It seems older job candidates (read: Baby Boomers) are flocking to go under the knife in order to boost their chances of getting hired.
I read it in Time Magazine, which in turn got it from The Chicago Tribune. Essentially the story is that people need jobs, and because jobs can be harder to get when you’re older, they’re heading to the plastic surgeon to achieve a more youthful appearance. And then, some candidates are lying about their ages.
Time says, “Many out-of-work Baby Boomers are fudging their resumes and electing for cosmetic surgery.”
“Spending money can often improve your chances of earning money. Money spent on education and special training, for instance, can lead to a decent-paying career—or at least it should in theory.” So, money spent on one’s appearance can be considered another investment.
The Chicago Tribune says older (would be) workers are “dropping tens of thousands of dollars” on cosmetic surgery.
If you’re one of the many who probably think this is a bad thing, hey, it’s not as disturbing as the female Chinese students who are eating roundworm eggs to be thin for job interviews. Bright side!
Interestingly, I keep reading about lookism and ageism in the workplace, but nobody in the actual workplace ever seems to acknowledge the existence of either.
I contacted two headhunter friends, one of whom works in IT and the other in mid to executive level recruiting. Both asked to remain anonymous as I didn’t go through their respective partners, then both denied that age or attractiveness is at issue.
In fact, the IT guy told me that most hiring managers he deals with want “a touch of grey” in their people, “meaning,” he says “‘Senior guys who have been round the block before, since I don’t want to hire some fresh-faced bright young thing who will have learn it on my dime.’”
And the other said, “It doesn’t matter – if you produce, collaborate, and remain fluid you are valuable to an organization. Of course there are case by case differences but, overall, organizations really do get that there is a war for talent and that there will be a shortage of workers as the boomers retire.”
Huh? But you guys are anonymous! You could say anything!
It obviously works on an industry by industry basis and there may be some excuse making here. Many, I’m sure choose to blame their appearance or age when, in fact, the issue is something else entirely, like their attitude or skill set. I know a woman in her mid 60s who needs work and can’t find any. Once a PR heavyweight, she has failed to keep up with the changing industries of pop culture and media – once her area. You know what she has done? Keep up her looks. She looks fabulous. But that isn’t getting her a job.
Hollywood starlets and people in sales are going to need more Botox than computer programmers, neurosurgeons, aerospace engineers and mathematicians. That’s a fact. So, those of who didn’t go into one of these nerdy professions may wind up either wishing we did or looking at the pointy end of a needle.
Because ultimately, no matter how idealistic you are, it’s also probably a fact that it’s easier to change faces than to change minds.
But that’s just me. Your thoughts? Would you consider altering your physical appearance for a job opportunity? Becareful, as we’ve already discussed, you can in fact also be too attractive to be hired.
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I think plastic surgery should not be done for someone to get pass a job interview. Recruiters/employers and people in general should accept people for who they are and how they look. No one should have to change their physical appearances to be accepted by certain people.
Has it really come to this. I can’t believe that people would resort to plastic surgery to land a job. What ever happened to just being yourself. Also if you’re job hunting do you really have the money and time to recover from the surgery. You might miss out on the best opportunity ever but couldn’t apply because your eyes are black and your face is covered in bandages. Give your head a shake people amd stop listening to the media hype. Workopolis I’m actually disappointed you would write such an article.
“In fact, the IT guy told me that most hiring managers he deals with want “a touch of grey” in their people, “meaning,” he says “‘Senior guys who have been round the block before, since I don’t want to hire some fresh-faced bright young thing who will have learn it on my dime.’” ”
I would be interested in knowing the gender split regarding cosmetic surgery. Is it mainly older female job candidates? I note that the ‘IT guy’ quoted above defines a ‘touch of grey’ as meaning ’senior guys’. Enquiring minds need to know!
Absolutely ridiculous. This is for people with no self-respect and no self-esteem and that fact your even writing about this reminds me why I no longer use you but have moved on to other services that aren’t run by people in their twenties exclusively.
Reminds me of someone I met in Public Relations who was an absolute idiot. She insulted everyone over the age of 30 within about twenty minutes including four CEOs and five VPs.
God save us from the twerp generation!
I can’t agree more with what Nancy and John Z. have already said. A person’s ability to do the job has nothing whatsoever to do with his or her physical looks. And if an interviewer is hung up on physical looks, I wouldn’t want to work for that company in the first place!
Let’s get past all this superficial crap and come down to what matters the most: can the person perform the job functions in a competent manner, and does he or she interact well with others. All the other stuff (including physical looks) simply doesn’t matter.
I was talking to a senior partner of an high end executive placement firm just last week and this topic of age came up. He made it VERY clear to me that age is VERY much a factor although absolutely no company will ever admit it.
He stated that many companies will fashion interview questions, questionnaires, do the math or other means to get a better indication of a persons actual age.
We are kidding ourselves if we think age is not a factor. In other industrialized countries they are now looking at ways to “move out” existing staff at ages as early as the late 40’s to be replaced by “younger blood” in there 20’s with new ideas and that are much less expensive.
If you can afford getting some work done, get it done!
I’m sorry, but this is really over the top–TOO MUCH!!! You don’t get plastic surgery in order to get a job! I wouldn’t work for a company that had such a dysfunctional culture! And besides–who can afford plastic surgery while he or she is unemployed? The only people this stupid advice could apply to would be drug cartel kingpins who are trying to escape justice!
This article is one of the most irresponsible pieces of work I have ever read. There are so many ethical and moral problems with it. The person that wrote this article should be reprimanded and sent packing.
I am one of the youth. This does not represent my way of thinking and I am scared to go into the future with people like this, the one who wrote this article. Even after getting an anonymous interview with two sources, the contradicting point is still pushed.
I value learning from a knowledgeable co-worker, regardless of age or beauty.
Shocking. I have had headhunters call me and tell me not to submit my resume anymore as I am to old (early 50’s). That is why they were hired, to weed out the unwanted. So, remember “it’s never to late to educate (as long as industry has the desire to hire)”.
It’s a highly competitive market for the few jobs available & I can fully understand (most likely) women feeling the need to appear younger.
It may be easier to LOOK younger than BE younger or hide your decades of experience when applying to jobs and going for interviews though. In my field, IT, every job lists only 5 – 10 years experience required — and the salary is just as junior too. Yet the technical expectations are senior and so exacting that only great liars will ever get an interview. It’s one messed up world out there — employers say they want experience but really don’t, and certainly won’t pay for it. They look at someone in their 50s as a liability to lay off ASAP before they can opt for early retirement.
Surely the interviewers are able to do simple math. If you outline your career history, it seems likely that the interviewers will pretty easily estimate your age.
It’s sad when one stops to think about this when people go to such extremes to land a job. Recruiters and employers should accept people for who they are and how talented and capable they are, not for what they look like. If one is denied a job simple because they don’t look good enough, isn’t that discrimination?
I’m very fortunate to be working for a good company (15 years) and be judged for my ability rather than looks. Besides plastic surgery costs money. If one is unemployed, how can they afford it?
The first big problem in my area is not what you know its who you know. I’m qualified in my field up to the ying-yang, however, moving in this little town doesn’t help as people have told me I was too qualified. No chance of even going totally in a different ball field either as they wonder what your ulterior motive is by going for a job that is minimum wages. That’s my number one dilemna at the moment.
As for cosmetic surgery, if I knew that it would help, I’d seriously consider it since I have no qualms about paying for an extra course in order to show that I can still get more education. Having cosmetic surgery would not simply be to get a job, but it could boost my own confidence. When you look younger than your age as opposed to looking older, it does affect your confidence, your look of well rested as opposed to tired and lets face it, its an unwritten rule that looks do matter whatever the job.
Age, sex, ethnicity, etc. show up in a photo – and rejecting someone for on any of those bases is discriminatory and probably illegal in many places, e.g. “Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.” Ontario Human Rights Code. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19.
As a job-seeker, unless you are deliberately promoting yourself as a member of an under-represented group for employment equity purposes, why would you want to provide your photo (before being hired)?
As an employer, why would you risk potential lawsuits by even asking for one prior to hiring somebody?
I think it’s ridiculous that people have to go to such extreme as plastic surgery to get work. Plastic surgery costs a lot of money and if one is unemployed, how can they afford it? Isn’t it discrimination for one to be denied a job because of their looks? I’m suprised that workopolis would publish an article as ridiculous as this. When I grew up and when my self-esteem was poor, my mother always told me to “just be yourself.” People should be judged on their skills and knowledge, not their looks. It also boils down to know you know, not what you know. I live in a small town and most people in my town who land jobs are either somebody’s brother, somebody’s spouse, or somebody’s nephew. No matter how people look they also have to go through all kinds of crap to land a job such as criminal record checks, background checks, reference checks, drug tests, aptitude tests, etc. Just thought I’d put in my two cents worth.
This is another article based loosely on conjecture. Where are the facts? We’re told that more people are going under the knife to get jobs but there are no stats or real basis, aside from a vague reference to this being mentioned in another story. Ask people of a certain age if there is ageism at work in the workplace and you’ll get some real sad facts. It’s rampant. If you can keep your job in your 50s without getting hustled out the door you’re lucky. I’m talking about everyone, male and female, including people who have talent, have kept up and can do their job. But they have wrinkles. Do some research on that.
I am a baby boomer in my mid-fifties. I find it disappointing that my generation is so self-centred. We want everything, big cars, big houses, big television, lots of gadgets, etc. We are the group primarily responsible for the economic meltdown of 2008. We don’t want to share our money with anyone. Many “boomers” are looking to find a way to increase the length of their lives to 100, 120, 125 years even though they won’t be able to sustain themselves for that length of time. As a group we need to pass the torch along gracefully to younger generations and let them learn how to run the world just the way we had to.
Absolutely ridiculous. This is for people with no self-respect and no self-esteem and that fact your even writing about this reminds me why I have moved on to services that aren’t run by people in their twenties exclusively.
Reminds me of someone I met in Public Relations who was an absolute idiot. She insulted everyone over the age of 30 within about twenty minutes including four CEOs and five VPs.
God save us from the twerp generation!
I can’t believe! where are we going???? this is crazy! where is the natural humang being? life is easy folks!!
America rocks!!!
Well, I turned 50 on January 20th. On February 1st my position was eliminated although I exceeded expectations on my performance review. Now it isn’t because I don’t take care of myself, because I do. It is strictly ageism; I’m a little older; a little heavier.
In fact, a few months ago, I went to buy a duck in a chinese grocery store. The sign said ‘Duck 6.99′ in the store’s window. I took the duck to the cash and the old guy says to me 11.99. I point to the 6.99 sign and he says, oh, that is for old duck, you have new duck!
Wow.