How important is your 'look' as a nurse

[Nola009]

Especially when it comes to getting hired, pay raises and such things. I mean, I'm sure hospital administration can't possibly expect us all to look like super models, but isn't there some sort of 'look' hiring managers tend to gravitate toward?

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I would say it's not very important beyond being neat and professional and pleasant (smiling).

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

One's look has nothing to do with one's practice. People who are in a positon to hire would look at the integrity of your practice. Yes, there are facilities that have acceptable dress codes, what a nurse can and can not expose (ie: Tattoos, for instance),

Bottom line, your experience, your content of acceptable practice, that you will be team oriented and positive (ie: not badmouth them).

One can be a "supermodel"

Lead with your experience and the integrity of your practice.

[Dranger]

Overweight nurses giving education on a healthy lifestyle is always ironic. Look matters.

[livefully]

I remember reading somewhere that an attractive person has a better chance of getting a job than a less attractive person, all things being equal.

However, I think, having something in common with the interviewer, or connecting with them matters more.

[RNperdiem, RN]

From what I have read, looks can be an asset not only in hiring, but in how people treat you.

I read a blog about a woman describing how differently she was treated as a thin person compared to when she was an obese person.

Packaging and presentation are important even if people deny it.

The look you describe, I am guessing would be the upper middle class look. Straight teeth, trim figure, and as you get older, "maintained".

[TheGooch]

Overweight nurses giving education on a healthy lifestyle is always ironic. Look matters.

I agree. I find it ironic that a lot of medical practices lecture patients about losing weight when so many of their employees are overweight. My gastro docs office is a good example of that.

[SionainnRN]

I agree. I find it ironic that a lot of medical practices lecture patients about losing weight when so many of their employees are overweight. My gastro docs office is a good example of that.

Yes but the nurse giving the advice, while they may be overweight, they aren't the ones whose health is being compromised by their weight.

[mp86]

I have read a study a couple years ago about if people who are more attractive have a better chance of getting hired. Basically, they looked at a couple thousand people from thin to overweight, tall vs short, attractive vs unattractive and so on. The conclusion of the study was that usually people who are tall and in good physical condition have a higher chance of getting hired than somebody who is not.

I also have read another study which concluded that most hiring managers decide within the first 2 minutes of an interview if they are going to hire you or not; and physical appearance is the first impression everyone makes.

So I would say physical appearance plays a big role in getting hired.

Oh, btw. this was a general study that looked at many different occupation, not just nursing.

[krisiepoo]

Yes but the nurse giving the advice, while they may be overweight, they aren't the ones whose health is being compromised by their weight.

...yet...

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

You could take out the word "nurse" and substitute ANY job for which one must go through the interviewing process, and come up the same: image, looks, attitude, attire, grooming...ALL of it matters. It is not limited to healthcare jobs.

If people, in general, brought a professional image and attitude to interviews, there would be less of us shocked at "CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT S/HE LOOKED LIKE" when s/he showed up

[Delicate Flower]

All you know when you look at a fat person is that they are fat. YOU DO NOT KNOW how much/what they eat, how much they exercise, or how healthy they are. In addition, it is absolutely, positively none of your beeswax.

To say a person who is fat shouldn't be in a position to educate on healthy lifestyle, or that it is ironic when they do, is a bigoted statement. You are making assumptions based on a person's looks. Guess what that's called?