I have an interview for a short term and part-time project tomorrow morning and have suddenly realised that I have an is-shoe. What does the Average Pole wear on his feet when he has a job interview? I have a pair of smart black shoes but they are rather delicate and the grip rather poor for the salty/sandy/snowy pavements of Poland. Alternatively, I can't see my daily-use boots matching my suit either. Am hoping someone reading this will either suggest wearing the boots as it's accepted in Poland or make me realise buying a hardier pair of smart shoes is now a necessity.
It should be a pretty busy 24 hours as I recover from yesterday's exhausting 11 hour slog through the hinterlands of Poland, down back alleys, counting Noclegis for amusement, trapped in bus station car parks while all the while trying to block out the droning conversation of what time the appointment at the stomatologia was last week (35 minutes) and whether it was the right time to eat a sandwich (20 minutes).
I can't decide whether it's best to be able to understand people's inane coach conversations or whether it isn't. Judging from the bits I did understand of my companions yesterday, the answer lies with the latter. Hell isn't other people, it's other people on long distance public transport.
I was faced with the same question about which shoes to wear when going for an interview about a month ago. I wore my good shoes and took a taxi to get there, 'suffering' through slight salt/sand damage on the return with public transport.
ReplyDeleteNot sure whether you have a satchel, or similar bag, in which you could store the good shoes while wearing the walking ones to get there? Might be an option instead of deciding on one pair.
I second Decoy's opionion on taking another pair of shoes with you. That's what I've read in books on business etiquette, savoir-vivre etc.
ReplyDeleteIf you need to wear the good shoes, take some paper tissues with you and wipe off all the mud and salt before your interview.
Decoy
ReplyDeleteGood idea and I do have a satchel which would fit. Is it acceptable manners for example to change your shoes before an interview though? My observation from visiting different work places is that people do change their shoes for a more comfortable non-salty pair when they arrive, but is this OK for an interview I wonder. Could always do it before I get there of course.
Took me far too long today to get the title pun. I even googled it... so ashamed
ReplyDeleteOK I even googled it and I still don't get the title pun. Someone help!
ReplyDeleteIf I were you I'd wear the shoes you have.
If interview prospects look tougher and you find yourself pounding the pavement a lot through snow and sleet and salt and mud . . . I'd buy another pair of dress shoes with a rubber sole. If you can't afford another pair, you could always get a rubber sole applied on top of your dress shoes for a fairly reasonable price at the shoemaker. If you decide to go that route, we can recommend a shoemaker on Elektoralna.
You won't wreck your shoes in one trip through muck if you take care of them.
Kolin - it's a pun, although not a good one, on having "issues" with my shoes.
ReplyDeleteI would very much like the recommendation of the shoe shop on Elektoralna, as I feel that the leather sole will never last in Poland and the last shoesmith to take a turn on it in London was useless.
Decided to go with wearing them there and back and to try and find somewhere that sells cheap daily-use smarter shoes at reasonable prices.
A visitor to London commented on the large number of street vendors selling "Big Gear Shoe". Turned out of course to be the homeless mag, Big Issue.
ReplyDeleteElektoralna 12. The guys there were pretty good. They did a beautiful jobs on my wife's shoes last fall. On nie mowi po angielsku.
ReplyDeleteI get the pun now. Groooooan.
Thanks Kolin. Was my joke really that bad, you make it out to be a shoe-ting offence. :/
ReplyDelete