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?