Do you think that your appearance can have a direct impact on your career and advancement?

I personally have had an experience with that. I was working for a guy for about 3 years and then got into a realitionship and left on good terms. He said the door was always open. So I called him one day when I was ready to come back to work. He said he was delighted to have me back. I had put on some weight because I was out of work for almost a year. When I showed up he said that he could not hire me til I lost some weight. I am always very well dressed but needless to say it hurt a lot.

Of course. I’ve always been told that your outer appearance is your resume. A company wants someone with a good image, experience & someone who is intelligent. Not someone with baggy jeans, messy hair & chocolate around the mouth. Weight also has a lot to do with it. Most jobs will hire the skinner person because it shows good health, good grooming & self control. Is it the best way to hire someone? probably not but its the real world & typically, it doesnt have to be the best way.

I think that it does have an impact. For certain jobs it’s absolutely fine to wear whatever you please, but for others, you have to look a lot more professional to be taken seriously. Some people may say ‘who cares if they don’t like me or what I wear’, but when it comes down to it you have to realize that people do care and it does matter. If you want to get money flowing in, your attitude can’t be that way and you have to be willing to put yourself out there.

It depends on your career. If your a lawyer, doctor, in office jobs - then yes, your appearance affects your job and your advancement. Its not fair, but it does because the companies have an image to uphold. Not every career or high paying job requires a certain dress code or appearance though. There are tons of creative fields that allow you to express yourself because you are in a creative business and if your appearance catches the customers eye it helps.

This is a great point, and I think this effect women a lot more then men. I have read that the best way to make your self more employable is not only go to school, but to go to the gym. I was reading that employers have the opinion that heavier people are going to be out sick more, not as productive, and less appealing as a sales force. In the country we live in you are very right image is everything, and I am sorry that this happen to you.

It felt really good when I went back to work and I lost the weight and he saw me working for his competition and begged for me back. I even got a raise at my new job after my boss saw how saught out I was.

Sadly ya. The world can be SO unfair to others :( But gotta love what others think of you LOL Love the question :)

You are right and you would not see a general contractor wearing a suit and tie to the job site. But you would see that same general contractor and a chamber ball wearing a suit or tuxedo. I have worked with marketing departments where the girls would where black lip stick and some very wild outfits, but to the Christmas party they did conform, or to different types of meeting they would dress the part. I believe there is a time and place for everything and you have to conform to fit the occasion .

Great for you and I am glad you got to rub this in his face.

Yes, I think the same thing, I can wear my ripped jeans boots and worn shirt, but not to work. These close might suit me and my personality, but they won’t get me a raise. they want make a good first impression. I have to wear the suit and tie and work and save the boots and spurs for home.

Well yeah because if their overweight, it just shows that their lazy and they don’t really care to keep themselves active.

At the same time, you could turn around & say to them, “That’s very discriminating of you. That’s not how you run a professional business.” I’ve been “fired” from work cause I’ve got a little hearing lost.

I think in general it is true. I can’t say it is always true because I dont dress up, and I happen to be fat, and yet, I’ve never actually had to interview or had difficulty finding a job (people have just generally hired me based on the actual work they’ve seen me do), and my father will wear shorts to business meetings and he’s doing great, so there’s exceptions, drives my mother insane, but I think under certain situations you could probably get away with it.

not necessarily - I know people who are overweight who are actually extremely fit and active. You cannot judge people you have never even met

Yeah I know, but I’m hypothetically speaking… Most job places would look at it like this…

I’m kinda speaking fat, not overweight & fit…

Yea.including if your not white.

Equality = To Treat EVERYBODY equal and Give EVERYBODY equal opportunities. Equality is a important requirement in any job position. Somebodys weight doesnt affect they ability to do any job!. judging an applicants ability to do a job is discrimination. In addition to experience and meeting the jobs requirements, A company wants somebody with a good appearance,weight has nothing to do with it, aslong as the applicant is clean and tidy they will set a good reputation for that company.