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The best interview tip I can give you is…botox?!?! follow this blog post

posted by on June 15, 2009

I must be losing my mind. I've recently read a comment by a job seeker who is considering botox injections in an attempt to gain a leg up during an interview. I think we can all agree that there are probably companies and work environments that still practice sexism, racism and age discrimination. If you are actively looking for a job, the question you need to ask yourself is, "Do I want to be a part of this type of environment?"

There is a growing market for personal branding and image consultants. And I understand the pros:

- Making a good first impression
- Dressing for success
- Using body language to get message across

I think we start going down an extremely dangerous path when job seekers feel comfortable getting (and employers start anticipating) these types of procedures: plastic surgery, botox injections, hair implants, as part of their interview preparedness.

- Should a woman feel compelled to have a sex change to get a job in a work environment dominated by men?
- What about someone from an Asian country having cosmetic blepharoplasty to change the shape of their eyes?
- Maybe African Americans should start having skin bleaching procedures done to fit into a work environment dominated by non-blacks.

These are all absolutely ridiculous levels for someone to "stoop to" for a job. You are in control of the direction your career heads. You decide which companies are a fit for you. You decide who you want to work for and who you don't. Personally I want my career to be one that I can look back on and admire the accomplishments, marvel at surpassed hurdles and bask in the glory of a job/career well done. I would not be able to do this knowing that I had changed who I was on the outside (and ultimately by extension the inside) to just land a job. Think about it...

career career advice duane impressions interview job search
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10 comments

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  • 1 point 5 months ago

    Bravo.

    Well said, Ladies!

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    Duane,

    In my opinion the "Culture" in organizations is not why people do this - 99% of people who do "enhancements" do it for themselves regardless if they are looking for a job or not. Come back in 5+ years and post your thoughts on this.  At the "cusp" of 40 I had a different persepctive too.

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    Valicia - again excellent points and a side that I had not considered. But a point of clarification - I did not intend to imply that this is not a major focus in the workplace culture. My thought was more along the lines of

    1. Why work at a place if that's the culture you have to deal with. Are there other opportunities for employment?

    2. While I am just under 40 (39) I was laid off last year and also dealt with interviews that I felt the deck was stacked against me. I do have a sense of doing what it takes to earn a living while trying to pursue opportunities that fit in line with career and personal goals.

    Thanks again for your thoughts on this.

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    Kathy -

    Thanks for providing a different perspective.

    Duane

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    While I commend your attempt to alleviate the concerns of women regarding ageism in employment there are some glaring omissions I would like to point out. It seems your point of view was intended to support and encourage women not to bow down to some aberrant workplace culture you apparently think is not pervasive in the world and that there are many options for us over 40's. However your opinion also clearly demonstrates the vast difference between the sexes and those on both sides of the line of the big 40 when it comes to aging. I deduce that you are on the under side of 40 by your comment because the majority of people over 40 have concerns about how old they look for various reasons. When it comes to earning a living it becomes an even hotter issue. Walk a mile in the shoes of someone before you call them ridiculous.

    I'd be interested to see the percentage of unemployed women to men and the age ranges. Those who are relatively unaffected by this economy with steady employment seem to be oblivious to the desperation of those seeking income through employment and the competition for the fewer jobs available. I believe many women over 40 become self employed to control their own lives and not have their earning capacity limited or to be subject to the judgment of others with their own agendas. This is my position and though I work for myself I still need to feel my best and portray my best face forward in the marketplace when I'm promoting my business and services, particularly since they are in the industry of anti-aging and wellness which have been a passion of mine for over 20 years.

     I've vowed to go down fighting rather than look older than I feel and to that end I've discovered some amazing non invasive self applied treatments that perform better than anything on the market. So while I am no longer interested in the botox and laser treatments I am obsessed with living longer, looking younger and quality of life and definitely attest to the benefit of looking younger than your age giving you more confidence and therefore an edge in business and in everything in general.  When it comes to antiaging and treatments, it's not just a vanity thing though there is definitely a desire to look on the outside, as young and vibrant as you feel on the inside. If your eyes are droopy from gravitational pull it gives the appearance that you're tired. Who wants to hire (or date) a tired person when there's a choice between a lively looking alert person with the same skill and qualifications? If your mouth turns down at the corners you may give the impression that you're grumpy or mad. Who wants that in the workplace? Nobody.

    There are other issues at play here as well. In the cost of hiring employers are concerned about their benefit expenses, medical coverage being the most expensive in the cost of doing business. As the economy causes many companies to fold, in order to stay alive there's the need to cut costs wherever possible and with medical benefits being such a painful expense necessary to attract the best employees, employers are doing whatever they can to reduce the expenses related to this benefit. Employees over 40 and 50 tend to use their medical benefits more frequently or for more costly testing and surgeries due to the cumulative effects of living for 40 or 50 years. This equates to lost time and higher costs for the company. Those that use their benefits causes a rise in the premiums for the entire group and employer and as such there is a discrimination practice silently being conducted in every hiring situation whether spoken or not.

    Laws have been put into place regarding these issues for a reason as in the case of discrimination against women of child bearing age with the employer asking if she's likely to take maternity leave in the next year. HR became a booming career path because of the indiscretions of employers and their questions. While ageism is not only practiced against women, women have always been on the short end of the stick.  

    So while you aren't asked your age as an applicant and remove all tell tale signs from your resume, if you wear it in an interview there's a silent strike against you as the benefit costs are calculated. If you take a look at the culture of a company, the ages of the majority in management and their branding you can pretty well surmise what they are looking for if they are presenting the young and hip vibe.

    I once had an owner tell me as the recruiter that he felt there was something limiting about the movement of a candidate when he interviewed her. Though she presented as impeccably professional, pleasant, intelligent, skillfully answered tough situational questions off the cuff, he felt she seemed stiff or something and this was his reason for not wanting to see her in second rounds when it was clear she was the most qualified and capable for their challenges. It happens that she was over 40 and as far as I could see had no range of motion issues and nothing spoken to that regard. However there were many younger candidates she was not considered further.

    Trust me, we women over 40 would very much like to look back on our illustrious careers and achievements without thinking of the other challenges we've had to hurdle to get the opportunity to be taken seriously or given the chance to perform because of the predisposition of those who are the gatekeepers of entry into the game. Count yourself lucky Duane, that you've never been subjected to that hurdle. I'd be interested in a follow up to this in 15 years.

    Wouldn't it be lovely to have those lines represent the badges of honor and life we've experienced, the 24/7 job many of us have as caregivers and employees with the utmost dedication to both that tends to wear on the face if you're not able to afford the OC Housewife lifestyle of routine botox, lipo, medspa treatments ...not that there's anything wrong with that... more power to ya!  I'm just sayin', it would be nice if it were an even playing field but it isn't, never has been.

    So whatever you do that improves your chances in the competitive world to gain entry into the competition field, whatever helps you get past the barrier of entry, real or imagined, if they give you the confidence you need to feel your best and know you're looking your best to give you an edge then you gotta do what you gotta do. Don't judge until you've been there, there just might be some aspects you haven't considered or experienced.

  • 2 points 5 months ago

    Turning 50 may change your mind about cosmetic enhancements. I agree with Kathy.

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    I got in a lot of trouble for saying, in a radio interview, that one of the best things older job-seekers could do for themselves was a trip to (a) the hairdresser and (b) the Gap and (c) the dentist.

    But we don't think twice about telling a 22-yr-old to lose the pink hair and eyebrow piercing before a job interview - it's all about helping the employer like the appearance enough to get to the real skills and experience.  And like it or not, pink hair or granny-blue hair is going to give a potential employer pause.

    As for the more extreme stuff like Botox:  Well, I've worked in marketing for 15+ years and I have to say that, esp. for women, there is a drawback to looking 45+.  I've met plenty of female bartenders who got their boobs done as an 'investment'...

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    Cheri and Kathy,

    If it is an external appearance issue that someone is dealing with does this give them the boost they need to land the job? I understand there are situations where there may be other things at play that lead to the cosmetic surgery but I'm trying to key on how it relates to interview preparedness. Shed some light for me.


    Thanks

  • 2 points 5 months ago

    This can give someone a boost to feel better about their place in the job market especially if they have a long term history with previous roles and suddenly find themselves unemployed. Do some research on this with the baby boomer generation, it isn't new - this topic has been discussed for years.  I wouldn't personally recommend to a candidate that a visit to the plastic surgeon to prepare for an interview is something they should consider but this is a very personal choice more people are making.  I am all for anything that makes a person feel better about improving how they present themselves in the job market. It is also possible they were considering it before.  I think that it could very well be that a life event such as losing their job or wanting a better job just made it more of a priority.

  • 1 point 5 months ago

    I think ANYTHING that helps candidates increase self esteem or look less tired/stressed overall they will have a better interview.  Don't knock it until you've tried it is my motto.

    I don't think it is to just "land a job" - it goes way beyond that.