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Forum -> Working Women
Do you think there is fat discrimination?
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:20 am
I have been unemployed for a very long time. My last job was from home just because the company didnt have an actual office.
I have been looking for a job since the beginning of corona. I had a job for a short while but I had to leave that job. I have had many interviews but almost no job offers.
I am also extremely over weight. Please dont turn this into a thread about the fact that I should lose weight. I know this. Its very hard for a few different reasons (a few medical as well as emotional) and that is not what my thread is about.
Do you think there is discrimination against people who are not thin or who are over weight or very over weight, even obese?
I dont know what other reason I would not be getting jobs. Its not like Im looking for a very specific job. Im looking for office work, office manager, secretary, office assistant, whatever you want to call it.
Every time I have an interview and then never hear back from the company I think its like a date after getting to actually seeing the other person and seeing that they are heavy, the other person never calls back.
Its so upsetting and discouraging.

What do you all think?
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tryinghard




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:22 am
It certainly exists but that doesn’t mean that is what you are experiencing. It could be something you are doing or saying during interviews. Do you know anyone who might be willing to mock interview you and give honest feedback?
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amother
Green


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:24 am
Have you gotten feedback on your job experience and interview skills? I would sooner say that its one of those - either being underqualified or being a poor interviewer. There are coaches who can help you work on those.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:25 am
tryinghard wrote:
It certainly exists but that doesn’t mean that is what you are experiencing. It could be something you are doing or saying during interviews. Do you know anyone who might be willing to mock interview you and give honest feedback?
The reason why I dont think its the way I interview is because I was hired twice over the past 3 years that I was over all unemployed. I had to leave one job as I realized very quickly it was very much wrong for me and the other one the people who hired me unhired me the day before I was to start.
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amother
Chambray


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:25 am
My friend (who is very overweight) was convinced this was the reason she wasn't getting hired, when she started looking seriously a couple of years ago in a certain field. When in reality a lot of it was more likely due that she didn't have a lot of professional job experience in the area. She finally did get a job in a less desirable position about a year ago, stuck it out for a year, then a few months ago, as soon as she started reaching out for new employment opportunities, she easily found the exact position she was looking for, in the location she wanted.
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amother
Bluebell


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:30 am
amother OP wrote:
I have been unemployed for a very long time. My last job was from home just because the company didnt have an actual office.
I have been looking for a job since the beginning of corona. I had a job for a short while but I had to leave that job. I have had many interviews but almost no job offers.
I am also extremely over weight. Please dont turn this into a thread about the fact that I should lose weight. I know this. Its very hard for a few different reasons (a few medical as well as emotional) and that is not what my thread is about.
Do you think there is discrimination against people who are not thin or who are over weight or very over weight, even obese?
I dont know what other reason I would not be getting jobs. Its not like Im looking for a very specific job. Im looking for office work, office manager, secretary, office assistant, whatever you want to call it.
Every time I have an interview and then never hear back from the company I think its like a date after getting to actually seeing the other person and seeing that they are heavy, the other person never calls back.
Its so upsetting and discouraging.

What do you all think?


I think it could be an issue with certain individuals, I don’t believe that as a whole that is why you are not getting any jobs. You can even see in the media, there are overweight news reporters, overweight models, etc and it’s more accepted than it was before. I think you need to stop focusing on the weight issue and see what else it could possibly be that is stopping you from getting a good position.
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amother
Green


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:34 am
amother OP wrote:
The reason why I dont think its the way I interview is because I was hired twice over the past 3 years that I was over all unemployed. I had to leave one job as I realized very quickly it was very much wrong for me and the other one the people who hired me unhired me the day before I was to start.

2 job offers in 3 years is not a lot. It could be for lota of different reasons.
And I doubt very much that they un-hired you because you were fat. More likely they realized you were a bad fit
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amother
Chambray


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:37 am
Think about the field you are looking into, and your qualifications. Are they a good fit? If you left a job right away on your own due to it not being a good fit, and another offer was withdrawn, it sounds like maybe they aren't matching.
It might be necessary to either get more qualifications for that field or to look elsewhere.
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amother
Starflower


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 11:44 am
Yes. Discrimination against fat people has been documented.

Even if it isn’t conscious in terms of the people hiring it can be a negative factor. There are people who think fat people are lazy or undisciplined. There are employers who worry about health issues and in smaller businesses the cost of health insurance as the worker pool isn’t so large so an unhealthy employee can drive up costs.

Certainly there might be other reasons but I think it is naive to completely discount this reality.

All you can do is present yourself in person as meticulously groomed and try to subtly emphasize your strong work ethic and high energy levels.

Just google weight discrimination and loads of studies and articles and personal experience stories come up

Overweight people are less likely to be hired, are lower paid, have fewer opportunities and are often outright bullied in the workplace. And, as these stories and studies reveal, women bear the brunt of the discrimination

https://www.theguardian.com/in.....ation
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amother
Crystal


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 12:52 pm
100% yes.

Sorry but it is true
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#BestBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 12:55 pm
It does exist.

But focus on what you can change: Interview skills, professional wardrobe, nice sheitel and make up.

Don't be picky about the job, as long as it is in the field you want.

When you have a couple of years experience, you can move up to a better job.
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amother
Tiffanyblue


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 12:56 pm
I remember when I was fresh out of school and trying to find my first job. It was very demoralizing. I was a bit overweight but I don't think that was the issue. I just didn't carry myself with confidence even though I graduated top in my class. I eventually did land a job with someone who find my resume by googling. I don't think it's the weight specifically, just an overall lack of confidence. I agree with the recommendation to get a job coach. I don't know if there are organizations that provide this service for free or for low cost. It's hard when you're job searching to handle yet another expense. But being dressed well and knowing how to present yourself well in interviews can make all the difference.
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amother
NeonBlue


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 12:57 pm
A thin person can appear more disciplined. This is a value an employer may value.

I'm not saying it's right to discriminate like this, but it might just be the truth.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 1:38 pm
Just so everyone realizes, im not talking about some high paying specific job.
Im talking about office jobs. Secretary or office assistant etc.
One of those jobs that so many young sem girls get. Im not looking for something grand.
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amother
cornflower


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 1:43 pm
amother OP wrote:
I have been unemployed for a very long time. My last job was from home just because the company didnt have an actual office.
I have been looking for a job since the beginning of corona. I had a job for a short while but I had to leave that job. I have had many interviews but almost no job offers.
I am also extremely over weight. Please dont turn this into a thread about the fact that I should lose weight. I know this. Its very hard for a few different reasons (a few medical as well as emotional) and that is not what my thread is about.
Do you think there is discrimination against people who are not thin or who are over weight or very over weight, even obese?
I dont know what other reason I would not be getting jobs. Its not like Im looking for a very specific job. Im looking for office work, office manager, secretary, office assistant, whatever you want to call it.
Every time I have an interview and then never hear back from the company I think its like a date after getting to actually seeing the other person and seeing that they are heavy, the other person never calls back.
Its so upsetting and discouraging.

What do you all think?


Being unemployed is worse for your resume than weight. You havent been working and employers wonder why not.
Why did you leave that other job? That is also a red flag for potential boss.
When I was unemployed I had interviews but no offers. And I am not obese. I just didnt interview well and therefore worked to learn certain skills and ways to share my accomplishments and knowledge which helped me land my current place.
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zaq




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 1:53 pm
Yes there is, just as there is discrimination against short people and people who for any other reason don't fit the current norms of good looks. It may not be as obvious or as rampant as racial or gender discrimination but it is there.
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amother
Orchid


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 2:00 pm
I am a boss and recently had to hire five new employees for my company. I interviewed many, many, people. Of the five that I hired, two are very thin, two are moderately overweight, and one is obese. I am excited about all of them but I actually like the one who is obese the best. She had great confidence, the experience I needed, and presented very well.
It’s possible fat bias exists in some situations, but if you are getting rejected again and again, I would look hard at how you are presenting in the interviews.
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lamplighter




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 2:35 pm
Yes there is weight discrimination. It's a documented fact.
That doesn't mean that that's why you aren't employed.
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smss




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 2:41 pm
amother NeonBlue wrote:
A thin person can appear to look more disciplined. This is something an employer may value.

I'm not saying it's right to discriminate like this, but it might just be the truth.


Any fat person living in our society has dieted multiple times in their lives, I 100% believe this to be true. There are physiological reasons why diets do not work long term despite how much discipline someone may have.

Whereas many thin people are naturally thin (isn't it funny how we acknowledge that to be a thing, but don't acknowledge that you can also be naturally fat?) and have never dieted a day in their lives.
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amother
Strawberry


 

Post Sun, Sep 04 2022, 3:16 pm
amother NeonBlue wrote:
A thin person can appear to look more disciplined. This is something an employer may value.

I'm not saying it's right to discriminate like this, but it might just be the truth.

My experience is actually the opposite, actually.

I have people in my family who are naturally thin and are not disciplined at all. (And besides for that they eat junk all day actually).

There are a lot of reasons why someone might be overweight but lack of discipline is very rarely part of the reason.
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