Only for pretty people

I was born and raised in Mexico, I had a mom and a sister, but then my sister left one day to live with my dad. Half of my family lived in Chicago and I was the daughter that did not want to leave Mexico. I stayed there for as long as I could. I graduated as an accountant and became the valedictorian student of my generation. Life seemed promising…in my dreams. Reality was something else. When I applied for jobs so I could stay in Mexico and be an independent woman, nobody would hire me. I had so many interviews and felt like I was getting nowhere. I could not understand why I was not being hired. I was the most important student of my generation for god sake! I went to visit my best friend from college and I found out she was already working in a factory as an accountant. I asked her how she had found a job so quick after graduation and she said, “my boyfriend works in HR and he recommended me”. I did not have a boyfriend so that tip was useless. Although she was not very good in school, I was happy she was working in the field.

She then told me to take new enhanced pictures because employers would only hire pretty people. I almost got offended. In Mexico, back then, there were no online job applications. We would have to go in person and give our resume that had a portrait picture. I was looking at the picture I was presenting on my resume and I actually did not look attractive at all. I am not saying I was the prettiest girl in town, but those black and white pictures did not do any favor for me. I started thinking how ridiculous would it be if employers really only…