An interview is about showing your capability, but traditional expectations around communication can sometimes feel restrictive. Here is how to navigate them while staying comfortable:

Navigating Eye Contact: In many business settings, direct eye contact is viewed as a sign of focus and confidence. However, in many cultural traditions, prolonged eye contact can feel uncomfortable or overly intense. It can also be overstimulating for neurodivergent individuals.

The Strategy: You do not need to stare anyone down. If continuous eye contact feels unnatural, try focusing on the space between the interviewer's eyebrows, or glance at your notes occasionally. In virtual interviews, looking directly at your webcam rather than the screen mimics eye contact perfectly without the pressure.

Handshakes and Welcomes: A firm handshake is a common corporate greeting, but personal boundaries and comfort levels vary wildly.

The Strategy: If you are uncomfortable with handshakes for cultural, religious, or personal reasons, a polite nod of the head with a smile and a warm, "It is a pleasure to meet you," is completely acceptable, professional, and respectful.

The "Professional" Email Address: You never need to alter your identity to get a job. However, your email handle should be a clean, neutral point of contact.

The Guideline: Avoid childhood nicknames or hobby-based emails. Stick to variations of your name: first.last@email.com, initial.last@email.com, or your pima.edu student email.

Dress codes are becoming much more inclusive, with shifting cultural norms and legislation like the CROWN Act protecting natural hairstyles and textures in the workplace. When preparing your wardrobe, think of clothing as a professional uniform, not a restriction on who you are.

• Interviews: The baseline standard for most interviews is still "Business Casual" or "Business Formal" (depending on the industry). This generally means neat, unwrinkled clothing like slacks, a button-down shirt, a blouse, or a structured dress.

• Hair and Expression: Your natural hair, protective styles (braids, locs, twists), and cultural or religious attire are professional.

• The "Two-Step" Wardrobe Strategy: If you are unsure of a company's day-to-day culture, dress one step more formal for the interview than you think the daily job requires. Once you get the job, observe the environment during your first week to see how your peers dress, and adjust your style to a level where you feel both comfortable and respected.

The shift to remote and hybrid work has changed the rules of engagement. Modern digital professionalism is less about rigid politeness and more about respect for people's time, privacy, and boundaries.

The Virtual Background: Your home is your private space. You are not required to give coworkers a tour of your living room, kitchen, or bedroom.

• • Best Practice: Use the "Blur Background" feature on Zoom/Teams, or select a neutral, built-in office background. It protects your privacy while keeping the focus on your work.

Camera On or Off? Video fatigue is real. The general rule of thumb is to keep your camera on during interviews, client-facing meetings, and small team collaborations. For large, company-wide webinars or training sessions, it is usually fine to turn your camera off. It’s best to confirm workplace expectations with your employer, as they can vary. 

Written Tone in Slack/Teams/Email: In text-based communication, short messages can sometimes sound overly blunt.

• Best Practice: Lean into clarity and mild warmth. Using standard emojis (like a thumbs-up 👍 or a smile 😊) is highly acceptable on modern internal platforms like Slack to show you are collaborating positively.

Many people naturally adjust their language, syntax, tone, or behavior depending on the environment they are in—a concept often called code-switching. You might talk to your friends one way, your family another way, and your professors or bosses in another.

Shifting your communication style isn't about hiding who you are or trying to "fit in." Instead, look at it as a communication superpower. Just like being bilingual is an asset, knowing how to seamlessly navigate different professional and social environments gives you a massive strategic advantage.

You get to decide how to navigate these spaces to achieve your career goals. A great employer will value the unique perspective, background, and skills you bring to the team.