First Impression
I have some unusual questions. I'm a significantly overweight female, but am working on getting into shape. I always dress very appropriately for interviews, and while I know physical appearance should not be a factor in the hiring process, I know full well that people consciously or unconsciously make judgments based on how I look. Does anybody have any advice on what I can wear to look more slimming? I have not had any problems getting jobs thus far, but I am changing careers and am concerned. Also, I've been on interviews where the interviewer decides to go up 2 or 3 flights of stairs instead of using the elevator. Then I end up being out of breath, which is embarrassing. Any tips on how to handle this? Is it okay to ask if we can take the elevator instead? I am neither in a field nor entering a field that requires physical exertion. If you' re significantly overweight, there' s nothing you can wear to make you appear slimmer. When you are trying on clothing before deciding what to wear on an interview, size yourself up in the mirror and see for yourself what is more flattering. Yes - request that you use the elevator. Walking up two or three flights of stairs when you are not in great shape can be physically tiring for anyone of any age especially if you are going at a brisk pace. Good luck and I admire your determination to lose weight and improve your health. That is more important than anything else, and you can do it.
I think we all have some physical imperfection. Personally for me, I look way younger than I am and people don't always take me seriously initially. However, I know that if I am prepared for the interview, I will demonstrate how mature I am and the initial physical appearance is not an issue. If it continues to be an issue, then clearly the work environment is not a healthy one. It is good that you want to better your physique, however that will take time and it should not be the focus of concern. It took me some time to tweak my nutrition and exercise to lose fat, not just body weight, at a healthy pace. It is better to focus on things that are more in your immediate control and relevant to the interview. It sounds like you are confident in your abilities and are fully capable of getting the job. So when it gets to the interview, you should let go of the worries that you can't do anything about at that moment. Having said that, black suits and vertical stripes are a couple of things that helps the mind perceive length as opposed to width. It' s hard for a female, in particular, to focus on other things that are in her immediate control if she is worried about her appearance. Unfortunately appearance discrimination exists. That is why the first thing we have to tend to is our appearance before we go on interviews. Once we know we look as good as we can, we can pay attention to the hiring manager and sell ourselves! Sometimes we can relax a little and even enjoy the interview! The only thing she can do is dress as well as she can and be impeccably groomed. If the hiring manager is smart and realistic, he will be impressed with everything she has to offer. If he is not, it is his loss and stupidity and as long as she does not give up, she will find the right position for herself. Wear comfortable clothing. You do not have to be uncomfortable to be attractive and stylish. You do not need to wear business suits. You can wear a skirt and blouse and look fine. You can also wear pants that are perfectly okay for the business environment. You can also find nice dresses. Make sure the clothes are not too tight or too lose. Both extremes call attention to your weight problem. Ask family members and friends for their opinions. Above all, make sure your posture is perfect and you project an air of self confidence. People with poor posture look terrible regardless of their weight and the clothes they wear. The shoes must be sensible and also very comfortable for obvious reasons. Make sure your accessories look good! If you can afford to shop at a good department store, the clerks should be very knowledgeable and helpful. Take your time and find clothes you like. Once again - your own eyes will tell you what looks good and what does not. If money is an issue, go to Goodwill Stores in your area. They should be located in and around every major city in the United States by now. That is where I do all my clothes shopping. Frankly after washing clothes a few times, they look like they came from Goodwill or any thrift shop, so why pay ridiculously high prices for clothes that will look second hand or used very quickly. Besides most of the major clothing shops now resemble flea markets at high prices. The quality is extremely poor and the styles are perfect for anorexics and not for grown women with mature and well-rounded figures. At Goodwill, you can find a lot of business clothing for the larger woman including tunic tops that used to be extremely popular and hide large waistlines. I was tired of finding only skimpy and unflattering over blouses or shirts which come down to the belly button in these high-priced department stores and woman' s clothing shops. Don' t worry. You will be fine! You are right in that I need to focus on what is in my control. I am confident in my skills and interview well. I pay attention to grooming, not just in interviews, but in general, and I know I have good posture thanks to my chiropractor. And moreover, I certainly do not want to work in an environment where I will be judged on my looks rather than abilities. I didn' t even stop to think about that. I really appreciate the tip about going to Goodwill stores. I am comfortable wearing suits, and as the weight has been coming off, I have had some modifications made to my clothing, but there is only so much tailoring one can do. I certainly can' t afford to keep buying suits in smaller sizes, so that' s a great suggestion. Thanks so much for the morale boost! I have a lady friend who does better at the TJMaxx clearance aisle than Goodwill. Of course, you can' t wait until you need something. A lot of stores do the clearance thing. I' ve bought a raft of man' s cloths at the January clearance sales. We' re business casual, and I' m not too picky or hard to fit. Dress pants for $5-8? How many colors do the have? Black, blue, gray, suntan, I' ll take two or three of each. I went on a two week, multi-stop trip once, where I threw away cloths as I went. My coworkers thought it was a hoot. I' m not hauling dirty cloths around for a week! I even took along a beat up old bag I intended to pitch, but I ended up buying junk to bring home, so I needed it. Last year' s style? That puts me five years ahead of anyone else, I' m leading edge! It sounds like you' re on your way, to solving your weight problem. Keep it up. I went to Goodwill Stores last weekend, and I bought a Calvin Klein white shirt and a pair of jeans. I wore the jeans today at work. Honest to goodness - they look brand new. I am wondering if they were not even worn by the buyer who may have decided that she did not want them or she got them as a gift which she did not need. Perhaps she felt she should donate them instead to Goodwill rather than go to the store to return them. The fit and cut are perfect for my figure. They are Levi' s designer jeans and are comfortable enough to wear to bed; yet, they are not baggy or unflattering. I hate tight clothing on everyone, especially tight jeans. I cannot wait to wear them when I see my kids and mother. I have not been this excited about a pair of jeans in ages; In fact, I was never this excited about clothing; I am not a "clothes horse." Be sure to visit the Goodwill Store in your area. A lot of very rich people will buy expensive designer clothes and then get tired of them quickly after perhaps wearing them only a few times. They drop them off at Goodwill and a lucky individual like me finds them and enjoys wearing them. At the same time, the buyer at Goodwill is helping developmentally disabled people get educated and trained for jobs. This is much more satisfying than visiting a fancy and exclusive woman' s clothing shop at the local mall and helping the owner and the people who work there get rich. It' s a heck of lot better than visiting stores like Marshall' s and Ross to buy second-rate clothing or questionable quality stuff at high prices. Depends on what you can afford on the clothing front but I find Ralph Lauren to make the best fitting clothing for larger sizes my second favorite is Jones of New York. I gained weight after an injury and struggled with this for years, these are the two I ended up with for my professional wardrobe. I have since lost much of my weight and now hover between a 16-18 but still stick with these two. Depending upon where you live in the country Foleys usually carries both lines and almost always has great sales! As for the issue of stairs, speak up. Simply say that you would be more comfortable taking an elevator and leave it at that. If the job doesn't require you to perform physical activity the interview is simply being rude. You don't have to accept this. Politely ask if they would mind taking the elevator instead. I checked the label on that white shirt I bought at Goodwill along with the jeans, and it is a "Ralph Lauren" and not "Calvin Klein." No wonder - it fits so well! If you stick around for a while, you are going to find that we discuss practically everything as long as it' s pretty closely related to the subjects of job seeking and employment. Check out the other Topics! | |
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Career Tips
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