Career Opportunity Question

[Blondie638 98]

I just want everyone's opinion whose had surgery and lost weight. Or I guess anyone who had an opinion about this for that matter.

Do you believe that after your weight loss more career opportunities opened up?

[A New New Dawn 1,695]

I firmly believe the weight is a hinderance for many prospective employers. I feel they view overweight candidates as a liability, expense and some feel they are going to be lazy.

I will be in the market for a new job next year (have to move) and will be happy to be down many pounds before I have to embark on that journey.

There are some employers that don't care and I know they aren't supposed to discriminate but if given two equal candidates, I feel the healthier looking one is more apt to in most cases.

Not only that but I can do well on interviews but am very self-concious w/ my weight. I know I will present much better when I feel more confident about myself.

[A New New Dawn 1,695]

Also, there have been studies where the more successful people or people that are promoted are the tall, fit, attractive, etc. that present well (physically and professionally). Certainly, this isn't the rule in all cases but I see it a lot even in my office.

[healthydreams 8]

Hi! I really do think losing the weight opens up more career opportunities. Atleast makes things easier. About 2 years ago,(i wasnt banded or anything) i managed to loose 40 pounds and go from 220 to almost 170 and i had a much much easier finding a job! I worked part time as a home health caregiver and part time waitressing and after losing the weight i had no problem finding a job! An after i gained it back people looked at me like A your appearance is Not appetizing! Or B how are you going to care for others when your not healthy yourself! So i do think it makes a difference!

[RobinGirl 34]

The sad truth is that yes it does matter. Many will deny it, but it mostly occurs in the subconcious and they won't admit it. Like healthydreams, I too lost about 45 pounds a couple years ago. During that time I was promoted and given a hefty raise. A couple years later and in a new job I put on the weight again. Guess who was laid off? I was. I'm sure that my weight didn't cause the lay off, but during that time I had a couple sexist male clients and they obviously preferred the younger thinner account reps that were on my team even though I was the more experienced rep. So with that, I wasn't a client favorite and when they had to let 20% of the staff go, they kept the more attractive reps. It's how it goes. Fast forward to now and I'm almost back to my 40 pound smaller figure and in a new job. Go figure - literally. Also - obesity is not protected by any of the equal opportunity or ADA laws. They can discriminate for being too fat. Sad, very sad.

[jmont 13]

I find this topic extremely interesting as I am a recruiter! I have been a recruiter for 24yrs both in US and Australia! I use to weigh 129kg (283 pounds) and I have never not been able to get a job due to my size nor did I not get people a job due to their size! It's always been about skills and personality! I will say I use to think there were times I could not progress due to my size but it was all in my head! I was my own worse enemy! Also living in America taught me how to dress as a professional woman and to be confident with who I am no matter what size you are! The only real discrimination I felt was on the train no one would sit next to me mainly due to there not being enough room in the seat! I now enjoy being this size and I'm still in the same career my weight has not held me back either way!!

[Mayasgram 351]

As a former fat person, I think you have to work smarter , harder and be more accomidating and if you add a good sense of humor it helps big time...... having said this I am not sure if I was successful because I did those things ...... or because I mentally felt I needed to do those things because I felt badly about myself and if I didn't respect me why should anyone else.

So let me say this the added confidence that came from being thinner and liking myself (Because at last I had succeeded in achieving something that had beat me for years) my career opportunitys were magnified. I think I came across as more secure in putting myself out there.

I reported to a female boss that was severly overweight she had the most brillant mind I had ever encountered, she was a valuable asset to a whole community of service organizations and she did ok for herself. Though if I heard it once I heard it 100 times behind her back why doesn't she do something about her weight by prople who were more then willing to use her expertise so I have often wondered what she could have done had she been thin.