Nursing Application Photos: Discrimination or Not

Nurses General Nursing

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During my recent job hunt in the nursing field, I decided to contact a recruiter to help me with my application and "getting my name out there," so to speak. I worked with her for a few months trying to find jobs in clinics and doctor's offices across the Atlanta area, when after a few weeks she asked if I could send her a picture of myself to attach to my resume because the hiring agencies wanted to see what I looked like before an interview or further evaluation. My questions:

Is this a form of discrimination?

Is this about the company's image and the company wanting to make sure only attractive nurses are hired?

Is this a new way to judge nurses and keep nurses of certain appearances in certain areas of nursing (only clinics and offices were contacted by the recruiter and they were the only agencies to request a photo)?

What do you think?

Thank you all for your input! Although I did send the photo as requested, I did not hear anything back from this particular agency, even though my picture was very conservative, of just myself, and only a head shot. I am not one to jump to conclusions but I AM one to be wary of practices that I believe could effect my job experience or my satisfaction and growth within a particular company. I agree that some professions should be more critical of appearances than others; I know and understand that they are running a business and need to have the best-fitted and most professional looking employees in some certain positions. But I do NOT think that as a nurse I should have defend my professionalism, which, by the way, should be very apparent via my resume, my degree, and my professional licensure and not through a single picture. Thank you all again and please continue to let me know what you think!

Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

In my personal opinion, you never know when you interview if you didn't land a job because you interviewed poorly or you were red/black/white/dayglo gree, you reminded the interviewer of their ex, they already had too many females or males, etc, etc. Maybe attaching a picture saves you a wasted trip in to interview if someone is ridiculous enough to discriminate against you for your looks or race or age.

Bottom line, nobody is twisting you arm to use this group. Attach the photo and privately think to yourself its screwy or find someone else to work with if it really makes you uncomfortable.

EDIT: Ah, I see I posted behind you. Hopefully good things will come from sending the picture. Best of luck to you.

Specializes in Home Health.

I think requiring a picture is a excuse for age discrimination that could never be proven.

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
How is it discriminatory to ask applicants to provide information? I think we're all too quick to cry "discrimination" in this country.Either provide the photo or don't. Of course, anyone who really wants a position will do their utmost to comply with a reasonable request from a potential employer. And this is a reasonable request. FYI, it used to be routine to attach a picture to your resume - perhaps some applicants still do that as a matter of course and the employer just wants to make all applications similar. You don't have any way of knowing why the employer wants the picture and to refuse such a small request will likely tell the employer alot about you and your ability to be a team player.

It's it is not discriminatory to ask...however, should an applicant feel that they were discriminated against at a later time, a good attorney can easily raise a reasonable argument that the real purpose of the photo was to see an applicant's race or estimate their age (over 42 is a protected class).

Providing photos AFTER you get a job is common, providing a photo when you are merely applying is not.

Companies should be concerned with how it will look...and if I were an HR exec...to me, that raises too many red flags of how a simple photo can be used.

They can't legally ask you how old you are when you are applying for a job or your race...but they sure as heck don't need to ask the question at all when they have your picture with your application..and can conveniently not call you in for an interview if they have a problem with either.

True, and I am 46 but have aged well, very few wrinkles and no grey. I am always told I look much younger (it's more my childish behavior :D). I still wouldn't just send my photo somewhere to a stranger.

BUT the discrimination is going to happen no matter what if they are being selective in that way. You show up and you're: short, fat, walk with a limp, have bad teeth, smell... have 70's hair. Just kidding, but really, if they are going on looks, you're out as soon as they see you in person anyway. So, a good arguement for not wasting your time.

I've said it before and I'll say it again- It's the nursing is becoming the Victoriassecret fashion show. First it's the age, then it's the weight requirement now its looks. The only thing missing is the stelitttios and a thong with a feather for these recuriters. "turn to the left, now right, ok now look right into the camera, pout lips, please girls/guys(let's not forget the guys)" And for this were need a BSN? I wonder if the victoriassecrete angles have their BSN's yet?

What a trashy profession we are becoming!! Nursing recruiting is sounding more like call girls unlimited!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I've said it before and I'll say it again- It's the nursing is becoming the Victoriassecret fashion show. First it's the age, then it's the weight requirement now its looks. The only thing missing is the stelitttios and a thong with a feather for these recuriters. "turn to the left, now right, ok now look right into the camera, pout lips, please girls/guys(let's not forget the guys)" And for this were need a BSN? I wonder if the victoriassecrete angles have their BSN's yet?

What a trashy profession we are becoming!! Nursing recruiting is sounding more like call girls unlimited!!

Oh, please.:uhoh3:

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

When I worked for a travel agency, they told me that I had the OPTION of sending in a pic. I did so. I did not feel pressured or felt like it was discriminatory. My recruiter also sent a pic of herself. She said that she liked to put a face to the voice over the phone. I didn't see a problem with that, and it actually made me feel better when she explained her rationale.

Bottom line: if you feel it is discriminatory, don't do it. If you don't, say cheese!

Since when does nursing have to submit photos of themselves to get a job!! Ive never heard of this in 30 yrears. Oh please nothing.!! Maybe if we stopped being so docile, accommodating, and giving in to these ridiculous whims and demands we would start being viewed as educated professionals instead of being catagorized, treated like and shoved around like brainless barbie dolls with big boobs and short skirts.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
It's it is not discriminatory to ask...however, should an applicant feel that they were discriminated against at a later time, a good attorney can easily raise a reasonable argument that the real purpose of the photo was to see an applicant's race or estimate their age (over 42 is a protected class).

Providing photos AFTER you get a job is common, providing a photo when you are merely applying is not.

Companies should be concerned with how it will look...and if I were an HR exec...to me, that raises too many red flags of how a simple photo can be used.

They can't legally ask you how old you are when you are applying for a job or your race...but they sure as heck don't need to ask the question at all when they have your picture with your application..and can conveniently not call you in for an interview if they have a problem with either.

And if you look hard enough, you can find a menace or threat behind every single request, requirement and stipulation for employment applications.

Bottom line: Nurses who find employment these days are those who are accepting of and compliant with the application requirements of the employer who has positions to fill.

Nurses who find discriminatory fault with any and every request for information are sitting out in the cold, without an employer.

Take your choice.

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
And if you look hard enough, you can find a menace or threat behind every single request, requirement and stipulation for employment applications.

Sorry, I disagree with this entirely.

Nothing in my application for employment I saw as potential for discrimination. It didn't even ask me to list the year that I graduated from any institution or even how long I had been licensed until AFTER I was hired.

A picture is entirely different...that is why every employer doesn't ask for them so they can size you up before you even come in...b/c they know, it sets them up.

Specializes in School Nursing.

I am surprised at all the people who find this acceptable. I don't think it's as much an age discrimination thing (since your birthday is standard information on ANY application) as much as an appearance thing. There were studies done that showed if you had a commonly AA name you're less likely to get an interview than a traditionally white name.. this only takes that further.. also- we know that more attractive people are leas likely to be discriminated against as well as thin people. There is no good way to rationalize this other than wanting attractive or non-ethnic, thin candidates.

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