How Physical Appearance Influences Career Success - Essay Example

How Looks Influence Career Success Beauty plays a significant role when it comes to employment and job promotion. People may not openly accept this fact but their actions tell otherwise. It is believed that one climbs the ladder of success because of their credentials and talent. However, this is not always true. Physical appearance manipulates the decisions executives make in hiring and retaining staff. People subconsciously believe that attractive people are happier and more social than those who are unattractive (Dion et al, 2009). These traits give them an advantage in succeeding because they bring out positive energy. Human Resource Managers are likely to recruit people who trigger productivity in a company. Since beauty lead to such accomplishment, it is presumed that physical appeal gives a competitive edge to an industry. Physical attraction affects female employees more than it does their male counterparts. Women are concerned about their weight because they do not want to be less appealing. Men do not feel the same. Statistics show that women who wear makeup are more likely to be hired than those who do not. Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist confirms that women spend a lot of time and energy working on their skin so that they can have an added advantage during job interviews. This shows that women are aware that they get judged by their looks in their job search. They strive to maintain an attractive, youthful appearance because their credibility will be measured with their looks. Debra’s client claimed that she was fired, after working with her company for 17 years because she did not look as young as before (Madell, 2015). She was in her early 50s, more desperate to look for effective skin products that will conceal her wrinkles before she re-enters the job market. The emphases on beauty are too much that the surgical business is booming. People go as far as fixing small features on their faces so that they would achieve the ideal look. In the United States, movie characters are given roles according to their looks. The less attractive actors are given bad characters while the beautiful actors play the starring roles. The trend has been in place for over six decades. These are movies which have brought high returns. There is so much pressure on actors to maintain a stunning look that they cannot walk to the grocery shop without putting on makeup. It takes a single photograph from the paparazzi to destroy their image. It is common sense for actors to maintain their looks because their jobs depend on their appearance. The same applies to a sales team. There is no company that would want to be represented by people who cannot attract the market. However, the inclination affects all sectors of the corporate world. People who do not look good are considered carefree (Watkins & Johnston, 2000). How one presents him or herself speaks about his or her work. Beauty exudes confidence. Consequently, beautiful candidates get an upper hand. When one walks into a job interview, the interviewee is first judged by their appearance. If two smart people are competing for a similar position, the more attractive candidate is most like to secure the job. A good illustration is the job interview for laboratory work. Individuals present pictures as an application for the job. It is those who are physically attractive that get hired. Even though such bias should not exist, there is little than can be done to save the situation. There are no laws such as discrimination against race or gender to protect the less attractive from such prejudices. Physical attraction affects all cultures. The stereotypes beauty will trample over others. It is more prevalent in women that it is in men. A study was held in two distinct cultures, the USA, which is individualist and to the Indians who are viewed as collectivists (Wheeler & Kim, 2007). The findings showed that physical attraction puts one in a better position. Beauty is an asset that women from all backgrounds strive to achieve and maintain. However, it has its limits because it can work for one’s good up to a certain extent. Beauty does not always work in favour of the attractive. Priya Sharma heads the marketing department in Recruitorbox (Madell, 2015). She witnessed attractive women lose out on opportunities because their superiors did not want competition. They were short-listed because their recruitment would hamper the growth of their supervisors who did not want to lose their positions. There is one reporter who dresses to look older when she meets clients. If she were to appear youthful, her clients would not take her serious. As much as beauty is an added advantage, when one is too attractive, they are associated with underperformance (Cash et al, 2005). Physical beauty is a sword that cuts both sides. They can trigger work-jealousy or a view of being unproductive. A bank disciplined their employees because of unethical conduct. The penalty depended on the looks of employees. Those who were more attractive received a harsher punishment than those who were not. The less attractive staff was considered to have blundered because of poor luck. Similarly, positions that were traditionally held by men are offered to the less attractive women. Physical beauty in females is considered a feminine trait. However, since the position requires masculine characteristics, it is offered to the less attractive. Women have to be smart when using their physical beauty to gain an advantage (Snyder, 2004). The idea is not to overdo it. If one works into an interview looking like a supermodel, there is likelihood that she will lose out on the job. She will not get hired because she poses a threat. Even more significant, she will be seen as a non-performer. Unless one is walking to a modelling agency, it is safe to keep the attractiveness mild. One should not give the impression that it is all about the looks. That is not what the executives are primarily looking for. One has to be the full package. Castillo, professional in the media industry states, “I say dress and act for the job you want,” to urge her audience that it is about the right combination. If one is searching for a managerial job, it would be proper to conceal tattoos that have discoloured his or her body. The tattoos are a misrepresentation of the career he or she wants to venture (Huffcutt, 2011). How one presents him or herself surpasses looks. Executives are also looking for the right attitude needed for a particular job; therefore, how one brands him or herself will affect the job interview. Therefore, even though one qualifies for the ideal beauty and dresses appropriately for the job they seek possessing the complete package will determine success in their career (Campbell et al, 2003). References Campbell, J.P., McCloy, R.A., Oppler, S.H. & Sager, C.E. (2003). Personnel selection in organisations. In N. Schmitt, & W. C. Borman, A theory of performance (pp. 35–70). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cash, T.F., Gillen, B. & Burns, D. S. (2005). Sexism and beautyism in personnel consultant decision making. Journal of Applied Psychology, pp. 301-310. Dion, K.K., Berscheid, E. & Walster, E. (2009). What is beautiful is what is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, pp. 285-290. Huffcutt, A.I. (2011). An empirical review of the employment interview construct literature. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, pp. 62–81. Madell, R. (2015, March 14). career intelligence corporation, viewed March 14, 2015, from . Snyder, M. (2004). Self-monitoring of expressive behaviour. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , pp. 526–537. Watkins, L.M. & Johnston, L. (2000). Screening Job Applicants: The Impact of Physical Attractiveness and Application Quality. International Journal of Selection and Assessment , pp. 76-84. Wheeler, L. & Kim, Y. (2007). The physical attractiveness stereotype has different content in collectivist cultures. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , pp. 795-800. Read More