If You’re Not _____, Don’t Even Bother

Job hunting in the Philippines can be dramatic and frustrating. There are far more fresh graduates than there are available jobs, leading to massive unemployment, as well as its likewise brutal cousin, underemployment. Students with degrees in molecular biology and biotechnology, for instance, will often work at a call center at unholy hours if only to receive high pay on their first job. If the job market fails fresh graduates, they look for ways to go out of the country to work as nurses, domestic helpers, construction workers, or cruise ship staff in countries such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, or Australia. The job market at home, after all, pays little for a lot of work - the job market, moreover, practices a good deal of discrimination based on physical traits.

Age, height, and gender are often used by human resource management staff in filtering out applicants. Job listings will often appear online or in major newspapers, advertising companies looking for people who will fit not only an academic requirement, but a height, age, and gender requirement as well. Here are a few examples from job listings available online.

FRONT DESK CLERK
· Male & Female, ages 21 to 25
· Preferably graduate of BS HRM or Tourism
· At least 5'3" (F) and 5'8" (M) in height
· With pleasing personality
· Excellent communication skills
· Customer-service oriented
· Driving skills for males is a must
· Preferably a renewed or practicing Christian
· 4 vacancies available
(from http://www.philchristiandirectory.com/jobonline.htm. The front desk at their office is apparently too high for smaller people to function in)

5. Utility Personnel
Qualifications:
Male, Not more than 25 years old
At least High school graduate

6. Receptionist
Qualifications:
Graduate of any 4 year busines course
Female at least 5’ 4” in height, with pleasing personality
With good communication skills
Not more than 27 years old
Willing to be assigned in SM Pampanga

7. Cashier
Qualifications:
Graduate of any 4 year busines course
Male at least 5’6” in height, Female at least 5’ 4” in height, with pleasing personality
With experience in any service industry. Familiar with pont of sale (POS) operation
Not more than 27 years old
Willing to be assigned in SM Pampanga

8. Stock Custodian/ Inventory Clerk
Qualifications:
Male at least 5’ 6” in height and with pleasing personality
At least 2nd year college level
Preferably with experience in retail industries
With good communication skills
Not more than 25 years old
Willing to be assigned in SM Pampanga
(from http://pesoolongapo.weebly.com/local-employment-vi.html. Males handle cargo, females work at the front office, and relatively tall people make good cashiers, these people seem to say)

Executive Assistant/Secretary
Female not more than 30 yrs. old >With pleasing personality >Graduate of any 4 year course 3-5 yrs. experience as Admin. or Executive Assistant >Reporting directly to CEO or president Second hand smoker
Location: Manila - Manila
Salary: P40,000-P45,000.00
Date: 21 May 2008
(from http://www.bestjobs.ph/bt-job-SC002-1-Clerical_Administrative_jobs.htm. I don't know why a secretary should be a second hand smoker either)

Company Nurse	Female at least 25-30 years old graduate of B.S Nursing single with NO child with experience in hospital or as company nurse with training of emergency exposure and Red Cross computer literate
Counter Personnel	Female 19-26 years old college level at least 5'2 in height with pleasing personality and good conversant of english willing to be assigned in any branch experience is an advantage

(from http://www.mandaluyong.gov.ph/jobs.html. Children - stay out. Oh, and this company seems to be looking for counter personnel that speak English well - maybe to teach the company how to write English better?)

These are only a few examples of the many advertisements that appear both online and offline in the Philippines. It seems that anyone below 5'2" might hope for better jobs elsewhere; people with families don't deserve to get into the job market; people who can't speak English will usually be shunted out. What kind of message does this send to the youth? That appearance is all that counts? Speaking English with flair is all that matters? Being tall is better than being small but able? Such listings can actually promote and socialize the idea of attractiveness being the sole key to success - a stereotyped tall person will win over the smaller, but not necessarily less able one; being small, in contrast to being tall - or having children, as opposed to being single and childless - is seen as desirable; you may work hard and have the best grades in the world, but when you walk through that door and don't even manage to brush your hair against the upper part of the door frame, you're doomed.

***

This has always disappointed me, this stress on physical characteristics, this great value placed on people whose pituitary glands fortunately worked overtime. For me, the experience proved to be all too real. When I graduated from college, I had a degree in molecular biology and biotechnology, a resume filled with details on speaking engagements, and a cum laude to tie a ribbon around the entire package. I inquired at the crime lab of the Philippine National Police to see if I could work as a forensic molecular biologist. They were in need of staff, and I my thesis dealt with using DNA evidence to solve rape cases.

They looked at me from head to foot and said that I could not qualify: I had to be at least 5'4", I had to undergo police training, and I had to be athletic. I could still work for the lab, they said - but at half the pay of everybody else.

I was at a conference then, and the Police staff were looking at my research poster, which I had based on my thesis. If my expertise was to be shelved in favor of more inches, then I could not stomach working for such a place. I did not give them the luxury of a reply.

I simply stared, and then looked away in annoyance.