A Malaysian woman recently took to Threads to candidly share her frustrations with job hunting—and her personal belief about why her career advancement has hit a wall.
In the post, user @lidyaa_una revealed that despite holding a degree and accumulating 12 years of work experience, her salary has yet to reach RM4,000.
She expressed feeling undervalued and underpaid, especially considering the level of responsibility she holds in her current company.
“I’m 32, a degree holder with 12 years of experience—and yet, my salary hasn’t even hit RM4,000.
“Honestly, I feel underpaid, especially since I handle most of the company’s operations.”
She described herself as highly versatile and capable of multitasking—qualities that many employers actively look for.
However, she believes that one thing continues to hold her back: her physical appearance.
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“I’m extremely versatile and capable of multitasking, but I can’t help but feel that my physical appearance and not-so-attractive face have made it harder for me to land better opportunities elsewhere.
“So here I am—stuck at the same company for years, just trying to get by.”
In the comment section, she further explained that she has gone for multiple interviews, only to face the same outcomes: being offered a lower salary or not receiving any callback at all.
“I’ve been to several interviews already. Either I get offered a much lower salary, or I don’t get called at all.”
One particularly disheartening experience stuck with her—a company reportedly rejected her due to her weight.
“I don’t know—some companies really do judge based on physical appearance. I was once rejected because I was considered overweight—my BMI was too high.”
@lidyaa_una’s story raises an important question: does someone’s appearance matter a lot in today’s job market?
READ MORE: M’sian woman questions “Why must job interviews be in English?
