To think fat equals lazy to prospective employers

[Oldfatbrenda]

I've been to a few interviews lately and I can't help feeling at a disadvantage because I am fat. I'm a size 20/22 for context. I think we larger people are judged for it whether it's conciously or not. AIBU? I also feel this because I'm mid forties.... So a double whammy.

But there's the rub - you can't tell just by looking at someone which group they may fall into anymore than you can't judge if someone has a hidden disability or not.

So it's just ignorance really. As employment is a two way thing, I wouldn't want such an ignorant employer as it won't bode well for other issues.

Not sure why people are harping on about obese. OP didn't mention that, and there's a difference between fat and obese. Still, always fun for certain types to sling slurs and insults.

I've been thin, and fat, caused by meds and illness, and and am slowly getting fitter and healthier again butgot my latest job at my lowest physical ebb.

And I'd employ 100 fat people over one bitchy, vicious bullying shit who slobbers with glee at the chance to slag off fat people.

What a bunch of cunts.

I would love to say you are being unreasonable, but there is something in that sadly.

I know taller people do better in climbing the ladder than shorter people (no pun intended, I’m short myself!) so there is some (even if subconscious) discrimination regarding physical appearance when job hunting.

I interview quite a lot of people (non manual roles) and if you were a great candidate, weight would not come into it. I am overweight myself and I think we believe people are quietly making judgements when often times, they haven't even noticed.

I think it's all about how you present yourself. If you feel uncomfortable in your body/outfit, wear something smart but which makes you feel utterly kickass. Talk to your inner insecurities and tell them to shut up and then go to the interview, being the best version of you.

If I was interviewing you and you seemed uncomfortable and insecure, I would likely think you'd not be a good match for the team. It would not be connected to your weight but instead how you portrayed yourself. Basically, 'fake it till you make it'.

I think for some employers it might. I've noticed it myself in health settings. I've worked hard to stay slim. I caught covid, which although was mild led to a raft of issues. Despite those issues arising when I was slim, one of the issues is weight gain on very few calories (apparently unexplained weight gain/loss is a thing in long covid). I have unsuccessfully sought help on this. Weight is often directly or indirectly attributed to these new issues and I've even been told to cut out some of the chips and biscuits I eat as an assumption (I v rarely eat either). The breathlessness which is the same since it started is also attributed by some to weight gain. Biases are hard to remove. It's frustrating as weight (gone from size 10-18), seems to detract from the issue I'm meant to have an appointment for.

However, I think the energy and confidence you portray in an interview are more important than weight. I've worked with lots of people and organisations (consultant) - personally, in practice, I've never noticed a difference between size and laziness or size and absence.

I agree the bias exists. Sometimes it's conscious and sometimes unconscious.

A couple of years ago I was able to secure a much better paying job. However this was during one of the many lockdown periods. As a result the interviewing was remote.

I very much doubt I would have secured the position if interviewed in person.

In person what would have first hit the interviewer would have been my lack of height, my figure (barrel shaped size 26), my tendency to stress sweat.

On line I was the perfect candidate!

Whilst of course not true in all cases, and many slim people require lots of sick days, in general obesity causes a lot of health issues and indicates that a person may need more sick leave.

again, just a generalisation and there are many reasons a person can be overweight, but yes, it does indicate a lack of self discipline and laziness. This of course doesn’t mean a person will be lazy at work, but it could be a deciding factor if you had two equally qualified candidates, one obese and one not.

I once had a brilliant Zumba teacher who was overweight, but clearly very active and strong, so this is of course just a generalisation.

I think the stereotype attached to being overweight = lazy has come from genuine experiences. I work with 2 significantly over weight women and they are so so lazy compared to everyone else.

So your experience only comes from these 2 women?

That’s a huge generalisation.

I’ve worked with many different size men and women and it’s never affected their ability to do the job well.

You get lazy people of all sizes.

The only time as an employer I might turn an overweight person down, would be if the job required a lot of fitness and I would hire a candidate that looked really fit.
But I’d also consider turning down someone who was too old or had a physical disability, which meant they would struggle to keep up with the demands of the job.

In an office job I wouldn’t care what they looked like, their size, age or whether they were disabled etc because it’s not an indication of who they are as a person and how lazy they’re going to be.

I don't really think fat people are lazy. I'm just thinking of the fat people I know. My most overweight friend is actually the opposite of lazy. She never stops! However, she eats a hell of a lot of crap. When I see overweight people I just think they're eating a bad diet, too much processed foods and a carb rich diet.

I interview a good bit, someone's weight doesn't come into my decision making proceed.

All I care about is:

Is the person suitably experienced to carry out the role?
Are they likely to get on with others?
Will they wreck my head?

The only time I can remember that I made a decision for reasons outside of CV, experience, etc was a lady who asked for the temperature to be changed in the room, a blind to be pulled and wanted the ice removed from her glass.

She interviewed well and probably would be a good hire but her 3 requests and fussiness at interview suggested she would annoy me too much if that was her first hour's requests.

When I work, I don't think I have ever seen weight come into it but I'm not naive enough to think it's the same everywhere.

I think, through exposure, I've swung too far the other way and judge skinny pretty people as getting a role soley because of their appearance and lacking the technical skills to back it up - I know way, way too many of those. Plus they're usually bitches as well - nice to you when there's something in it for them but don't want to know you otherwise.

Appearance has no impact for me when interviewing, apart from binning applications with pictures attached - again experience says the picture is there as the application lacks substance. I care about technical competency and ability to fit with existing team members. Shortlisting is based on technical fit for role and interview is about personality fit.

But isn't basing your stereotype on the experience of two people laziness in itself?

Have you known other lazy people? Were they always overweight? Or is it that this was a characteristic that these two people shared but others didn't? Would you be comfortable with a stereotype which was based on another characteristic?

Laziness can take many forms. I have known people of many shapes and sizes be mentally lazy. Unwilling to do things for themselves, learn new things, take responsibility, challenge themselves etc.

I'm not having a dig at you @ChickenpoxareshittyI think you have written what a lot of people think. Sometimes without realising it.

Appearance has no impact for you...unless a woman is very thin and pretty, in which case you will assume she has got jobs based on her appearance and that she will be deserving of being called a misogynist slur? So, not about technical competence at all then, just you exercising what limited power you have to be spiteful and exclude slim attractive women from your team?

I wonder if it may be your confidence that is preventing you from getting the job? You assume that they will judge.

The 3 laziest people I know are skinny and there is a man in my street who is long term unemployed - he is pretty skinny too.

Therefore my anecdotes out number your anecdotes and its skinny people who are lazy and should not be considered for employment.

That's logical right?

I think there is a weight bias. As there is an age bias, sex bias, race bias and so on...
It's not right or OK but it is real.

Sadly I think many people are still fat phobic. I would never judge a hire by their weight (as somebody who has been fat and has fat relatives) but I k ow some of my colleagues would.

You’ve just contradicted yourself, you say appearance has no impact for you but at the same time you judge skinny pretty people who are ‘usually bitches’ and put their applications in the bin if they dare to attach a photo

A double whammy?!? Mid 40s is not a stumbling block to get a job!!

As for being fat - well most fat people are fat due to eating too much either through denial about calorie intake or lack of will power, neither of which should be an issue in most jobs.

Perhaps you're lacking confidence?

The more dedicated and fanatical people need to be in order to lose weight and keep it off, the less likely they are to be able to maintain that dedication thei4 whole lives.

I'm not sure if it's laziness or general health that's being judged, but being very overweight does give the impression that you're not top shape physically. Obviously, that could be the case for anyone, but this example is very visible.

Yanbu. I once went for an interview at a groundwork company just north of London. I was a 16-18. Possibly a 20.

They told me I didn't get the job because there was a gym downstairs and I'd be expected to go every day, either before or after work or at lunch.

I was running half marathons and going to BMF 3-4 times a week. But fuck that noise, it was a lucky escape, I reckon.

My SIL has worked all her life and now, in her early 50s has been out of work for well over a year. I’d have thought her expertise, and she’s extremely competent,,would have meant quite a lot of jobs were available to her and I do wonder if the fact she is morbidly obese, now with associated limited mobility, is playing a factor in her struggling to get work. Age discrimination is probably playing a part, but perhaps being older and obese is a double whammy.

DP put on a lot of weight in his early 40s and was morbidly obese. He noticed a difference in how he was treated by lots of people, including in the workplace. I also know some people who very much believe fat people are lazy, so I would agree with you.