Barbara writes:
I am a very experienced and highly qualified executive secretary with more than 20 years of experience.
I am actively seeking a new job. I am very nervous as I am 50 pounds overweight. I feel I have everything going for me. I am dedicated, knowledgeable and very likable. I have excellent credentials and references.
Do you feel the weight will stop them from hiring me? I am presently using your website to prepare for the questions.
The Career Doctor responds:
I have good news and bad news for you.
The bad news is that job-hunting often shares some similarities to dating — and one of those shared attributes is the power of first impressions. I can guarantee the interviewer will make an immediate judgment about you when s/he meets you for the interview. It won’t always be a negative one, but there are certainly negative stereotypes about overweight and obese people.
Is this a bad thing? Job-seekers ask me all the time why first impressions make such an impact, and the answer is easy — we use it as a shortcut to stereotype people into easy-to-understand categories. And, of course, this stereotyping happens in many other situations besides job-hunting.
The good news is that you have the power to first minimize the impact and then overcome any lingering negative first impressions with a powerful interview. You can minimize the impact by wearing a professional outfit that downplays (as much as possible) your weight. The same rules of dress-for-success apply to you as they do for ALL job-seekers. Look professional — and no matter what your size or height or color or age — and you minimize any bias the interviewer may have.
And then do just as you are doing. Prepare for the interview. Prepare answers to common interview questions — create stories that showcase your strengths and accomplishments — but don’t memorize them. I suggest writing them down to help you remember them.
Finally, I would also watch highlighting the more than 20 years of experience because most career experts say focus on the last 15 years — at the very most — so that you also do not run into age discrimination.
For additional resources, check out the Interviewing Resources section, as well as this article, Dress for Success.
