Recruiter 'lost for words' as boss refuses to hire woman because she's 'too fat'

A recruiter has shared her shock about an employer who suggested an interviewee was too fat for a job.

Faye Angeletta, a recruitment director from the UK, said she was “lost for words” after a potential employer commented on an interviewee’s weight.

When Angeletta asked how the interview went, the unnamed employer said: “The only thing bothering me is she isn’t the slimmest of girls… I’m not being sizeist but it was rather off putting.

“Presentation is important to us and you know we have a ‘standard’ for our staff.”

Faye Angeletta/LinkedIn

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They added that a person’s look is key to the role they were hiring for, much to Angeletta’s surprise.

She said that during her time in recruitment for roles in new home sales, she’s heard many reasons for rejecting a candidate - including them having “garlic breath”, reminding interviewers of Piers Morgan or stroking their cat on Zoom “like Dr. Evil” - but, none quite like this.

In a LinkedIn post, she said: “It is an industry full of drop dead gorgeous people. In customer facing roles, there is an expectation for presentation and it comes without question you need to look the part on site.

“However, if you want to recruit on the basis of appearance over ability, maybe try a modelling agency.”

In response, Angeletta pulled the candidate from the running process for the role and made the client aware she was no longer interested in working with them.

Speaking to Indy100, Angeletta said the comments by the employer were “shallow” and “arrogant”, especially in a market that is currently short of talent.

She said: “You are free as an employer to share your concerns with a recruiter over presented candidates, but there is a line when it becomes discrimination and frankly, insulting. Think twice about the words you choose when providing feedback, the candidate deserves to know why its a no but not to feel bullied from the process.

“Constructive feedback which can provide areas for improvement for the candidate for future interviews is the best thing you can give an unsuccessful candidate. That and basic respect!”

In her post’s comments, she said the candidate in question has now found another role.