Give your honest opinion?

Question

If you were a in charge of hiring and interviewed someone who was confident and experienced but decided not to hire them would it be because...

They were overweight (but dressed professinally)
or
they were a single mom with 3 kids?

I have not been able to get a job and am wondering which of these it could be.

Answer 1

You said you were confident and experienced. I don't know what kind of job you are looking for, but it is possible that you are over-qualified. For example, a teacher with 10 years experience will generally have a much harder time finding a job than a newly-minted teacher. This is mostly because the teacher with 10 years experience must be paid a higher salary, and schools always have tight budgets.

Answer 2

It depends for which job you're applying. If it's Public Relations Dept., all managers are searching for a skilled person but also for one who could represent the image of their company, meaning a woman with nice features. Having a beautiful body and face is mandatory for some of the jobs, such as hotel receptionist, assistant and everything that has to do with being at the front office. If you're searching for other kind of job, you are well versed and still they don't hire you, they might think that being a single mom of 3 kids might stop you from doing your job perfectly. Imagine your boss needs you at 9PM in office for some kind of urgent task, he knows you can not do that and leave your kids home alone, so they will choose smb. else with no responsabilities. I think you should lie a little bit while attending an interview and say the kids are living with your parents during the week days so you should have a proper job and they help you raising them. Otherwise managers will think you'll spend more time with the kids than doing your job. What do you say?

Answer 3

I was a manager for awhile and I did hire people...I would never not hire someone because they were overweight or a single mom....That is discrimination, although you have to prove that that is the real reason.I would not hire someone only due to the fact that they did not meet the qualifications and if they did it would be because someone else had more experiance then them! It is really a shame that you feel that way and even worse if that is really the reason that you cant find a job! It is sad to say that some employers are that cold......Good Luck and try not to think so negativaly of yourself :)

Answer 4

I do some hiring, and when doing an interview there are several things we look at. Mostly its how you answer questions. Of course we look at experience, references, etc. but the biggest factor for someone with kids is do you have adequate daycare/babysitter, cause if it looks like you don't it makes you a non-hire.

Also past employment history is a HUGE factor. If you left on bad terms with anybody, and we called a reference on you, and that person says you cannot be re-hired, then that's all it takes to decide not to hire.

It sucks, cause I am a single mom, so I know that obviously you need to take care of those kids, Stick in there and eventually someone who needs your experience will hire you.

Answer 5

I have been in that very situation. I have interviewed overweight people and single women with children. The truth is that I would hire an overweight person any day of the week, if she didn't have children or if she were married. If a woman was single with 3 children and didn't have solid evidence of a great support system and a reliable sitter, I would not hire her. Reason: if a single woman doesn't have people she can depend on to take her children to the doctor, watch them when they are sick, or always show up to 'sit', that woman would not be dependable for the reason that she would always have to take off work to either take a child to the doctor, stay home with them because they were sick, or stay home with them because the sitter didn't show up. The exception would be an emergency situation, of course. On the plus side, however, single women with children usually make great employees if they have a support system because they need to keep their job to take care of their children. I hope this helped!

Answer 6

It would depend on the type of work. If they are not choosing you because you are overweight, it might be because they are about people and the sort of image they are trying to portray as a business. If it is because you are a single mom, it could be because, since you have 3 kids, they question your ability to give your all at work and yet still be able to be there no matter what for your kids. either way, if they are discriminating against you for one of those things then that is wrong and not the type of job that is right for you. Just stick with it and the right job will come around. ~

Answer 7

Why do you think it is you. First, you show a lack of self confidence. As an employer I could see this during an interview. And get over your self, there might just have been someone else better qualified. Remember two things. One - The 3 children are a factor. You need to insure you can provide reliable day care. Second, most employers, I said most, don't want model quality female employees. They are too distracting.

Answer 8

I have been in management for almost 20 years and have never once turned a qualified applicant away because of either one of those factors. I do know of instances where it has happened though and I think it was because there was no one else to stay home with the child/children in the event of illness, etc. and the employer was {however unjustly} assuming the applicant would miss too much work.

Answer 9

It doesn't matter to me as long as you can do the job.

I would probably hesitate to hire the single mom with 3 kids though. Anyone I interview will have to do a lot of out of town travelling.

Answer 10

I recently lost a job and the reason the interviewer gave me was... I would probably have kids soon and be unreliable. So my guess would be kids. I know it sounds weird and don't lie, but try not to mention them during the hiring process.