Debate - Do good looking people get jobs over someone not as attractive?

[Betsyt82]

I believe that a more beautiful person will get the jobs alot of the time.

 

[legs22]

In pharmaceutical sales, attractive will win out over nonattractive.

 

[shortbun]

I would say all other things being equal, the better looking person
gets the job more often. Now then, looks are subjective too.
My girlfriends and I sometimes disagree on what constitutes a
good looking man so I would guess the reverse is true.
Are some folks good looking to everyone?

 

[jana]

I'm a hair stylist and you do see people that are more attractive being picked first in this line of work. I have also noticed since I have gone blonde ( was dark red before) my tips from men have gone up.

 

[Pop Daddy]

all I know as ugly undeducated people (by looking at my wallet) anit going to be rich any time soon.

 

[browneyes]

Don't make me bop you in the head, Jason.

I was told one time I got hired for one job because the lady liked my dress. I think she was joking about that though.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Well, I think in some fields, yes. But I think 99% of people, regardless of height, weight etc. can be attractive if they practice good hygeine and grooming. And if they dress nice. As another poster said, if you come to the office in track pants and a t shirt, you are not going to look as professional as someone who comes in wearing a nice business suit.

We had a situation here where someone was recently let go and one of the reasons (albeit not the sole one) was because she always dressed like a slob. She was told repeatedly that she was to wear the proper business casual attire that everyone who works here has to. Yet she still insisted on coming in wearing skin tight "club" clothes , t shirts with cartoon characters or the playboy bunny on them, and she just looked ridiculous.

My office is not populated by models. There are maybe 2-3 people of each gender who would turn heads walking down the street. The rest of us are all normal looking people. We have people of all races, shapes and sizes. There is only maybe one girl whom I personally consider to be beyond help in the physical looks area. I know that sounds snotty of me but I don't know what else to call it. But she is a nice person and she always dresses nice and acts professional and honestly, she has a very prominent position in the company. She is also happily married to a very nice looking guy. So that really just goes to show that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I really think attractiveness is more than just looks. I think professional looking , well groomed people will get hired over women who walk in wearing midriff baring t-shirts and baggy track pants , regardless of whom is thinner, or has nicer teeth.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I 100 billion percent agree that the more attractive person get the job. In my mind, this is not even a debate, it's a fact of life. It was blazingly clear when I graduated from college - all the pretty girls/nice-looking guys had job offers, the nerds/plain janes were moving home searching the wants ads daily.

Especially in America, we are programmed to respond postively to a certain attractive look - tall, thin, well-groomed, balanced facial profile and features, nice straight white teeth, etc.

I admit I am a very plain jane, and I am currently spending $10,000 to improve the appearance of my face (jaw surgery and orthodontic work) so I can finally present myself better land a decent job. I felt I had absolutely no choice. I would do plastic surgery if I felt it to be necessary.

I think the PC answer to this debate is that during interviews, looks shouldn't be the deciding factor (assuming applicants are all wearing appropiate clothes) and qualifications should be what really matters, but those of us out there know this isn't the case.

 

[Pugdog007]

In Sales, absolutely. Sadly.

 

[inaminute]

In my personal experience, it depends on whether it's a man or woman doing the hiring.

I was a secretary and never had a problem getting the job if I were interviewing with a man. I might add that I'm not extremely attractive and I am significantly overweight. None of them cared about what people looked like. Of course, the expected good grooming and neatness, but were more interested in abilities. Of course, they were all married so a less attractive secretary might have been a bonus! LOL!!

Most of the women I've interviewed with and/or have worked for were more demanding regarding looks. My last female boss inherited me. She would NEVER have hired me based on my look. She hired all new managers--every one of them very young, very tall (over 5'8"), very thin, and very pretty. None of them had an education to back them up, and about half had no real experience in their new positions. My boss covered for them with higher-ups all the time. She had me correcting and re-doing most of their work. I left after three years. A year after I left the boss was fired. I haven't heard what happened to the managers.

That was an eye opening experience. One I hope to never repeat.