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Does being fashionable mean you have to be a size 2? I don't think so. Does the fashion world think that way? You bet they do. Does your workplace think that way? It's a dirty little secret but I'll bet they do too. What are the fabulously curvy, brilliant, working girls supposed to do? Is overcoming this seemingly acceptable form of discrimination an insurmountable task?
It's a known fact that overweight people make less than their skinnier counterparts. Some reports have put it at 25% less. Why is this? Is it because of the perception that overweight people work slower, are less "in control" or organized that their counterparts? Are overweight people grumpier and less likely to get along with their co-workers or do we give more "attractive" people more slack when they are not the friendliest or most helpful?
I have worked in the retail fashion industry for 20 years and not once have I been a size smaller than 16. I now find myself unemployed (through no fault of my own, thank you), back in the job market and with a lot of time on my hands to reflect on what I've done and where I'm going. Working with some of the best professionals in that industry, and some of the worst, has given me a perspective on this industry that may make me leave it in search of a less "looks driven" career. Is there such a thing?
Having to overcompensate for my less than perfect looks has been more than just an annoyance. It also meant that I pushed myself just that much harder and challenged myself a little more. It meant that the departments and stores I ran were always at or near the top in comparison to others. Is that bad? It is frustrating to watch people who fit the ideal getting praise and promotions without having to put in the same amount of work, but inevitably these people weren't as successful as I was. You might have the looks that get you the job, but you still have to actually do the job.
One of the things that can make or break where I go for my next job is the dress code. Being a size 18, it's something I have to think about. One of the biggest obstacles I have faced is working for a company that had a casual dress code. Showing up for work as a size 18 in a suit or smart, fashionable separates and fabulous heels makes me feel professional and polished and we all know that attitude and self confidence is a big part of that first impression. Working for a company that had everyone wearing khakis and a polo made me feel like I had just rolled out of bed, I couldn't tuck my shirt in, I'm an apple! So in comparison to my mostly male counterparts who looked great in this outfit, I looked disheveled and less professional. I was doing the exact same things, physically and administratively but I found it much harder to get that promotion.
I left that job and went back to work for a fashion retailer. Nobody said it to me directly, but I could hear my bosses talking about my weight and my current diet (I always made sure to talk about my diet so they knew I was "trying", amazing that they could make me feel like I had to do this). It didn't matter that I ran around just like everyone else did, or that I had the ability and experience to do the job, or that I dress and present myself really well and look 10 years younger than I really am, I did not get that first promotion. The person they brought in had already run stores for the company. OK, they wanted someone who had been in the company for a while, I can live with that. It was a really bad day when I found out that not only did I have more experience than this person, but the stores this person ran weren’t profitable and had closed. What was the outcome for this company that based looks high up on the promotable scale? Bankruptcy and closure, now thousands are out of work.
How you present yourself absolutely belongs at or near the top of being successful or hirable. It goes without saying that being clean, neat and dressed appropriately while at work or on an interview is imperative. Have we taken this too far? Does being dressed appropriately, neat and clean equal being a size 2 also? As a business wouldn’t you rather have the person that can actually do the job, instead of the person who just looks like they can do the job? I had a great interview this week with a solid company who has the potential for tremendous growth. The dress code is jeans and a company logoed t-shirt or dress shirt. Here we go again.