Is it obvious to you that looks play a role in who's hired?

Post Reply New Topic

Yes and no.

It really does depend on the setting. If you're applying to be, say, an office manager of some dental office, it doesn't really matter whether you've got Julia Roberts' smile and Jessica Alba's body. All that matters is that you're productive and that you'll get along with people there.

Now if you're trying to get a position as a hostess of a supertrendy restaurant in Malibu, your image will matter. A good rule of thumb is to apply to jobs where you look just as good (if not better) than the audience you accomodate. You're a face of the company (or facet?), and especially with service-oriented "luxury" industries, good looks often mean more rapport established between you and the customer (and more tips).

Also, your image has to be right if that's what the business is based on. If you want to work at Hooters, you'd better have some well-developed twins. If you want to work at a Swedish Embassy, it helps if you're Swedish (a guy with blonde hair and Nordic features will probably get the job over a Japanese person).

People don't just outright judge on looks - otherwise, you'd never see ugly receptionists, teachers, waitresses, etc.

I agree that looks play a large role in many occupations, but I think it goes far beyond that--when employers hire, they subconsciously or consciously ask themselves "does this person look like ---[insert occupation here]?" For example, I know a young, very attractive guy who finished library school with perfect grades, also has a degree in elementary ed, and ton of experience working in the library and teaching children. Yet, he just can't get a job as a school librarian! Why? Well, think. What does the stereotypical school librarian look like? An over-weight, middle-aged woman. He doesn't "look" like a librarian so he can't get the job. Executives tend to be abnormally taller than the average person--why? Because they "look" like executives. The point I am making is that looks aren't just about being attractive--they are about looking like a stereotypical person in your field.