Many thanks to all who sent comments on the question three weeks ago from a woman who believes her height4'6"has been holding her back at work. Cathie M. Currie, Ph.D., a social cognitive psychologist in New York City, sent a list of suggestions that, she says, "apply to all women," not just diminutive ones. Five tips that may help:  1) Consider a voice coach. "Many women, and some short people (and tall ones too), have thin or high-pitched voices," notes Curriebut in business settings, deeper voices often get a fairer hearing. "It can be difficult to change your voice without a coach, since we can't actually hear the way we sound to others," writes Currie. If you go this route, she says, work on voice projection, too: "Speaking loudly is not the same as projecting, which can be quiet and effectiveand much better than needing a microphone."  2) Don't end sentences on an upward note that makes them sound like questions. "Men rarely do this, but many women do," Currie says. "Not good. If you're not sure of what you're saying, why should anyone else be?"  3) Avoid using the verb "to feel", as in, "I feel we should..." Says Currie: "Let's get real here. Feelings are for loved ones and group therapy, not for business decisions."  4) In meetings, hold something in your hand, even if it's only a pen. "Who knows why, but substantial research shows that a woman with an object in her hand is perceived as more powerful than one who is empty-handed," Currie says. "The joke among psychologists is that the subconscious sees the object as a weapon." Yikes.  5) Don't "mother" the group. "When 60% or more of the men at our rank have passed the coffee, opened the milk container, gone out in the hall to see why the copies haven't arrived yet, or similar tasks," says Currie, "then it's our turn to do itbut not before."  A reader named Ilya W., who is "just under 5 feet tall, and 10 years into a successful career in communications," adds that she once told a job interviewer that she feared her small stature prevented people from taking her seriously, at least initially: "He smiled and told me that his wife, an Asian woman, is even smaller than I, but when she enters a room she is always the most noticed. He said it was all about the attitude. Since then, I've adopted an attitude that's bigger than I am. I always think 5'7" in my head, and hope that others see me that way!"  On another recent topicwhether to list all of one's computer skills on a resume or just the ones that are directly relevant to a given jobAlison Taylor, an electronic marketing manager at Albertsons, recommends listing everything. "When someone has listed a bunch of programs I've never heard of, what this tells me as a hiring manager is that the person has intellectual curiosity and is probably a fast learner," she writes. "My experience is that curiosity about software packages is a strong indicator that the candidate will likely be eager to explore software that will help him or her to work more productivelyand who doesn't want more productive team members?" Good point.  Now, one more thought about the interview question everyone loves to hate: "What's your greatest weakness?" Writes Michael E.: "What can we do to get employers to ask more sensible questions? We come to an interview not as supplicants begging for work but as adults who have something the employer wants, i.e., a certain skill set to perform a job the employer needs to have done. We should not have to play silly interview games." Hear, hear. He adds: "Perhaps the best answer to the question 'What is your greatest weakness?' is, 'Please, may we discuss what I can do to help your company achieve its goals, and by doing so achieve mine as well?' It seems this would be a more professional and efficient way to conduct an interview." I couldn't agree more.  getting a laugh in somewhere in the interview is key.  I'm a 5'3" woman with my own image consultancy. I had been in a networking group for a year and someone in the group stood beside me one day and with surprise said, "I didn't know you were so short - you always sound tall. I fully agree with the voice strategies Ms. Currie has suggested. In addition, I have coached may shorter women and men on how to appear taller. High heeled shoes and platforms aside, there are many techniques such as wearing one colour from head to toe, making sure that your hose/socks match or blend well with your shoes and pants or skirts, wearing interesting accessories high on the body and making sure that your jackets/tops are the correct porportion for your vertical proportion. This does not always mean that you should wear a shorter jacket because for some women with long legs, it will make them look more childlike. Darker colours worn with high contrast colours will portray a powerful message while mid tones will make you more approachable. Tailored clothing,
A psychologist reveals how to counteract stereotypes. Also, more on which computer skills to include on a resume, and on the What's your greatest weakness? question.