A distraught mum thought her job interview could be 'a game show prank' when her potential employer allegedly told her she was incapable of doing the role because she is a woman.
Aaaaand cue Ashton Kutcher's grand entrance...
Or maybe not - this was absolutely not an episode of Punk'd. Rosamund Allen, 22, claims this happened to her during a job interview which left her in tears afterwards.
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The mum-of-two had been invited for an interview with Stevens Belting Ltd in Soham, Cambridgeshire, last month but says that she was told she wouldn't be able to fit conveyor belts and therefore enjoy bonuses 'because [she's] a woman' and she wouldn't be able to go out on jobs.
After having two children and returning to college, Rosamund was desperate to get back to work but claims she was disheartened after being told she was 'physically weaker' than male candidates.
![Rosamund Allen claims she was left in tears when she was told she wouldn't be able to get the job 'because [she's] a woman'.](https://images.ladbible.com/resize?type=webp&quality=70&width=3840&fit=contain&gravity=auto&url=https://s3-images.ladbible.com/s3/content/a6bc92c05bea540ea8c98a3db10a4070.jpg)
Despite being trained in electrical installations, Rosamund was left feeling like she 'should have just done hair and beauty at college like the other girls'.
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The male interviewer reportedly told her he 'didn't realise she was a woman' prior to her arriving and that she wouldn't be allowed on site as a woman even if she got the job.
Are we in 2018 or am I just really early to the party?!
Rosamund repeatedly contacted Stevens Belting Ltd to ask them what the outcome for the interview was and complain about the alleged comments, but the company has reportedly ignored her.
Rosamund, from Petersborough, Cambridgeshire, said: "The second I stepped off that property, I burst into tears. I said to my husband I should have just done hair and beauty at college like the other girls - maybe then I'd have a job.
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"The interviewer kept repeating that he didn't know I was a woman. I think they thought Rosamund was a man's name. This is the only company that got back to me so far and it was only because they thought I was a man.
"I felt like I was being pranked on a game-show, honestly. I was so distraught."
Rosamund studied for her Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations after being a stay-at-home-mum to her two children.
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When she arrived on site for her interview, the employee allegedly continued to give her 'a weird look' and seemed confused that she was at the interview.
Rosamund said: "I walked over and said, 'Hello, I'm Rosamund. I'm here from an interview.' I'd been applying for loads of different jobs and this was my first interview. I was really excited to get in there.
"The guy said, 'Oh, I didn't know you were a woman. Well, come with me.' He led me off into the office but from the get-go he kept looking at me all confused. He said, 'I don't think my boss knew you were a woman either.'
"That threw me but I tried to power through and smile. He didn't really seem that interested in asking me any questions at all in the interview.
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"He sat there and just talked about himself a bit then gave me a very, very brief description of the job, then went on to ask me about why I didn't have anything on my résumé job-wise. I said in passing that I'd decided to have a child, then I went to college and got my qualifications.
"I was trying to make the point that I am qualified for this and so he looked back at my CV and said, 'Are you sure that you would want this job? You seem a bit overqualified.' This is something I want to do - obviously, or I wouldn't have gone to college."
She was also reportedly asked if her children would make her late for work and if she enjoyed baking. Rosamund said: "The man said as well as working in the workshop manufacturing the conveyor belts, the workers would also be going on site to fit them.
"They get £40 call-out bonus for doing it, then he added, 'But you wouldn't be able to do that because you're a woman.' He told me, 'Because women are physically weaker, you wouldn't be able to lift the equipment.'
"Then he repeated that a couple of different ways, basically saying that women are weak, they can't have muscles and that just by looking at me he could tell I wasn't going to be strong enough.
"He said, 'We do have another female member of staff who's downstairs and she's not allowed on site for the same reason.' At the end, he felt the need to ask, 'Do you think your kids are going to come in the way of you getting into work on time?'
"He didn't seem that interested in seeing how well I'd do at the job, it was more about putting me down for being a woman - half discreetly, half quite bluntly. He did show me around afterwards and I tried to ask questions on the off-chance I would get it.
"Before I left, he said he would need to speak with his manager because obviously they 'weren't expecting a woman'. I never heard back from them."
After crying tears of frustration, Rosamund returned home and emailed the company's accounts administrator to express her anger that she was judged on her ability to do the job by her gender.
She has now questioned whether the company carry out tests on their employees to determine their strength. Rosamund said: "This happens quite a lot unfortunately with women in this industry.
"I just couldn't help but think if a skinny man went in for this job, would he turn around and say, 'You look too weak to lift the stuff. Are your kids going to be a problem?'
"I sent an email to say thank you for the opportunity and that I'm sorry the member of staff felt I wouldn't be strong enough to do the job.
"I really tried to power through because I needed the job but they didn't even respond to say, 'I'm sorry he came across that way.' It feels now like they are supporting sexism in the company.
"The ironic thing is they had another lady and she's not allowed on site because she's a woman, yet they had an old man in the shop too and chances are I could lift more than him - especially because I've got two kids that constantly want carrying around."
Despite repeat requests for comment, Stevens Belting Ltd failed to respond.