About Us Join as a Professional
Contact Us
Professionals UK United Kingdom Bedfordshire Belfast Berkshire Birmingham Bristol Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cardiff Cheshire Chester Devon Edinburgh Essex Glasgow Hampshire Hertfordshire Kent Lancashire Leeds Liverpool London Manchester Newcastle Nottingham Oxfordshire Sheffield Surrey Sussex Warwickshire Yorkshire Europe Amsterdam Berlin Brussels Dublin Ireland Madrid Milan Monaco Paris Stockholm Zurich United States Chicago Los Angeles Miami New York San Diego San Francisco San Jose Texas United Arab Emirates Dubai
Categories
  • {{ category.title }}

Please select category on the left first.

If you cannot find what you are looking for or if you have a very specific enquiry, please use our "Send Enquiry" feature.

{{ category | displayCategoryName }}
{{ child.name }}

Showing results in {{ selectedLocation.name }}

Suggestions
  • {{ suggestion.name }}
Categories
  • {{ category.name }}
Suggestions
  • {{ suggestion.name }}
Professionals
Public users
Companies
Articles
Locations
  • {{ locationSuggestion.name }}
There are no results for {{ query }}
Articles & Events Posts
Request a Service
About Us Join as a Professional
Contact Us
Professionals UK United Kingdom Bedfordshire Belfast Berkshire Birmingham Bristol Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cardiff Cheshire Chester Devon Edinburgh Essex Glasgow Hampshire Hertfordshire Kent Lancashire Leeds Liverpool London Manchester Newcastle Nottingham Oxfordshire Sheffield Surrey Sussex Warwickshire Yorkshire Europe Amsterdam Berlin Brussels Dublin Ireland Madrid Milan Monaco Paris Stockholm Zurich United States Chicago Los Angeles Miami New York San Diego San Francisco San Jose Texas United Arab Emirates Dubai
Categories
  • {{ category.title }}

Please select category on the left first.

If you cannot find what you are looking for or if you have a very specific enquiry, please use our "Send Enquiry" feature.

{{ category | displayCategoryName }}
{{ child.name }}

Showing results in {{ selectedLocation.name }}

Suggestions
  • {{ suggestion.name }}
Categories
  • {{ category.name }}
Suggestions
  • {{ suggestion.name }}
Professionals
Public users
Companies
Articles
Locations
  • {{ locationSuggestion.name }}
There are no results for {{ query }}
Articles & Events Posts
Request a Service
14.07.2025

I put makeup on - just for Zoom. Not because I lacked confidence.

poster-image
Tina Rahman, HR Habitat

I put makeup on - just for Zoom. Not because I…

twitter icon
I put makeup on - just for Zoom.
Not because I lacked confidence. But because I knew what they might think.

It was back-to-back Zoom calls all day.

I was home.

Still working.

Still sharp.

Dressed in my usual over-the-top formal suits.

But halfway through the day, I stepped away.

I took my makeup off. I paused to pray.

And then I realised -

One more Zoom meeting.

I was in a predicament.

To put makeup back on, or not to?

I went to the mirror. I thought about not bothering.

But then I thought-

Will they think I’ve let myself go?

Will they assume I’m tired, dishevelled, not quite ‘on it’?

Will I look... unprofessional?

I don't always wear makeup.

I'm confident to leave my home without it.

But this wasn’t about confidence.

This was about perception.

Leadership bias.

Appearance bias.

Gender bias.

Because here’s the truth-

A man in that meeting could show up unshaven, tired, hoodie on, zero judgment.

But a woman without makeup?

Suddenly she “looks ill”

“She must be run down”

“Maybe she’s not managing.”

Even women have this perception!

This isn’t a post about makeup.

It’s a post about the performance of professionalism...

And how women still have to look the part to be trusted as leaders.

And the worst part?
We internalise it.
We adapt.
We conform.

Even when we’ve earned the right not to.

So here’s the question-

↳ If you saw me on Zoom that day, no makeup, still in a suit, still giving strategic advice

Would your perception shift?

↳ Are we really assessing competence or falling for polished confidence?

↳ And are your leadership expectations rooted in results, or appearance?

👋🏽 𝗛𝗶, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮, 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗥 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁.
𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗥 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼.
𝗪𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

𝗠𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲.

📅 Book a consultation with me:
https://lnkd.in/eSXgRSX5

🧭 Test your leadership style – are you a Labyrinth or a Leader?
https://lnkd.in/eguiG_pU


 
  • HR Compliance
  • Leadership & Management
  • Manager Development
  • HR & Legal advice
  • employment advice
poster-image
Tina Rahman HR Habitat

Founder of HR Habitat, award winner of "Best HR & Employment Law Consultancy, 2024" title. As featured in BBC Oline, BBC Asian Network Radio, Telegraph & more. 
Follow us for more articles and posts direct from professionals on      
Tax, Accountant, SmallBusiness

Are you prepared for Making Tax Digital (MTD)?
On 6th April 2026, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self-Assessment officially commenced. But what does this…
Raman Sandhu, FCCA
Raman Sandhu, FCCA
Paradox...
Tax, Payments, Accounting, Bookkeeping

Keeping your financial records up to date!
Behind on your bookkeeping? We can provide an organised clean up service to make sure your financial affairs are…
Paradox...
Paradox...
Accountant
Call Answering, Virtual Reception

Stop Letting Missed Calls Cost You Business
Picture this. You’re about to see a client. Or a patient. You’ve just settled into the consultation, the treatment has…
Kenneth Pote
Kenneth Pote
The VA Team

More Articles
Information Technology

Save up to 75% with CST Cloud
Save up to 75% with CST Cloud Running traditional infrastructure is expensive. Between hardware,…
Mansel Way
Mansel Way
Central Support...
IT, Laptops, Business Services

RAM Supply Update - Impact on laptops & Desktops
RAM Supply Update - Impact on laptops & Desktops We, at https://cst.co.uk/ wanted to make you…
Mansel Way
Mansel Way
Central Support...
AI, TechTek, Automation

Unlocking Value with AI & Automation: How TechTek...
In every organisation, there are dozens of tasks that drain time, require manual effort, or rely on legacy systems that…
Hammad Afridi
Hammad Afridi
TechTek.io

Would you like to promote an article ?

Post articles and opinions on Birmingham Professionals to attract new clients and referrals. Feature in newsletters.
Join for free today and upload your articles for new contacts to read and enquire further.