to go. If you're working on a house rough-in and the outside temp is 90 degrees plus, company logo T-shirts and shorts are the way to go. I can't imagine working any other way. As it is I start out looking neat and clean every day but by the end of the day I sweat so much that I look like 2 lbs of @#!& in a 1 pound bag.:grin: So, I can only meet dignitaries in the AM !!!

 

[knoppdude]

I don't think this type of apparel is unproffesional if it neat, clean, and made professional looking, if you are working outdoors. There are so many other ways to look unproffesional, such as being grossly overweight, cussing, etc., that this shouldn't be a problem. Just my opinion though.

 

[220/221]

I don't think this type of apparel is unproffesional if it neat, clean, and made professional looking, if you are working outdoors. There are so many other ways to look unproffesional, such as being grossly overweight, cussing, etc., that this shouldn't be a problem. Just my opinion though.

Aw crap. 3 for 3