gulp

When You Land the Job Interview, Should the Ring Come Off?
Posted by Sara Schaefer Muñoz

Should women applying for jobs take off their engagement or wedding rings? When we posted about a study that showed employers still screen résumés for mommy status, some Juggle posters said they’d think twice about making a reference to their children in their CVs, and they’d consider slipping off the wedding ring, as well.

I was shocked — until I remembered I had done the same thing with my engagement ring. Several years ago, during my engagement to my husband, I applied to the Journal. On the way to the bureau where I had my interview — in the midst of checking my résumé over dozens of times for typos — I weighed whether or not to remove my ring. On the one hand, I felt ridiculous for even considering it — thinking that in this day and age it shouldn’t matter. On the other hand, I really wanted that job. I had no idea about the office culture and I didn’t want anyone making assumptions — however unreasonable — about my commitment to the position. Before getting on the elevator, I slipped the ring into my pocket.

I can say now I’m sure it wouldn’t have mattered. It turned out that many in the office were married with kids. They sold Girl Scout cookies and discussed Halloween costumes. Editors oohed and aahed over my wedding photos and, later, regaled me with parenting books and name suggestions when I was pregnant. Looking back, I felt that the ring-removal had been absurd.

But the recent comments suggest I wasn’t alone in my concerns. Has any other woman — or man! — considered this? Have you known some employers to flinch when they see a wedding or engagement ring? Or was your decision based upon your own — possibly unfounded — concerns?

Here's where it gets fun, the comments section. I've cut and pasted a few that I found to be the most interesting but you can go here (http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2007/02/27/when-you-land-the-job-interview-should-the-ring-come-off/trackback/ ) to read it all for yourself...

Yep, I take my wedding ring off and substitute a different ring. When I was engaged I took that off. In the cutthroat world of law, you don’t want to give them any excuse.
Comment by Jennifer - February 27, 2007 at 10:12 am

I used to never wear my rings to any interviews, and I actually felt like it hurt me. In my field (law), a lot of employers want to be reassured that you are committed to staying in the city you are living in, particularly if you aren’t originally from the area. Wearing a ring and, if it comes up, letting them know that you have a spouse employed in the same city, seems to reassure them that you’re not planning on going anywhere. For that reason, I keep my ring on during all interviews now.
Comment by Toiler - February 27, 2007 at 11:51 am

*A consideration for some of my friends has been the size of the diamonds in their engagement rings. They may wear a simple band during the interview process, and (especially) for the interview to discuss salary. Once they’ve been hired The Rock comes back out.
Comment by Lisa - February 27, 2007 at 11:55 am

I am a formerly practicing attorney and now a headhunter for lawyers. As a woman, I would like to think that the world has advanced. Unfortunately, some law school contemporaries, now partners in various places have said to me, in unguarded moments, that they still prefer men associates to women because of the whole child rearing issue. Appealing to abstract ideals of gender equality don’t generally work. I do my best to push these guys in the right direction with arguments that clients increasingly require diversity in their attorneys and that one has to take advantage of all available talent, look at a longer term investment horizon when it comes to making hiring decisions. A guy with a wedding ring and a newborn, can sucessfully use that fact to show that, although he has changed jobs a great deal and has a less than conventional resume– now he has settled down and is, for the prospective employer, a good long term investment. A woman, with that same picture, would be regarded as a higher risk of leaving the workplace unless MAYBE she could somehow get into the picture that she had a husband with an unstable income. I have never counseled anyone–whether male or female–to remove their wedding or engagement rings for purposes of an interview. Troubling thought is that maybe I should.
Comment by Talent Scout - February 27, 2007 at 11:58 am


I can understand the apprehension felt by people who have traditionally be discriminated against because of their status. In my opinion it is dishonest to begin a relationship by “flying a false flag”. If the company your interviewing with puts that much stock in you being single they may not be worth working for. You also need to ask yourself, if you’ll take your ring off for an interview what else will you take it off for?
Honesty and integrity are worth more than money or the convenience of the moment.
Comment by Stephen Landes - February 27, 2007 at 12:10 pm

I think that the way a resume reads is more important than what is one your finger. A woman doesn’t go and get an MBA, CFA, CPA, etc. if they plan on becoming a stay at home mom. If they then have children and staying home is what works for their family, then that is another story, but I think you can judge someone’s commitment to a field or job by what they’ve sacrificed to get there.
Comment by KrisP - February 27, 2007 at 4:55 pm


I always thought it best to wear my ring to interviews. To the women it (the nice rock) states I’ve at least accomplished that. To the men it (the rock) states, I’m there to work, I know how to get what I want and I’m off limits. Bottom line, diamond rings get respect. I think both sexes are more comfortable when women have rings..
Comment by MarriedWomen - February 27, 2007 at 4:27 pm

Wow! Fascinating stuff. I can't wait to see how the rest of this thread develops