Well, I’m female, so the traditional rules are a little different. Girls can keep their hats on indoors.

Generally speaking, enter the building, remove hat and gloves. Gloves go in coat pocket. Unless you’re planning on staying, unbutton coat and leave on. If you are staying, coat goes on coat tree if available. If not, coat is folded over the left arm and held. Hat is held in left hand. You want to keep your hands as free as possible for writing and shaking hands. Left-hand-dominant people are kind of screwed if they have to write. The goal is to remove as much awkward shuffling of belongings as possible.

Unless it is really cold I leave everything in the car and walk in. I can tolerate the cold for a while. If need be, wear the coat in and hang it up some where to get rid of it. Fewer distractions the better.

^ I don’t have a car, though.

Thanks for the advice, both of you. ^_^

@AnonymousWoman That’s tougher. Gloves go into he pockets as soon as you get to the building. And ask where you can hang the coat and hat as soon as you find the receptionist. You want to look cool, calm and professional when you meet the person that’s going to interview you. If you’re dropping off cover letters and resumes you can leave the coat on. The first impression probably isn’t as important then.

I’m planning on applying at a Metro store today. I hear they hire on the spot sometimes, though, so this is all still helpful to me. :)

@AnonymousWoman Good luck. If they hire on the spot first impression is bigger.

Dropping off resumes etc., leave your coat on, take off your hat and gloves and put them in your purse or pockets.

For interviews, I would ask where it would be OK to hang my coat.

Do you want to work someplace that doesn’t offer to take your coat and hang it up? That seems very rude to me. As an employee, I would not expect good treatment at a place like that. Just because you’re looking for a job doesn’t mean you have to give up all hope of being treated like a civilized person.

Can you wear ear muffs, take them off just before walking in the door, and just put them in your coat pocket or purse? They fold up very small now. Gloves also in pocket or purse. I’m going to assume you are in an extremely cold city and have to walk far. For me if it is 30+ degrees I would not worry about covering my head if I was outside less than 20 minutes.

Tthis is a retail store right? I don’t know what Metro is. If it is a retail store first impressions mean a lot. But, having a coat on is fine if you are walking in from the cold. Stand tall, confident, and smile. Be ready to shake hands if one is extended to you, which means at least have your right glove off.

Is the store in a mall? Will you have time once inside to look at yourself in the mirror? Or you walk right in the store? It is best to have your face look as you would if you worked there, which included hat off I am assuming. If taking your hat off messes up your hair then I would assume you want a mirror check. If it doesn’t then you can just pull it off before you approach an employee, it is absolutely fine to pull it off in front of them once inside.

If they interview you on the spot they will possibly take you to the stock room or out to a seating area in the mall. You can remove your coat and lay it neatly next to you or on the back of the chair if they don’t offer to hang it up for you.

I stow ‘em in my trunk.