One of the advantages, if you can call it that, of going to the second best school in the state, where there’s like, what, total of five universities even worth thinking about, is that you really don’t develop an oversized ego, at least in regards to job opportunities.
So I was very surprised when a recruiter called me out of the blue two weeks ago, who saw my resume on the internet! I thought that never happened! And then it turned into a skype interview. And I thought, well that was fun, but that’s all I will hear from them.
And then I got another email earlier this week, another phone call today. They want me to go to NYC and they’ll pay half the airfare. From SEATTLE.
What’s in it for them? I am not an attractive candidate. Sure, I have a BA, cum laude, minimal but fluffed-up experience, just passed L1 (yay!), I am bilingual, proficient in a third language, so yes I am not a total bum, but there are THOUSANDS of other candidates. Who went to better schools, who haven’t forgotten their mother language as badly as I have, who had better grades, athletic, work experience, etc. etc.
Maybe it’s wrong to be so suspicious. But why would they offer to pay my airfare? What’s in it for them?
They probably saw your picture somewhere and thought you are attractive physically even if the resume is not that great. Pretty girls get finance jobs easier that’s just the way it is.
They probably saw your picture somewhere and thought you are attractive physically even if the resume is not that great. Pretty girls get finance jobs easier that’s just the way it is.
I like to think I have a pretty good sense of humor, but that’s a sort of attitude I just -can’t- abide.
Not only that: your statement is also not entirely true imo. Might be easier to get some jobs, true. Receptionists are always pretty. But other roles? Going into interviews surrounded by older men with maybe one woman who’s in HR, it can be overwhelming. It’s all perception on my end, I’m sure, but I feel like it’s hard to be taken seriously.
And then being told that I will be whereever I’ll be because of my physical appearance and not my intelligence, competence, personality is pretty insulting.
Not trying to be jackass just pointing out that attractive females in finance are rare and therefore have significant advantage when it comes to recruitment. My MD always check and comment on how attractive female applicants are but never guys. Is it right? No, but does it happen? All the time.
Half the airfare is pretty hacksaw. Whenever I was involved in hiring in my previous shop (I’m not now), it was always all expenses. That’s an expensive gamble for you. Of course, its your call and you’re probably short listed if they’re even doing that.
Nope, not any more. I resigned earlier this year. It was a take as many grads as you can and throw them in the job and hope some of them stick and keep their accounts if they don’t sort of position-glorified insurance sales. I didn’t stick.
klaudnine- wasn’t trying to call you an asshole, I guess it’s a touchy topic for me (obviously). I won’t deny that people prefer attractive candidates (physically), male or female. Also, for some reason every firm I’ve interviewed at are scrambling to find women to fill professional roles. I’m not really sure why–sure women are underrepresented in finance but why that means firms want more women, I don’t quite follow.
Hey-I’ll take any advantage I can take. I just hope it’s just a slight advantage, not the only reason why I’m moving forward.
And as to the half cost- if they do move me forward and fly me to NYC, I’ll just take it and think of it as a subsidized holiday. Never been to NYC so it’ll be fun just to be there. I almost have a job here anyway, hopefully, final interview tomorrow.
Of course your looks won’t be the main reason, but it’s significant advantage that can differentiate you from a pool of similar candidates. Ppl just like to be around good looking ppl.
Agree with comments about looks being an advantage. A few years ago we were hiring a summer intern, and the first person we interviewed was a 5’10" large bre@sted blonde former swimsuit model. Needless to say there was no second candidate; she got the job after every dude in the firm “interviewed” her, including the ones in our Europe office who miraculously figured out how to do videoconference.
