Is Your Weight Hurting Your Career?
By CareerBuilder.com
Does weight have any bearing in the workplace? According to Miriam
Berg, president of the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination,
it does. "The biggest obstacle larger-than-average workers face is
prejudice, and the second biggest obstacle is the fact that many
large people believe that prejudice themselves," Berg says. "Our
culture is obsessed with weight loss, and there is a tremendous
amount of bias against people who do not fit into the narrow
definition of what is attractive.
"Obesity in current society is a stigmatized condition," notes
Cornell University researcher and nutritional sociologist Jeffery
Sobal. "People who are obese are rejected and discriminated
against."
In addition to the emotional cost, the financial costs of being
overweight can be high, too. In a study by Charles L. Baum, Ph.D.,
of Middle Tennessee State University, obesity was found to lower a
woman's annual earnings an average of 4.5 percent. Over a lifetime
career, that can be as much as $100,000. Baum found that obesity
for men could lower annual earnings by as much as 2.3 percent. In a
separate study by John H. Cawley, associate professor at Cornell
University, a weight increase of 64 pounds above the average for
white women was associated with 9 percent lower wages.
CSWD says that heavier workers are also not given raises as
often as thinner workers, citing a study of more than 2000 adults
that found wage growth rates were 6 percent lower in a three-year
period for heavier workers. 
One factor that seems to drive this bias is the cost of health
insurance. The CDC has reported that obesity and overweight costs
an estimated $117 billion in both direct medical costs and indirect
costs, such as lost wages due to illness. Whether conscious or not,
some employers may offer less pay to obese workers to offset higher
health insurance costs.
"The research showing less productivity and more health problems in
large size workers is flawed," Berg asserts. "The false idea that
larger workers are less productive is a blatant attempt to deny the
fact of weight discrimination. Large workers are denied promotions,
are paid less, and are subject to being fired simply because of
their size, no matter how excellent their qualifications are or how
well they do their jobs."
In a 2005 survey by TheLadders.com, 75 percent of executives said
that being overweight is a "serious career impediment."
Berg says she's heard many versions of
the same story from her clients: "After reading his or her resume,
the company was eager to hire the applicant. The phone interview
went very well, and the person was practically assured of the job.
But when he or she came face to face with the interviewer,
everything changed. Suddenly the job had 'already been
filled'."
Those who apply for positions that interact with the public may
feel the biggest sting. "Many employers are not prejudiced
themselves, but are afraid that customers may be put off by a
plus-size employee, especially in jobs such as receptionist or
salesperson," Berg notes. 
Jim McSherry, managing partner of McSherry & Associates 2, a
recruiting firm in Westchester, IL, says that extremely overweight
applicants may indeed struggle in their job search, especially in
companies that are very health conscious. "When two competing
candidates are equally qualified, often it is not their appearance
that ultimately hurts the overweight candidate, it is his or her
self-confidence," McSherry says. "[But] if a candidate is really
outstanding, their size will not be an issue."
"When a large person is looking for a job, we recommend doing your
homework, dressing for success, putting your best foot forward,
and, most importantly, addressing any potential objections a
potential employer might have," Berg suggests. "There is no reason
not to bring up your size -- it's the elephant in the room, so to
speak. If you are healthy, tell the interviewer that you have not
missed a day of work in five years, or however long it is. Point
out how strong or fit or flexible you are, or mention that you have
great stamina."
Being healthy doesn't simply mean losing weight. "Our advice to
large size people in general is to be as healthy as they can be,"
Berg declares. "Some of the ways we suggest are enjoying life,
reducing stress, being physically active, and eating a variety of
nutritious foods."
