Do good looking people have it easier at work?

[sushee]

After the NSW police/tattoo thread and a couple of conversations I've had recently with some people at work, I realised that I'd love to get some opinions.

The general consensus from people I've spoken to at work is:

• If you're good looking, you don't have to work as hard as someone who isn't as good looking to get as much appreciation or positive feedback
• If you're good looking, you get promoted faster, even if you don't have as much merit as someone not as good looking
• Your good looks makes it easier for you to do your job, because people automatically try to please good looking people, so you get what you want more easily

I personally don't think I would be any better at my job no matter what I looked like, but I'm not asking about ability (this time), I'm asking about perception.

Do you agree with any or all of the above statement? And if so why? What's been your experience?

[Tinks]

I work in hospitality and while I the good looking people aren't treated any differently by co workers or superiors where I work, I've noticed they are definitely treated better by customers.

[Nai]

There are a number of studies that show that good looking people are more employable (ie they are unemployed for less amount of time and get employed over not-so-good looking people if they are up against them in job interviews). I will see if I can find any links.

Also there is a PLU (people like us) syndrome in some cases where people employee/promote others who they perceive to have traits similar to their own. So these bosses may think that they are attractive themselves so promote the more attractive people as they perceive a similarity

[feeb]

I do think that people who are good looking get promoted faster and above others. I also do think that they do tend to slack off as they are always loved by everbody so get carried.

Hope I haven't offended anyone just things I have noticed over the years.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

In my old workplace I would 100% agree, the skinny attractive people (both genders) held the best roles, got pay increases and were treated differently. Plain janes like myself worked there 4yrs, bowing to every want & need, doing the crappy stressful jobs and never once got a pay rise.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

[sushee]

Nai,

I know that attractive people are more employable statistically, but I guess what I'm asking is for personal opinions on it, about how people feel about it.

To give context, I started contracting here a couple of months ago and yesterday I was basically told that aside from my (significant) project management qualifications, I was also hired because, in not so many words, I am easy on the eye. They believed with my looks, I could get outcomes from some of the people they've not been able to get outcomes from. And guess what? I have. And now it's jokingly being insinuated that it has less to do with my skill as a PM than it has to do with the way I look.

The funny thing is, not one person can say I am not skilled or hard working or damned good at my job, but it's all diluted by the perception that I get where I get because I'm perceived to be good looking. One girl even said to me that she knew she wouldn't like me when she first saw me, because 'beautiful people don't have to work hard' but then I 'sneakily' won her over because I'm actually really nice and have a good work ethic. Except I *am* nice and have a good work ethic. Why would she assume that I didn't?

And this is what I meant when I posted. I honestly want to know: do you have bad experiences that have led you to perceive this in a certain way?

[Mildez]

It could go the other way where people are jealous of your good looks and treat you poorly and maybe your more likely to suffer sexual harassment. Just taking stabs in the dark here of course. No theory behind it.

[Traveller]

I do think that people who are good looking get promoted faster and above others. I also do think that they do tend to slack off as they are always loved by everbody so get carried.

Hope I haven't offended anyone just things I have noticed over the years.

As an exceptionally good looking person I take offence to that!

Seriously though, I once read a study that said people like people who are like themselves, and if they see a good looking or charming person (because charm makes you attractive) then they see themselves in that person and hence why they are more likely to see their good points and promote them. I think a very good looking person who is bad at their job will still struggle. However if two people are both adequate at their job and one is physically attractive to their boss and the other is not, then the attractive one will be more likely to get the promotion.

[briggsy's girl]

In my old workplace I would 100% agree, the skinny attractive people (both genders) held the best roles, got pay increases and were treated differently. Plain janes like myself worked there 4yrs, bowing to every want & need, doing the crappy stressful jobs and never once got a pay rise.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

former workplace this was mostly the case too - if you were good looking or managed to be buddies with someone in management you got promoted. i've not noticed it so much in current role, although others have said it happens. maybe because i'm not interested in progressing through at this stage, i simply ignore it? if it isn't happening in current workplace, there are still a number of people that BELIEVE it is.

[Maruschke]

To be honest, this is one reason why I didn't vote for or wouldn't support Kim Beazley (years ago now)... I think my mindset has since changed, but I was thinking... if he can't look after his own body, how can he look after Australia?

There are some people at my work who try but simply cannot scrub up to that "image" of a flawless professional look. It does make them appear to lag behind, even if they don't.

[Kazzo]

I remember making a comment to my boss that every sales rep that comes in both male and female are always very good looking people. He said they only get hired if they are because then the person they are trying to sell their products to have someone nice to talk to and are less likely to brush them off.

Also, I think one of my fellow workers was kept around for her looks and people seemed to always approach her more then others. She was actually not really good at the job though.

[*Ash*]

It could go the other way where people are jealous of your good looks and treat you poorly and maybe your more likely to suffer sexual harassment. Just taking stabs in the dark here of course. No theory behind it.

My sister fits the Western ideal of a beatiful women - young, thin, blonde, tall, green eyes, you get the drift. She has definitely had poor treatment from colleagues over the years. Some colleagues don't take her seriously. She has, sadly, experienced older woman saying very blunt things to her about her appearance like 'are you anorexic?' or 'how come you are so thin, don't you eat?' Many of these instances have left my sister in tears. She has had colleagues who have tried to undermine her, and then colleagues who feel they need to confess to her why they are overweight and didn't make it to the gym that morning. Thankfully, my sister has always been taken seriously by her employers - and I believe it is because she is a conscientious worker. She works hard. Incidentally, she doesn't realise how beautiful she is.

[sushee]

See, I think I'm more charming than 'easy on the eye'. I am very confident of my experience and ability, and I have always believed that that was what made me good at what I do.

So I'm perturbed by the (apparently common) perception by the people around me that somehow my diligence, intelligence, skill or experience should get short shift because I'm considered nice looking, and that my looks are my predominant saleable asset.

But more perturbing is that anyone would think that if they're nice looking, they can cruise through life without putting in the hard yards to earn their keep. How egotistically do you have to be to think you don't have to work as hard as anyone else?

(and shhh I'm posting from work on my tea break. Coz, you know, I don't have to work hard or anything)

[sloane]

just ime, i think alot of it depends on the industry as well. i work in marketing which can be very superficial...but most of the time i worked in software marketing (but not, say, for an apple or microsoft!) and that doesn't seem to have the same level of emphasis placed on looks. well, i did okay & i am definitely not good looking.

i don't think i've ever had a problem with having my work recognised or being treated differently from colleagues, so perhaps i have just got lucky. before my focus shifted onto being a mum, i was doing ok & didn't feel like i was suffering for my looks. i do think, though, that i am fairly easy to talk to (a definite plus for working at exhibitions & conferences), get my work done/work hard & can relate to most people i come across in a work setting so perhaps that has helped me overcome the looks side of things?

[Starfish]

I think it's more to do with confidence, i.e. people who are confident are more likely to be seen as the best people for the job. And good looking people are often more confident. The question that I would ask is: who is "good looking", and who isn't? Different people are attracted to different characteristics in others.

[Mildez]

Looks means nothing in my work either as a midwife. It really comes down to experience and your contacts.

[Mak]

Definitely agree with it depending on the industry and also the seniority of the role. The more responsibility you have the less chance there can be to shirk it!
A slight u turn tho - I think that often people like to find reasons that other people have success etc rather than reflect upon their own performances.

[Traveller]

I think it is a lot to do with confidence too. If you are confident in your looks and personality then you will be more confident in a lot of aspects of your life. Confidence is reassuring and attractive. Whereas if you have self esteem issues then it would be easy to look at someone who you perceive to be better looking and attribute their success to their looks instead of to their general assertiveness and confidence. So people who suggest you got your job through your looks are likely to be just jealous and wish they had the skills and confidence to succeed in the same way you do.