Sister, JOBS AND HIJABS - How far would you go...

[UK2Dubai]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

Dear Sisters...

How many of you work, or have applied for jobs, wearing hijab? What has been your experience at interview?

I ask because I know it's not easy, in my experience. I'm currently living near Dubai, coming from London, 6 months ago. In my previous job as PA for a London city management consultancy firm, al7amdulillah I was lucky enough to revert and then wear the hijab, a month later, in my company with no problem. However, I think the fact that I was working them for over a year pre-reversion that helped the great acceptance of the hijab.

However, I want to come back to the UK in a few years insha'Allah, with my husband, and I'm thinking about how it's going to be going to interviews wearing hijab, especially for any city job. Should I speak to someone in HR before going for interview? It's sad, but unfortunately there is a lot of judging a book by its cover. And with the job situation in the UK being pretty poor, the competition is hot.

Even here in Dubai, an Islamic country, sisters with hijab find it hard to obtain a decent position - unbelievable.

Anyway, your thoughts would be really helpful and I appreciate all your comments.

JazakAllah

Assalamu alaikum

[cat eyes]

sis ive applied for trainee management positions with no luck:unhappy: when they saw my experience on my c.v they were delighted however when they saw me with my veil it was a whole different story.

[cat eyes]

my friend who is currently studying about islam and not yet reverted and is married had applied at a cosmetic's company and had got the management job:'( they hired so many non muslims she said id get it if id remove my veil i said id never do that inshaAllah i will get also i trust on Allah and i think thats what keeps me patient

[tresbien]

Leave provision to ALLAH.Just be armed with piety and certainty.Think of how to spend u day in Allah obedience and how to win his reward.Say to u self what i have done to day.Did i pray on time, did i read quran.did i do dirk.duid i put smile on the lips of those around me.did i visit a patient .did i make an orphan or poor happy.did i do my job properly.in two years time will i learn Quran.
Rizk is ensured but the best one is to a be good muslimah and alhamdulliah inchllah u are.

[muslimah_81]

I started wearing the hijab about 3 months ago. Before I started wearing the hijab I went for an interview. Unfortunately due to personal problems I couldnt take the job at the time.
Recently a relation of the person who I had the interview with told me that the company was still looking to fill the position. I informed them that I now wore the hijab and all of a sudden the position was filled
And this company was owned by a muslim.

[tresbien]

Muslimah do not worry.ALLAH tests you.Bear patience .After hardship comes ease.Look those under you to realise how lucky u are millions.May ALLAH grants us halal permanant job that will distract us from worshipping him and celebrating his remembrance.THere is no power but Allah.
Concerning the owners of company, profit comes first.All think of their interest and not all are good believers.

[zakirs]

sis ive applied for trainee management positions with no luck when they saw my experience on my c.v they were delighted however when they saw me with my veil it was a whole different story.

Even here in Dubai, an Islamic country, sisters with hijab find it hard to obtain a decent position - unbelievable.

Anyway, your thoughts would be really helpful and I appreciate all your comments.

May Allah help you sisters find a job soon .

[muslimah_81]

Muslimah do not worry.ALLAH tests you.Bear patience .After hardship comes ease.Look those under you to realise how lucky u are millions.May ALLAH grants us halal permanant job that will distract us from worshipping him and celebrating his remembrance.THere is no power but Allah.
Concerning the owners of company, profit comes first.All think of their interest and not all are good believers.

JazakhAllah for your kind words.
I believe Allah will provide for me InshaAllah as he has always done till now Alhumdulilah and yes you are right I just have to be patient

[Rabi'ya]

sister

Personally I do not think you will encounter too many problems. If anything people will be curious. They may ask questions but not in a bad way. Just inquisitive. I work for Social Services and they did ask me about my hijab in the interview, but it was more from a health and safety perspective. I told them I can just tuck it in my top and voila....no problemo.

Inshallah if your character is strong and you are confident in your manner, then you will most certainly succeed at your interview inshallah. Dont feel shy or timid but imagine you are no different from any others.

Oooh, hope I can ask a little question, do u wear scarf or full face covering?Either way should be no probelm inshallah

Hope that helped a little

[Mysterious Uk]

I've been worryng about this quiet recently too,i never give my scarf a second thought because it is part of me.. but my dad thinks it will be a problem. If i went to interviews and stuff would they see my scarf and maybe hesitate to hire me? Guess there is no point dwelling on it really, there is nothing i can do. If we get a job- good, if not- try again.

[Hamza Asadullah]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

Dear Sisters...

How many of you work, or have applied for jobs, wearing hijab? What has been your experience at interview?

I ask because I know it's not easy, in my experience. I'm currently living near Dubai, coming from London, 6 months ago. In my previous job as PA for a London city management consultancy firm, al7amdulillah I was lucky enough to revert and then wear the hijab, a month later, in my company with no problem. However, I think the fact that I was working them for over a year pre-reversion that helped the great acceptance of the hijab.

However, I want to come back to the UK in a few years insha'Allah, with my husband, and I'm thinking about how it's going to be going to interviews wearing hijab, especially for any city job. Should I speak to someone in HR before going for interview? It's sad, but unfortunately there is a lot of judging a book by its cover. And with the job situation in the UK being pretty poor, the competition is hot.

Even here in Dubai, an Islamic country, sisters with hijab find it hard to obtain a decent position - unbelievable.

Anyway, your thoughts would be really helpful and I appreciate all your comments.

JazakAllah

Assalamu alaikum

Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, my sister don't worry about what the world says or how it percieves you because it is not between them and you and it never was. For it is ONLY between you and Allah and your reward is with Allah!

My sister this world is but a few hours and then we will return to Allah! Rememeber that our employer is Allah for it is his will whatever job we get so have FULL hope,reliance,trust and faith in him and do things in the right way and supplicate to him sincerely and whatever is best for you will happen inshallah!

So let us hold our heads up high and be proud of who we are and our identity so that others can look and be inspired to look into Islam aswell so that Allah may open their hearts to the truth!

Here is a short poem i found from a new Muslimah who wanted to express how proud she was wearing the hijaab:

As i get ready to go into the outside world
I look in the mirror
What do i see?
My beauty
Then i slip on the hijab
why?
I cover my outer beauty
So you take a look at my inner beauty
I step into the cruel and unjust society
of this "free" country
i look at avoiding eyes and stares
i hear whispering from every side
i think to myself "i am not here to please everyone"
i am here to please Allah
then i hold my head with the hijab high
Allah has chosen this jihad for me to overcome
yes this is my jihad

[UK2Dubai]

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

Thank you all for your replies, each one appreciated.

I think it's a valid reality that it is tougher for those of us that wear hijab, especially in certain sectors where we have to meet customers or clients; and employers simply want something pretty that can 'take a letter'. We have to fight our corner harder than others to convey our professionalism - as if wearing a hijab has the letter D on it for Dunce - or T for terrorist. Oh and another thing... "why are you applying for the job? (question posed by interviewer..) "because I'm a PA... and no, that doesn't stand for politically active, it means I'm a personal assistant"!!!!!)

Anyway, I will try to be optimistically realistic and simply try and try again. Insha'Allah I'm going to start looking for a job here in Dubai with some of the western companies in the new year, so we'll see what happens then and I'll keep you posted.

Answers to two comments: My father thinks the same way, thinks wearing hijab will be harder for me to get a new job. And no, I just wear hijab, not full face veil.

Al7amdulillah, the reversion process was made easy, and I know that Allah swt never burdens us with more than we can carry.

May Allah swt make it easy for us.

Assalamu alaikum

[transition?]

what about sisters who wear jilbaab/abaya.

[transition?]

Surah al Mulk

20. Who is he besides the Most Beneficent that can be an army to you to help you? The disbelievers are in nothing but delusion.

21. Who is he that can provide for you if He should withhold His provision? Nay, but they continue to be in pride, and (they) flee (from the truth).

[Musaafirah]

I wear a jilbab and hijab. I had no problems with interview first time round for my placement and coz they now know me and all, I'm back at the same place I trained in with my degree and all.
Alhamdulillah they've got facilities for prayer and enough breaks to cover the prayer times and all.
For each job interview I have had, I've got the jobs (Talking from when I had my first job, just for the experience)
Thing is, it's not a City job... Am just working for the NHS, so don't know if that's got anything to do with me being accepted and all.

[cat eyes]

the chances of getting a job are even more slim if your wearing a burka you see they want those people who will suit the company who anybody male of female can approach in other words they want somebody plastered in make up and skirt and tights. just being nice is not enough anymore or having a masters degree you have to look the part and thats the reality then we have places like hotels and fast food buisness its all about the hygeine!

[cat eyes]

I wear a jilbab and hijab. I had no problems with interview first time round for my placement and coz they now know me and all, I'm back at the same place I trained in with my degree and all.
Alhamdulillah they've got facilities for prayer and enough breaks to cover the prayer times and all.
For each job interview I have had, I've got the jobs (Talking from when I had my first job, just for the experience)
Thing is, it's not a City job... Am just working for the NHS, so don't know if that's got anything to do with me being accepted and all.

yeah they need staff for NHS all the time you see

[Rabi'ya]

sis Ar-rayyan I work as a care assistant(not even as qualified as a social worker lol) anyway, i wear jilbab out of work and when i started there they wanted me to wear the uniform which is a tunic and black trousers. I was really hesitant but we were really in need of me having a job at the time. I took the placement and within a few weeks they deicded to change the uniform colour. We all needed to order new tunics. I asked if I could order a long sleeved one(or have one made in the right colour.) they agreed straight away and the tunic i know wear is, loose, long sleeved and goes below my knees, then i wear baggy black trousers underneath. so alhamdulillah it is almost like wearing jilbab anyway, except I would never buy a jilbab in sky blue lol

alhamdulillah if you are sincere in your intention and make sure you pray istikhara, Allah will provide for you. Before we had the new uniforms I wore the short sleeved tunic but wore a long sleeved top underneath, It was swealtering but alhamdulillah I have been rewarded for it. Allah knows our intentions and makes things easy for us.

Just have sincere intention and pray always. Allah will make it easy for you when it is a good intention.

[Donia]

MashAllah.
This is a great thread. I really needed to read something like this.
JazakAllah for starting it.

Brother Hamza, Salaamu alaikum. That was an excellent reply and it made perfect sense to me alhumdulillah. If I knew how to give rep points, I would give you some.

This topic has been something I have really been concerned about and reading the replies and knowing that other sisters share the same concerns has put me at ease some. Alhumdulillah.

[Danah]

Even here in Dubai, an Islamic country, sisters with hijab find it hard to obtain a decent position - unbelievable.

Unfortunately that's very true, but to be more accurate. Sisters who wear niqab are the most effected by that.

May Allah grant you and me a good job sis!