When is it going to change?

A student puts in years of preparation to finally obtain a college diploma—four years, at least, of classes, exams, group projects and what seems like endless hours of studying, all for a piece of paper that will hopefully lead to a successful job and a fulfilling future. Students have been told that experience, skills and good references are what land the jobs, but with women it’s all a different story.

Most students begin their job hunt during their last semester of college, through interviewing and attending job fairs. For students here at NIU, looking for a post- graduation job, there is Career Planning and Placement to help with resume and interview preparation.

Women who are either married or engaged might be given the advice not to wear their ring to the interviews they have. This is because potential employers might look at a female interviewee differently if she is wearing a ring.

As helpful and well-meaning as this advice is given, and should be taken, it is also a sorry reflection of our society’s attitude toward women.

Despite the fact that it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender, women who go out on interviews wearing their rings still risk losing job opportunities. Our society still looks at men and women differently when it comes to job loyalty and family. Men who come to an interview with a wedding ring on their fingers are looked at as stable and mature, whereas a woman who comes in with an engagement or wedding ring might be seen as an unwise employee choice.

It is not the fault of NIU’s Career Planning and Placement that it would be wiser for women not to wear their wedding or engagement rings to their interviews. It is only looking out for the welfare of the woman looking for a job. That is the job of Career Planning and Placement—it helps place people in jobs at whatever means it takes. It is the fault of our society and its insistence that women would be a high risk in jobs.

Until society decides that women would not be a burden as new employees, women will be forced to keep their fingers bare.