As a female professional, is it essential to wear makeup to land a job? What happens when you go in with nothing but a little ChapStick on? Silent judgment most likely. It sucks, but it is the reality, which begs the question: is it worth making a social or workplace statement only to risk landing a dream job?
We’re Not Making This Up
Okay then, does no makeup, or if you’re a man with a three-day growth, or IS wearing eye makeup for instance, lead to a recruiter or future employer to put a line through the individual as a candidate, even if on paper and during the interview they are the best person for the role?
So many questions. And what if a woman is allergic to makeup? It happens. Do you have to declare that from the outset? It’s your own business, right?
A Swift Response
This whole issue kicked off when New York City-based Melissa Weaver, 30, received feedback from her Recruiter post job interview that her background, skills, goals, and values were all aligned with the job, but wearing no makeup showed no care.
Regarding her appearance, the interviewer claimed that Melissa showed a lack of effort for the level of the role that she had applied for and would not be progressing further with the organisation.
Melissa’s TikTok went viral with more than 266k views and has many of us thinking deeply about his situation – from all angles and perspectives!
Comments on her video flooded in with many calling the outcome “wildly inappropriate” urging her to forward the email to the company’s head of HR. “This would never be said to a man,” said another. Cue Taylor Swift.
“That honestly feels like discrimination – not hiring you based on your looks?” was the overarching sentiment for sure. And it’s hard to argue against this.
A Dressing Down
Adding to the drama, Melissa was interviewing via video so she could well have been shoeless and that’s okay too, right? Can a man interview from home in shorts? Journos and newsreaders do it all the time. Where does it start and end?
But what if you have an interview in the office? Would you enter the formal interview sans makeup? Melissa went for a VP role at a major corporation, so does the level of seniority in a position change the narrative here? Would you wear makeup, or leave stubble for a retail job or advertising gig where things are more socially progressive and relaxed?
Sometimes these moments in time create more questions than answers, but it’s a fascinating debate to have around the “water cooler”. Which way are you leaning?
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