Going on a job interview is a lot like participating in a beauty pageant, but it absolutely should not be that way.
Last night Miss New York, Kira Kazantsev, won the 2015 Miss America Pageant, and joins a small but beautiful group of women to wear the crown. As a child, my sisters and I counted down the days and then hours until the pageant, and my mom even let us stay up late to watch it. We had deep discussions about how Miss America was preferable to the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants because, by golly, Miss America didn’t just have to look pretty, she had to have a talent.
As an adult, I still like the fancy dresses, but the whole process makes me cringe. Not because I’m opposed to beauty pageants–if that’s your thing, go for it–but because it reminds me far too much of job interviews. The Pageant format may be the best way to find a beauty queen who can give smart sounding sound bites, but it’s not the best way to hire. Here are the mistakes you may be making.
To continue reading: And the Winner Is…Hiring Like Miss America
You have no idea. Younger,female, vaguely ethnic, reasonably pretty,upper class, but less qualified have gotten positions over me a couple of times… because, you know white, male, and qualified (and not super young, but not old, mind you!) just isn’t a ‘cultural fit”.
Or…female in conservative state looking for an IT related position in state government looses to younger MALE candidate….hmm I wonder why?