Confidence needed to jobhunt plussize woman

Jay83

I am currently working in a very stressful underpaid job which i would like to leave for somewhere better but i dont have any confidence to go to job interviews. My cv looks great just i dont feel people would take me seriously as a good worker. I am a very large woman, size 24 clothes wise. Dont get me wrong i know i need to lose weight but i am really struggling to, i have to stay late most nights from work or other commitments so by the time i get home i just grab anything quick for dinner so not that healthy. i am miserable at work so i comfort eat. its a vicious cycle. Do you think being large will make employers think im lazy? because i am very hard working even if my appearance doesnt agree. Thanks for reading.

Littleoldme

I would like to think that any employer would see past your size and see your ability, bearing in mind they will not know your "physical makeup" until an interview anyhow. I am a plus size and got a new job earlier in the year which was almost a promotion for me, and another lady started the same time as me who is bigger as well.

lizzywig

Before I went on maternity leave I was involved in a lot of interviews and let me tell you the relief we felt when we 1) recieved good CV's and 2) interviewed good candidates. After the interviews we'd always talk about how good the person/people were with such enthusiasm. We never once talked about a persons appearance apart from if we had several strong candidates in which case we'd also discuss who had come across the most professional which we included as who had made the effort to dress smartly for the interview. Ultimately though it didn't have much influence over who got the job.

All companies vary though and I'm not going to lie to you. My sister went for an interview to work at a London recruitement agency and the agency that sent her along told her she'd need to go and change her dress style and wear a pencil skirt and lots of make up to be taken 'seriously'. She's a size 18 and very body concious and felt that she would look ridiculous but she did it anyway. She didn't get the job, that's not to say it was a decision based on image but that's the impression she got from the looks she recieved.

Unfortunately there are people out there who judge based on appearance, but there are also lots of people out there who won't. If you're unhappy about your size and you're in a job you hate it's understandable that you have little confidence but think how great you will feel when you do get a job that you do love. Learn to think to yourself that if they don't like you it's their problem. If you sell yourself as a hard worker and good at what you do then you stand a good a chance as anyone else.

It's great that you've put your hands up and said "I know I comfort eat" and "I know I just grab unhealthy food"....don't we all. Can I give you two tips that helped me. 1) food shop regulary and only buy healthy food so that when you do eat at home you have no choice but to eat healthy food 2) have some faith that if you want to change you can because as soon as you believe you can do it, it's a hell of a lot easier.

Good luck with the job hunt!

scheming_gypsy

Jay83 wrote: »

I am currently working in a very stressful underpaid job which i would like to leave for somewhere better but i dont have any confidence to go to job interviews. My cv looks great just i dont feel people would take me seriously as a good worker. I am a very large woman, size 24 clothes wise. Dont get me wrong i know i need to lose weight but i am really struggling to, i have to stay late most nights from work or other commitments so by the time i get home i just grab anything quick for dinner so not that healthy. i am miserable at work so i comfort eat. its a vicious cycle. Do you think being large will make employers think im lazy? because i am very hard working even if my appearance doesnt agree. Thanks for reading.

your confidence starts when you stop making excuses; and i don't mean that in a nasty way.

Instead of hiding behind the comfort food and convincing yourself that nobody will take you seriously and then grabbing another cake and going round and round in circles; grab your CV and start sending it out. Then use that as your first step to losing the weight you want to lose.
Use each one to motivate you to getting the other and you'll step out of your vicious cycle in no time, lose weight and get a new job.

Emmzi

work what you have got. Plenty people your size about and many are successful.

Start with haircut and spiffy new interview suit. Not evans - polyester rubbish and will make you feel frumpy! Ann Harvey, Elvi, and better to look at. Refresh your makeup. Get some fab shoes.

Worry about the weight another time. Priority is less stressful job!

Lovelyjoolz

It's probable that your own lack of self worth is coming across to people. And if you don't value yourself, why should anyone else? If you stop beating yourself up over your weight issues you're a good way towards breaking the vicious circle of comfort eating. You are the weight you are because of the lifestyle you choose to live. Accept that, and stop apologising for it - to yourself or anyone else.
You are a good, committed employee with a great CV and a lot to offer an employer. Believe in yourself and let your confidence grow.

A good CV, great experience and a confident, pleasant personality will always win out. But confidence is key.

I'm fat because I adore cake, love to bake and I don't go to the gym often enough. Its a choice. And I don't particularly care. Nor do I care if people disapprove of my shape (they certainly don't disapprove of my cake when they're offered some!), but not in a bullish "I'm fat, get over it!" way, I just don't make an issue of it, and usually, neither do they.

As suggested above, get a fantastic new suit, get your hair done, go get a makeover in a department store and start feeling better about yourself. Good luck!

Charityworker

Maybe you need to do some confidence building exercises. If you contact some womens health places they are often running confidence building workshops and there are a few free online ones.

I'm also a big lady size 22. I was like you, found it hard to find jobs. But I found that if you go for paid jobs in the voluntary sector they are more understanding than any other type of employment. They see you for your abilities, not how you look. Would you want to work for someone who saw you as useless just because of how you look anyway? I wouldnt. If you don't like me get lost, it's your loss.

Jinx

If your CV looks great you will get the interview. You then turn up smartly dressed with enthusiasm and a smile - the same as a slimmer person does and try and be yourself. You have as much chance as anyone else. I am a size 22 and started my job last october, do you know what the interviewer remembered about my appearance from that day? My smile and my sparkly engagement ring! Good luck

dandelionclock30

No in my opinion it wont make any difference to your job hunt unless you were wanting to work in Kookai.My friend once went there and they rolled their eyes when she asked if there was a dress in a size 14!
I've worked with some huge women like 25 stone plus who've got very high up in their jobs and its not made a bit of difference and nobody has ever mentioned anything about it. I can think of 3 off the top of my head who earned from 30K-50K and thats not bad for anybody.
I wouldnt worry on that shout at all,but if your unhappy about your weight you can always do somehing about it.Try taking high protein things to work like a chicken salad and having lots of fruit and vegatables.You will lose weight.
Good luck in your jobsearch.

ILW

If it affecting your confidence, why not lose the weight before stressing out with job hunting? It is probably the one thing you have total control of.

Emmzi

ILW wrote: »

If it affecting your confidence, why not lose the weight before stressing out with job hunting? It is probably the one thing you have total control of.

Because it takes a bloody long time and she is stressed right now?

If you feel you *have* to lose weight to job hunt, it makes everything so much more stressful!

And the reality is, unless you are working for prejudiced people, (who you don't want to work for anyway), you don't need to.