The Green Lipstick
18 years ago, when I was looking for my first job at a bank, the HR person put a green lipstick in front of me and asked me to do something unexpected.
My name is Sophia. I was 22, freshly graduated, and desperately looking for my first real job. I had applied to dozens of banks and finally got an interview at a well-known branch.
The interview started normally — questions about my education, experience, and why I wanted to work there. Then the HR manager, a stern woman in her 50s, suddenly reached into her drawer and placed a bright green lipstick on the table in front of me.
She looked me straight in the eyes and said:
“Put this on.”
I blinked in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“Put the lipstick on,” she repeated calmly. “Right now.”
I was nervous and embarrassed, but I didn’t want to ruin my chances. So I took the lipstick and applied it. The color was awful on me — a loud, unnatural green that made me look ridiculous.
The HR manager stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.
“Good. You can wipe it off now.”
I cleaned my lips, feeling completely confused and a little humiliated.
She then explained:
“We do this test with every young female candidate. Most women refuse or get angry. Some cry. Very few actually do it. The ones who do it without arguing are usually the ones who can handle difficult clients, follow instructions under pressure, and stay professional even when something feels wrong or uncomfortable.”
She smiled for the first time.
“You passed. Welcome to the team.”
I got the job.
Years later, I realized how flawed and problematic that “test” was. It was manipulative and had nothing to do with actual job skills. But at the time, as a nervous 22-year-old who really needed the job, I did what I thought I had to do.
That green lipstick moment taught me two important lessons:
- Sometimes you have to do uncomfortable things to get what you want in life.
- But you should never let anyone make you feel small or ridiculous just to prove your “professionalism.”
I stayed at that bank for six years and eventually moved on to better opportunities. I never forgot that green lipstick.
And whenever I see a young woman nervous in an interview, I remember that moment and make sure to treat her with the respect I wish I had been given.
Some tests are not about competence. They’re about power.
And sometimes, the real strength is knowing when to walk away from them.
