Job Hunting Just Got Uglier…

ugly bagOh marvelous. As if job hunting with a disability in a recession isn’t hard enough, beautifulpeople.com launched their own recruitment service last month, an offshoot of their dating agency for people who are beautiful and (boy, do they) know it. Really.

40,000 members have already signed up and last week 60 employers posted vacancies in a single 48-hour period. What hope is there for the rest of us? I may as well rip up my CV, stick a paper bag over my head and find a job peeling sacks of potatoes in my local chip shop.

There is an interesting interview with the Beautiful Fran, a member who claims ‘a slick of tinted moisturiser and some light eye make-up are all the products I need to ensure I look beautiful.’ Well, I’ve had a look at her photo and I’ve seen less make-up on a drag queen, but who am I to judge?

Fran boldly states that ‘looks now play a part in every profession.’ A sweeping, untrue comment, but then this is the same woman who also says that ‘it’s a fact that women judge each other on their appearance.’ Oh really? You might do that, love, but in the real world, it’s a fact that most of us quite simply don’t.

What really annoys me though is when she says, ‘…women were obviously jealous of me (in an office) and they would say nasty things behind my back – and even sometimes to my face.’ In my humble opinion, I would say this happened more because of her arrogant attitude and the way she interacts with other women rather than her perceived beauty. If she thinks that’s discrimination, what on earth is she doing joining a website that proudly and blatantly discriminates? Workplace bullying is a serious problem and having been through it myself for a year, I find it insulting that she even mentions this.

I don’t think I’ve been hit too badly with the ugly stick, but when I go for job interviews I hope I can convey a passion and knowledge for the role rather than worrying if I’ve got hair on my lip gloss. Looks fade but insight and wisdom only grow over the years. Fran’s got an answer to this though. She’s considering Botox…

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16 thoughts on “Job Hunting Just Got Uglier…

  1. Julie says:

    Oh dear, I just read the article on the Daily Mail website, worse still I read the comments at the bottom of it. The article says that UK applicants to the site have the lowest success rate. The highest rated comments on the article agree with the aims of the site and that UK women fell out of the ugly tree.
    I find the whole idea unhinged. It just goes to show how shallow a large portion of society has become. I get very angry over these attitudes, and it is partly in defiance of them that I refuse to dye my grey hair. I am 48 and almost completely grey. It is my natural colour, if that is not good enough for people then they know what they can do !!! People have become afraid to be their natural selves and paranoid about how they look, to the point that it is skewing their rational thinking. I could go on and on about this, it also makes me furious how large companies encourage it for profit – L’Oreal etc – and the desperate public fall for it. These so called beautiful people are as fake as fake can be, literally, due to spending thousands on having themselves carved about by a so called surgeon (I won’t even start on those enablers!!)
    Gosh I could write a whole book about this stuff, I just wish people could see what is going on here.
    As for the recruitment agency, I wouldn’t employ someone who is delusional and clearly thinks they are better than others and has a skewed take on what is important in life. I will also be reluctant to part with money to any company who employs them.
    Blimey, that bee is really stuck in my bonnet over this one!!

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Julie,
      What a brilliant comment!
      I can’t believe some people actually agree with this sort of recruitment and dating. The article shocked and saddened me, this whole ‘them’ and ‘us’ scenario. What next? Eugenics??
      And who decides what ‘beauty’ means anyway? For me, beauty most definitely comes from within. I have known classically beautiful people who are ugly with arrogance and vice versa.
      Thank you so much for adding to this debate!
      X

  2. Samantha Thompson says:

    This had me roaring because it is so wrong and so ridiculous!
    She clearly has emotional issues along with a lot of society. I am 41 and still do not wear make-up or dye my hair regularly. I want to be judged for my quirky personality, sense of humour all mixed in with a very hardworking, trustworthy person with integrity intact.

    Things like this really get me worried silly for my son. I hope I can teach him to be as indifferent to these morons as I am.

    Sam xx

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Sam,
      Couldn’t agree more! Surely our personalities are more important?! I mean, we all try to look our best, but this whole ‘beauty’ thing drives me mad.
      Who on earth would have the gall to join a dating or recruitment agency for beautiful people?? I would love to be a fly on the wall at one of the dates – who would look in the mirror the most, lol.
      I know what you mean about worrying about the effect all this has on our kids. My son worries about his looks and weight already, and he’s only 13, bless him.
      X

  3. Jan Jordyn says:

    Another excellent post, B. If it’s true that looks do a play a major part in the recruitment process, that might explain why the women who remain on the current series of “The Apprentice” haven’t been fired yet.

    They’re certainly not there for their intellect or business acumen, that’s for sure!

    Just glad I’m self-employed!

    Warmest wishes,

    Jan

    PS I can definitely recommend Karren Brady’s book: “Strong Woman – Ambition, Grit And A Great Pair Of Heels” – extremely motivational content.

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thanks Jan!
      I find the women on The Apprentice scary. Do most young women really look like this?! Especially the blonde doctor.
      I do like Karren Brady, she’s the best of the bunch, lol.
      X

  4. I’m a bloke so not bothered about looks however those people ought to be lined up against a wall and shot
    Now I’ve got that off my back if you are job hunting then do not go to an agency. Instead try this – assume that its down to who you know rather than what you know. So with that little gem you need to network to meet people.

    I know this sounds ghastly but it really does work. I love networking and if I was looking for a job then I’m sure I would have received some help by now. I don’t want a job instead I want people to help my new venture and the help I have received is staggering. Also its amazing what you can stumble across on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. So get out there and network. Use Google and enter ‘networking’ + your town/city and off you go.

    Good luck,

    Patrick

    PS My venture is giving talks on MS – anyone interested

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Patrick,
      Good points! Mind you, I’ve been asking around for a job since being sacked last October and still no luck.
      Given up for the summer as I’m back in hospital for next Campath treatment in five weeks. Thank god for my good friend who’s created a little job for me in the meantime!
      X

  5. maybe its an age thing, women i have met my age or younger do judge other women on their appearance :/ people put way too much concern on other people’s appearance now, and its idiots like on the site that just encourage it. the media has a huge part in it, its put way too much stress on having the perfect everything. there are so many young people in my college course that i want to slap upside the head when they keep complaining about their appearance when nothing is wrong :/

    i don’t care, i have more important things to worry about then if my hair is perfect or i put make up on. unless i am going to a job/college interview i dont even care what i put on the day as long as its not full of holes :p

    really glad i’m self-employed, couldn’t handle the stress of having to look perfect for a job interview, even if that interview is just for a fast food place o.0

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Jennifer,
      It’s such a shame to hear that. Surely if we all take care of our appearance, then beauty doesn’t come in to it? Everyone’s definition of beauty is different anyhow. I read somewhere that the more symmetrical your face, the more beautiful you are perceived to be!
      And yes, the media has a LOT to answer for. I don’t remember there being such a lot of pressure on young women when I was that age – this desire to look and act like Barbie dolls. I also blame the growing ‘acceptance’ of lapdancing clubs in the UK, on every high street. Has completely distorted people’s view of what women should look like.
      X

  6. Sally says:

    Jan – spot on with Karen Brady. Huge amt of respect for her. As for this beautiful website thing, well as long as all these delusional peeps stick together in their narcissistic bubble the rest of us mere mortals won’t have to deal with them. I mean, quite frankly who else wants them. The jobs probably only involve them getting their boobs out or working for Abercrombie anyway. I remember years ago working with a guy who quite frankly looked like Plug from the Bash Street Kids but after spending any amount of time with him fell in love. He was one of the funniest guys I ever met, highly intelligent, interesting and a very considerate guy. His stunning long limbed blond girlfriend also thought so. She often had other guys telling her she could do better but any one who knew him knew otherwise. A real life lesson to not judge a book by its cover

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Sally,
      Your comment had me laughing out loud! You are soooo spot on.
      I had a friend once, years ago. She was, to be quite frank, a bit like the guy you worked with. But do you know what – I have never ever met such a nice person in my life. Her warmth and charisma shone out from her and I have never forgotten it even though we haven’t seen each other for years.
      x

  7. Sally says:

    Oh my, just checked out the website with the latest Belgian members . Couple of doozies there. Don’t think I’ll bother. 🙂

    • stumbling in flats says:

      They’re probably all plasticated and Botoxed into next week anyway. Not a great look. I love my chubby face, lol.
      X

  8. How very nauseating!! Fran sounds abhorrent. What a great post, as usual: funny and thought-provoking.

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thank you CrankyPants!
      Fran sounds like a whole load of girls I used to know at school. Bleugh.
      X

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