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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you think being fat is a disadvantage in job interviews?

227 replies

AteRiri · 17/05/2017 22:09

Especially in corporate world? Just curious.

Also, before anyone suspects fat shaming, I'm a 16 myself. So really curious as I am doing the rounds of graduate job interviews currently.

OP posts:
MoonlightandMusic · 17/05/2017 22:39

In the corporate world? I think research says "yes" in the broader context, but from my own experience no, someone's size wouldn't be a factor in making a decision on whether to make a job offer.

Orlantina · 17/05/2017 22:40

I suspect fat people are the most discriminated against of all characteristics

Really? Racism? Age? Class?

ImNotWhoYouThinkIAmOhNo · 17/05/2017 22:41

I'm a size 16. .... I'm 5'7" but in the obese category.

Obese - really? Only just a teeny bit, surely?? I am also 5'7", I am a 14-16, and my BMI says I'm hovering between the normal range and the 'overweight' range.

GoldilocksAndTheThreePears · 17/05/2017 22:41

The assumption that all larger people are lazy, feckless and dangerously unhealthy is just a fact that a lot of overweight people are forced to live with.

I could be an alcoholic or habitual drug user but if I'm thin and presentable I'd be seen as better than someone even a few stone overweight. I could take as few steps as possible in a day, never exercise, live on greasy fast food, do all sorts to my body like staying up every night not getting enough sleep but if I'm thin suddenly I'm not lazy. It's so pathetic!

One thing that astonishes me is that thin people never, ever get ill. Ever. I know that because anytime I'm ill or anything I'm told it's due to my weight. I've seen people on threads asking for mental health advice and being told it's down to weight. Skin condition? Weight apparently. Because there are no other causes to anything I've ever had, thin people must never be ill! Because they lack fat to you know, make them ill.

olderthanyouthink · 17/05/2017 22:42

Another yes

And I think being painfully skinny would also count against you

SugarnetMum · 17/05/2017 22:42

When I was sixteen I was a size 18 and got a job in a restaurant. I Was huge for my age! I'm now still a bit overweight for my height at a size 14 and have got all the jobs I've ever applied for (had interviews) so no tbh unless its for as someone said , a personal trainer or dietician (unless you're quiet fit that is)

Margo3791 · 17/05/2017 22:43

Probably. But what about being too short, or looking to old or too young?

The corporate world seems to employ people who look very much the same. It's a world I've been trying to avoid all my working life precisely because of that. i work in public sector.

LilyMcClellan · 17/05/2017 22:43

Yes. (Not saying I think it's right.) And it's probably more noticeable at graduate level, where unless you are a real superstar, you are competing against a lot of other people with similar qualifications and experience, all looking for a job at the same time.

Later on, as you acquire a more complex and unique skill set, and probably more confidence, it's likely to matter less. But right now, unfortunately I think extra weight will be a disadvantage, unless you can show some other exceptional qualities or skill that make you stand out.

PookieDo · 17/05/2017 22:44

I've caught myself being way more discriminative (in my head) about someone's age rather than what they look like but then this is because I am slightly overweight myself and therefore less likely to judge someone for it

So it depends on who is interviewing too, and their perspective. My perspective is that when I have worked with very young or much much older people I find them hard to manage and direct, so I am more likely to choose someone who I feel will 'fit in' regardless of their looks or size.

I try to stop myself doing this

Original poster
AteRiri · 17/05/2017 22:44

I'm a size 16. .... I'm 5'7" but in the obese category.

I'm almost 5'8" and my BMI is 29 so almost obese category too.

Too many bias against me then (weight, age, whole new career prior to this).

OP posts:
Beelzebop · 17/05/2017 22:45

Definitely.

Orlantina · 17/05/2017 22:49

Too many bias against me then (weight, age, whole new career prior to this

Shouldn't stop you applying - but its disheartening when you think that it's something 'personal' why you didn't get the job - and the interviewers discriminated against you.

danadas · 17/05/2017 22:49

I've never had a problem and have always been successful in any job/promotion application - the most recent only 2 months ago.

And I am properly fat, not just a bit tubby.

I have also never had a sick day in 15 years of working however that is pure luck.

whirlycurly · 17/05/2017 22:49

Definitely.

Beelzebop · 17/05/2017 22:52

I am feeling discrimination in so many subtle ways. I posted earlier as a form asked how many children I had! I'm over forty, like you trying to change direction. I'm not a six, probably a sixteen, kids, female. I feel like giving up. There seems to be a whole pool of non working parents getting ignored!

Whack · 17/05/2017 22:52

Not in my industry no. If you're presentable and friendly and good at your job weight would never be an issue and a size 16 wouldn't even be noticed there are people much bigger than that at work that's probably the average. I'm shocked at how many people on this thread think yes. I work with people all different shapes and sizes it just isn't an issue, it's not a physical role more office based.

Alisvolatpropiis · 17/05/2017 22:53

Yes it probably is. I don't agree with it, a couple of the most impressive women I know are fat and very successful in their respective fields. However they are in their early 50's to my late 20's and I don't think women of my age of a similar size will be able to achieve the same level of success given current societal expectations.

Original poster
AteRiri · 17/05/2017 22:53

"Shouldn't stop you applying - but its disheartening when you think that it's something 'personal' why you didn't get the job - and the interviewers discriminated against you."

Thanks. Just something I'm wondering, being thrown nowadays in assessment centres in a sea of brightly eyed young ones. I would want to reduce the biases against me, if possible.

I did get into a partner interview in a big firm, but I was basically told my experience before this career change is much suited to something else. Which makes me wonder, if that's the case then there's no point to having a career change? Or maybe my fault was I should have kept that out of my resume. But how will I explain the years past?

OP posts:
Spectre8 · 17/05/2017 22:54

Nope, I think if you look sutied and booted where the clothes fit well and your nails done, makeup done nicely, hair tidy in an interview that size won't be a disadvantage....and if you give a cracking interview that what counts the most.

I am at my biggest (size 22) but slowly losing weight but never failed to get a job following an interview.

My work speaks for itself because I do a great job, actually get things done, find savings and always professional in the way I work and present myself whereas lots of my more average or slimmer colleagues don't turn up to meetings on time, don't get things done on time, come into work hung over and late, piss about all day bantering with each other and recently embarrassed the whole team by fucking up their work.

But alas there will always be the view that fat people are lazy as evidenced in this very thread alone.

Unless the job was phyically demanding I couldn't care about a persons size what matters is can they do the job are they going to be reliable and are they a person who will take accountability and get things done.

Judydreamsofhorses · 17/05/2017 22:54

I was astonished before I started my current job - lecturer - that during the pre employment medical they needed to know my BMI. I'm clearly not overweight, and said I was unhappy about having to be weighed when my weight had no bearing on my ability to do the job. I was told that overweight people could be considered "a fire risk", as in unable to evacuate the building quickly in an emergency! I actually refused to be weighed, still got the job, and there are a lot of very big men and women in my workplace. So, no.

SumAndSubstance · 17/05/2017 22:55

Obese - really? Only just a teeny bit, surely?? I am also 5'7", I am a 14-16, and my BMI says I'm hovering between the normal range and the 'overweight' range.

I'm 5'6", size 16 and I am just scraping the morbidly obese category Blush

Pleasedontbelikeme · 17/05/2017 22:55

Yes. I am obese. I have an
Oxbridge PhD. I get interviews, but rarely the job. I am pretty sure it's the obesity, and not just the northern accent (which doesn't help either). I work at home now and pick up work online. It's so much easier when my repellent corpulence is not obvious.

MidCenturyist · 17/05/2017 22:55

A bit yes.... for somewhat reasonable concerns (health/self care/physical ability) and unspoken (company image etc.). I would say ability to do the job and experience trumps this though.

Nancy91 · 17/05/2017 22:55

I think fat people are discriminated against quite a lot, as are mothers and older applicants

Crumbs1 · 17/05/2017 22:56

Orlatina yes, I suspect so. The discrimination and hatred towards fat people is sometimes seen as socially acceptable. Even NHS is guilty restricting access to surgery that would make people more mobile. The reasons given are risks of anaesthetic but that's codswallop. The absolute risk of anaesthesia is negligible even for fat people.
Race and age are protected characteristics - of course discrimination occurs but there is a degree of protection and avenues through which to address the problem.

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