Good looks can make or break your career. While in some jobs, an attractive appearance can help you bag a fat paycheque, there are other jobs where women are passed over because they’re too good looking.
Recently, a study conducted by the University of Texas found that people with above-average looks enjoy the added blessing of earning about 10 per cent more then their plainer coworkers.
Ankita Sharma of Cha Placements feels that a lot depends on the industry and type of job that one is into. She says, “Jobs that require a high amount of interpersonal contact, like hotel managers, front desk personnel, etc., have a higher-than-average concentration of good-looking employees. I’ve seen several employers reject the applications of not-so-appealing candidates. Attractive employees are preferred and perhaps even paid more. This is because the companies in question want their representatives, who are their public face, to look smart and immaculately groomed.”
In contrast to this are the results of another study, which states that attractive women are overlooked for certain non-glamorous jobs in the engineering and research line.
Akriti B., who works for an MNC says, “One of my friends, who is really stylish and attractive, was recently not favoured for the position of ‘director of finance’ of a company as she was perceived as ‘too flamboyant’ and it was felt that her appearance did not go well with the existing eco-system of the company. But it’s unfair that good-looking men never face similar discrimination and are always at an advantage.”
P. V. Guruvayurappan, HR head of Omega Healthcare Services, feels that the gender and looks bias are passé in today’s corporate circuit. He says, “We don’t hire or reject any candidate based on their looks. It’s only the performance and skill sets of the individual, which matter. Although good looks add weightage, they never interfere with the decision making process of the company.”
Despite these assurances, the younger lot these days believe in looking their impeccable best, since they don’t want to risk their positions at any cost. Amit Chawla, assistant sales manager with eBusinessware India says, “While physical traits such as beauty and stature may be beyond your grasp, the way you present yourself to employers and the rest of the world is absolutely within your control. After all, confident, well-qualified, and presentable employees are definitely the most sought-after.”