Can Facial Flaws Cost You the Job?

It's nice to have someone looking attractive and energetic, but please send me someone with creativity and intelligence no matter what they look like.

Duhhhh
that sort of prejudace of facial features and body defects left me with the pisspoor job of lab assistant i have now.
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Egor

Isn't it odd that we pay more attention to what's on people's outsides rather than what in their hearts and minds? No wonder we get so many vapid people in positions of power.

At least there are people like J R Martinez to show us that character counts for a whole more than how someone looks.

Sounds like the person conducting such interviews for the finest candidates are not qualified for the job. That person should be fired and it isn't for facial flaws, it would be for poor judgement. Sadly, this is what we have in most human resource positions. That is why so many people aged 45 to 55 get their resumes thrown in the trash before looking any further past age.

Is this an advertisement for cosmetic surgery?

When hiring becomes a beauty contest, expect about as much innovation, creativiity and common sence as you typically get from beauty contest winners. And you wonder why we're in big trouble.

Being fat or having crooked, stained teeth is a black mark, also.

But I'll say this. Having long blond hair and a fit body did me no favors in my twenties. I was very smart and very qualified, but the blond hair, I think, made people think I was just a dumb broad. Funny, one of these places in which I applied begged me to work there after they saw my writing in a newspaper. I said heck no. "You didn't give me the time of day then, and I'm not going to give you the time of day now!"

I dyed my hair rocket-fire red once, and while people loved it, some assumed I was hot tempered. And I'm as laid back as it gets! lol. Oh the prejudices!

How about related dental issues? From a variety of complications I have unsightly teeth mainly due to faltering dentures and insurance coverage that did not cover prostodontists, etc. My prior dentist refused to do certain work because he wanted the entire dentures replaced first. That also required long-term therapy for a fallen bite. Virtually all of that was not covered by insurance and I could not afford to pay for it on my own. The teeth that remained started deteriorating drastically as well. Now the entire package -- the partial dentures and my regular teeth -- are very unsightly.

I am presently not employed but very employable. However, I can't even get past a job interview often precisely because of the unsightly teeth. I have tried every possible situation to get help with it but to no avail short of paying tens of thousands of dollars I don't have. In the process, I have eaten up all my savings and my house is now going through foreclosure. All that creates credit related issues that further hurts job prospects where they require a credit check.

In talking my situation through with a couple of people I have come to understand the following. It isn't just about the interviewer. They represent companies and individuals who get just as uncomfortable and distracted by unsightly teeth or facial flaws as the interviewer. They don't want the image of their company being represented by someone with dental or facial flaws. Most everyone would say it is discrimination to purposely not hire people for these reasons. Yet, whether it is purposeful or more subtle, as this article tries to suggest, people still are not hiring them or me.

Several months ago I went shopping for something in particular and shopped around for the best deal. I faced a very similar situation from the other side of the counter. The person had several facial discolorations. The person wore extra long sleeves and a high crew neck top that I am guessing was to hide as much of the discolorations as possible. The person was indeed very knowledgable and helpful. But, we didn't close a deal then because I wanted to research competitors. Frankly, it was also because I got distracted by the flaws in the skin.

A few weeks later I made a decison and went back and asked for the person who was so helpful because I had the most confidence in them and their product. They were no longer there. I asked if maybe they were at one of the other stores. I was told no. She had been let go, but the current employee did not tell me the reason why. Knowing they had a job opening I was about to inquire about applying. But, then in a joking kind of comment the clerk said to another employee, " well, I'm glad she is gone. Her face was just too freakish to look at all the time".

That is when I started getting the most uncomfortable with how I look about my teeth and knew it would be an uphill battle to try to find a job -- which it is. Hearing comments like this, knowing how judgmental some people can be and now reading articles like this takes much of the incentive away to even keep trying.

Being attractive and very smart is very threatening to bosses!!! Also if you stick up for yourself. That's a no no!!! Most people in charge want mediocre people they can feel superior to. But jealousy and envy are emotions that no one ever admits to and I think most conflict on the job is based on jealousy. Rarely are poor performers gotten rid of, they are kept around. It's the people who are good at what they do, look good doing it and care - those are the employees that are targeted!!! If you are left alone you are no threat to anyone!!!

Yes they can cost you your job. I work at a hospital and you would think that doctors and nurses would be kind to each other. Well I will tell you that they are the worst. We had a young man that was hard of hearing working for us. He ending up leaving the hospital because he was severly bullied by the whole staff. The doctors were the worst!!!!

The biggest cause of failed job interviews are wrinkles - which indicate age. Anyone that looks to be over 45 years old is probably not going to get a job offer. Interviewers, especially human resources interviewers, are looking for young people that will reduce company-paid insurance costs and will probably accept lower salaries. Older people are considered more expensive to maintain on the the payroll.

LOL! Like this is new? It is all about appearance and Affirmative Action in Amerika! Do you think grades or education honestly plays a part in getting a job :O

Over weight have been hired at our office, but NOT Tatoos and nose , lip, tongue piercings, that really is a Blemish.

Michael Gorbachev had a birthmark. Didn't seem to slow him down.

*bangs my head* Being Judgmental, is freaking stupid! If it is not because of our economy, it's because of blemishes, or flaws with your body, or some other crap, that keeps you from getting a job. -.- Ugh! American Employers surprise me EVERY DAY! It's sad, when you can't get a job, just because they think you have to be "Perfect" to get that job.

this is why all interview for federal positions are conducted by telephone.

...it can pay to have big boobs

looks can make or brake you , i know
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Quazimodo

Weird hair, tatoos and piercing, that will do it.

As usual, more negative news items to cripple the spirits of job seekers. It's almost sadistic, and the trolling comments are no better. Read "The Science of Getting Rich" and stop depending on people to supply your prosperity. Go to the SOURCE and stop taking these silly Yahoo! pieces seriously!