It’s to help them gain a competitive edge, AXIOS reporter Mimi Montgomery says.
WASHINGTON — As people look for jobs, some are trying something new to stand out: changing their appearance.
Thousands of federal workers and contractors were laid off this year as President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency made massive cuts to executive branch agencies, and thousands more were impacted by the nearly month-and-a-half long government shutdown. WUSA9’s Larry Miller spoke with AXIOS reporter Mimi Montgomery about this new phenomenon of job seekers looking to stand out as they apply for new positions.
“It is hypercompetitive in Washington’s white collar job market right now, right?,” Montgomery said. “… There’s a ton of people in the market right now, all very qualified, highly competent people who are all sort of elbowing each other for the same positions, right? So people are sort of doing anything they can to gain a competitive edge.”
Local plastic surgeon Navin Singh told Montgomery he’s seeing people come in for “tune-ups,” such as Botox or filler, before new LinkedIn headshots.
“All these people are really wanting to make sure that they look as young and as fresh and as hireable as possible before they take their headshots and send in the resumes to these jobs,” Montgomery said.
Though it’s mostly minor adjustments, Montgomery said, some people think surgery has also helped them in the job market.
“One of his clients who got a new government job earlier this year after having been either laid off or what have you, came into Dr. Singh afterwards and said, ‘I think my facelift is the thing that got me hired,'” Montgomery said.
But other clients have been pulling back on some less expensive services because of the cost. Some people who have been laid off or furloughed during the government shutdown have asked to slow down on Botox or similar services, while others are using the downtime to get a big procedure they have been saving up for or wanting for a while.
People are also seeking out stylists to help make sure their personal branding represents them well. Image consultant Robin Fisher, who works with women executives in the area, told Montgomery many have been coming to her to make sure they are presenting themselves as professionally as they can. Some still have their jobs, and others are trying to reposition themselves for private sector jobs.
Watch our full interview with Montgomery on our streaming-exclusive show, Federal Workforce Fallout, Monday night at 7 p.m. Download the free app, WUSA9+, on your smart TV to catch every episode.