Women workers feel judged on looks, survey shows

MOST women believe they face double standards during job interviews and feel they are judged on their appearance more than men, research shows.

Mentor Angela Donald, from the Fitted For Work program, helps Jenny Tapao with her corporate attire.

AN OVERWHELMING majority of women believe they face double standards during job interviews and feel they are judged on their appearance more than men.

New research reveals that the emphasis employers place on appearance can create major challenges for women who are seeking employment, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

With 68 per cent of women surveyed saying the right make-up can make or break a job interview, not-for-profit charity Fitted For Work and cosmetic company The Heat Group have agreed to help disadvantaged women remove appearance as a barrier between them and their next job.

"It's a shame that today everyone thinks we have made progress, but when you have 84 per cent of women saying that there is a double standard between men and women, that is an indictment on us as a business community," The Heat Group CEO Gillian Franklin said.

"This should not be existing, but it's real, and people should be judged on the work they do and not what they look like.

"Are we only going to employ beautiful and smart people who are smartly presented?"

Mentor Angela Donald, from the Fitted For Work program, helps Jenny Tapao with her corporate attire.

Under the plan, the organisations will provide mentoring, interview training, clothing and make-up for 5000 women each year.

Many of the women are trying to re-enter the workforce after long breaks because they have had children, are coming off the $35 a day Newstart Allowance, are recent migrants or have come out of prison.

The majority will be going for office-based jobs such as administration and clerk roles, as well as childcare, aged care, hospitality and retail.

Fitted For Work CEO Jane Hunt said women feel that appearance matters in a way that is different to men.

"An impression is made within a couple of seconds. Women need to dress appropriately for the job and remove that as a barrier to successfully getting a job," Ms Hunt said.

Jennifer Tapao, 30, got a job as a customer service consultant at Telstra Wholesale after being mentored by staff at Fitted For Work.

"How you look for an interview has a great impact on how you feel about yourself," Ms Tapao, from the Sydney suburb of St Marys, said.

"In my situation as a result of being fitted for corporate attire, I felt more confident and professional."

Flora Shen, 39, went through Fitted for Work's 'Transition to Work' program when she migrated to Australia two years ago.

The program eventually helped her get a job as a technical specialist at IBM in Melbourne.

"People judge others by their appearance before they start to talk," the Werribee woman said.

"By looking my best, I built trusting, happy relationships with others and looked professional for a job interview.

"I believe women are judged more on their appearance than men because most bosses are male. But unless you're a genius, like Einstein, men are also judged on their appearance."

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