It is not illegal to discriminate against someone who is
fat; unfair maybe, but not against the law.
It happens all the time.
Put yourself in an employer's place. Two candidates interview for a job and they are equal in
every qualification except one candidate is fifty pounds overweight. The choice is clear for the employer. Forget all the stigma attached to overweight
people, an employer is probably looking at long term health problems and a loss
in productivity.
So, what do you do if you are overweight? Give up?
You must realize that every job candidate has their good
points and their bad points. If you are
like me and have a face that only a mother could love, then you better be great
in other areas because you have one strike against you to start with.
So, what are these other areas?
Are you dressed well?
First impressions rule and an expensive well fitting outfit can help a
lot with how you are initially perceived.
Do you have the right qualifications? If not, then how do you develop these
qualifications? Maybe you need to enroll
in a course or seminar to bolster your resume in a specific area or maybe you
can do some self study?
Is your resume and cover letter perfect? I actually see candidates with resumes that
have misspelled words. I should say that I see the resumes, not the
candidates. If you are not great at
English, get some help.
Do you speak well and will that show up in your
interview? Speaking well is only a matter of
practice. Have someone ask you interview
questions every night. If you really
want to get better, join a speaking organization like Toastmasters
International.
Are you overweight?
Don't despair - there is a job out there for you!
Make sure your other areas are top notch. Start eating healthier. You would be surprised at how a 5-10 pound
loss will take that puffiness from your face and make you look and feel better.
Professor Tom Laurie
