So. I've been thinking about getting a job at lane Bryant, it's one of my favorite stores and I thought it would be great fun to work there.
I'm STILL waiting to wake up be happy it was a nightmare!!
So this is what happened.
I bought a new outfit for the interview(Lane Bryant of course) was dressed very nicely...to the T.
I sit down for the interview and it was going fine but noticed she was constantly looking at my clothes and my face not really looking me in the eyes...but she was trying not to be obvious about it. I was very nice, polite, answered the ques great, looked her in the eye(when I could catch her eye, that is.......
And THEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She tell me that she doesn't think that I would "fit in" with this store and the other girls because I'm TOO PRETTY!!! She said she really thinks that the other girls would be jealous and intimidated by me,and we don't need any "competition" because the other girls aren't as attractive.But let's keep this quiet and I'll look into another Lane Bryant store for you. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started laughing and waited for the punchline, ya know??
Of course right now I can think of what I should have said to her...but that I was NOT prepared for!!!!!!!
So I got up and said this is not the company for me and I said I will be sure to tell the girls here before I leave exacly what their manager thinks of them.
SO I leave the office and there were a few girls up front and one girl at the front of the store folding clothes.
So I went to the girls up front and said, well, I just had my interview and they said, really, so are you joining us???(By the way the girls were all very pretty in my opinion) I said no...do you want to know why???
I said your MANAGER won't hire me for this store because you girls will be intimidated by me because I"m so much prettier than you guys are and would be jealous and make it an uncomftorable work place. I said, all of you girls here are pretty, and I think you guys should know exacly what your manager thinks of you. How do you like that?
Then I walked off and out the store I go....the girls just stared at me, pretty much speechless..I didn't stick around for a responce.
I don't know what to think!!!!!!!
Anyways that was my Lane Bryant interview experiance.
What do you guys think. This has completely floored me.

Whoa....... I'm floored too. That almost beats a 'casting couch' proposition.

I'm guessing you don't want to work there now, but if you want to prevent her from doing something like this again, get in touch with the LB main office and tell your story to the director of human resources. Put it in writing.

What she did may have been illegal, but even if it isn't, I am betting it is definitely against company policy and the manager will be in big trouble.

Good for you for telling the other women working there.

Weird. Just weird. She should have said, "Ugly people only, please," in the ad and saved you the trouble of applying.

I'm with Taming, I'd report her sorry ass to head office pronto.

Just curious ... how did the manager compare to the other clerks, and to you? Was she older, younger, same age? Heavier, smaller, same size? Did she seem well-dressed, well-groomed, etc.?

I'm betting that she told the truth -- that you are very lovely -- but I also bet that the deep down reason for her inappropriate comment had nothing to do with the other clerks. I think she was threatened by your looks and your intelligence, and worried that SHE would have to improve her OWN performance to keep from being shown up by a sales clerk.

Keep in mind, though, that it was only you and her in that room, and she will doubtless claim that you made the whole thing up because she didn't hire you. Still, reporting her to LB HQ is a good idea. (And who knows? You may soon see an ad in the paper for a managerial position coming open at that LB store ... :lol

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!
I had told you that I had worked for LB over 20yrs ago and loved working there. I just can't believe what happened at your interview. Please talk to the main office about this. If you call the store in the evening you should reach an asst mangager and hopeful they could give you a number for an area manager you could talk to. I can't belive they would support this kind of management. Good for you talking to the other employees as you left. Don't let this get you down.
skippie

I am going to call Lane Bryant Headquarters on Monday morning, and see what they say, and if any action will take place. I might still work for them, depending on what they are going to do. If they are just going to call me bluff, then I won't. After all, if Lane Bryant does the right thing, it's not their fault, it's the managers fault. So we'll see..I will keep you guys updated!

Wow....looking forward to hearing what the company has to say...at least she didn't tell you you were too fat!!!

or too thin!

Celtinore2- The mananger was in her late 30's..heavier than me, wearing the right clothes...to be completely honest, she was not very pretty, really bad skin and bad hair color....but who cares? I didn't care, if you're a nice person thats all that matters! but jeez....the girls I talked to before I left were all prettier than her so I don't know what the problem was...maybe she herself didn't want to deal with someone else more attractive than her...but she's supposed to be a professional...what a disapointment.

Wow Melissa, I can't believe that! How crazy is that? To get rejected cuz you are too pretty?? It does sound like maybe the manager was the one intimidated by you! Man, that's just messed up! I don't know what else to say. I'm curious to hear what happens when you call them!

Amanda

At least you got an interview!! I use to apply there ALL the time and never got a call back for an interview!!! Maybe I should try again??

Katt

Haha...I want to know where this store is so I can apply. It would be worth the effort just to hear "I'm sorry, but you are far too beautiful and sexy to work for us!" Uhm...why thank you...I guess.