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The Pros and Cons of Being Beautiful in the Workplace

HOW TO WORK YOUR BEAUTY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, not so much. There are some traits that are considered inherently attractive – traits that are signs of health, power, and fertility.

Full lips, big eyes, high cheekbones, and a thin jaw are considered “sexy” for a woman; whereas, for a man, we prefer a broad chin and a big jaw. Clear skin, shiny hair, and facial symmetry are also key aspects of what we consider attractive for both men and women.

When we see someone that is considered “attractive” we want to be around them as our primal instincts consider them to be good company or potentially good mates. While this might seem beneficial in your day to day life, beauty can really affect your career path in both positive and negative ways.

Beauty is powerful. Both men and women are intimidated and attracted to power. So while there are plenty of advantages to being beautiful, there are still some stereotypes to break through. Here are a few tips to use your beauty to your advantage and solutions to any disadvantages that others create for us.

ADVANTAGES

Beautiful people are generally treated better than others. Those who wear makeup boost other’s perception of likability, attractiveness, and trustworthiness.

When applying for a new job, prospective employers are more willing to rate an applicant as intelligent, competent, and qualified if the applicant is attractive.

Beautiful people earn 10-15% more than than the “average beauty”. This could be linked to the person’s confidence or being considered trustworthy by others.

Attractive people are considered more persuasive and can easily command attention.
They are thought of to be better speakers.

DISADVANTAGES & HOW TO GET PAST IT

Problem: Men can be intimidated by beauty and intelligence and hold back women in fear of the new woman hire taking their job in the future.

Solution: This act keeps women down. It’s time companies hired REAL men who are not intimidated by beauty. If your company cannot get past your looks, find another company that can. If you cannot leave, try to work harder to earn their trust. Right from the job interview, make it known that you might not be the “typical applicant” if you’re a beautiful woman who’s looking to advance in a male-dominated field. Address the stereotype in your interview so they can focus on your qualifications.

Problem: Attractive women can be seen as shallow, that they’re using their looks to get ahead. This instills a lack of trust in both men and women and questions their advancements to higher roles.

Solution: Judge people solely on their performance and their performance ONLY. If you earned that promotion, make it known to your manager that you deserve it.

Problem: Attractive women are more likely to get hired, but only at front-of-house roles such as receptionist and model.

Solution: Ask for more. If you want to be a manager, work for it and ask for it. If you want to be an executive, you can. Earn it.

Keep in mind that 80% of workplace bullying is women by women. We are harder on each other than men are when it comes to office competition. If others are intimidated by your beauty, learn how to connect with the interviewer/boss/co-worker so you can get as far as you want in life without any stigma. Beauty is power. Use it.

Sources:

http://www.thehappytalent.com/blog/kids-dont-trust-ugly-people-heres-why
https://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-halo-effect-2795906http://www.businessinsider.com/studies-show-the-advantages-of-being-beautiful-2013-6
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/attractive-women-workplace-171815653.html
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