A New York woman claims she was turned down a top job because a recruiter didn't believe her appearance showed enough effort.

In a viral TikTok that has been viewed over 266,500 times, Melissa Weaver, 30, said she did all the things that would be in line with the office dress code in her video interview for a vice president of human resources role at a company technological. .

Weaver says she wore a black blazer and a white button-down shirt — both ironed — styled her hair in a slicked-back look and painted her nails a neutral color.

But one thing she didn't have? Makeup.

@_melissaweaver Does wearing make up at work make a difference? #work #corporate #career #interview #work #job search #makeup #job interview #opinion #Advice #women ♬ original sound – Melissa

“I don't think it was a big deal,” Weaver wrote in one essay on The insider regarding the incident. “But apparently, it was for him.”

Weaver said she thought the interview went well — it even went 10 minutes longer than planned — but was surprised to receive an email a few days later saying that while it was “in line” with what the company wanted in terms of in terms of experience and values, she would not make it to the next round.

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As an HR expert herself, Weaver asked for feedback, which happened when she was told via email by the recruiter that the company was “concerned that you didn't put enough effort into your appearance given that you were interviewing for a Vice President role. “

“My reaction was a bit of shock. One, that someone would write it in an email. But what's more, as of 2024, it's still happening,” she said. “I heard that because I hadn't done it, I was somehow less qualified or I didn't seem as enthusiastic about the job was just surprising. “

People in the comments jumped to Weaver's defense, calling the recruiter's decision “inappropriate” and asking her to forward the email to the company's head of HR.

“It's outrageous that she said that in an email to you,” one person wrote. “That would never be said to a man.”

“This honestly feels like discrimination,” said another. “They don't hire you based on your looks?”

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Weaver did not call the company by name.

According to LinkedInWeaver last worked as a senior people business partner at Action Network before being fired in December 2023.