As much as we like to think we’ve evolved as a society, it still appears that we do judge a book by its cover. Though it is often women who are subjected to physical judgment when it comes to proving their self-worth, it is also something that affects men too. Many studies have shown that certain physical characteristics can give a man the advantage when it comes to his career.
In 2005, an experiment showed that employers who looked at photos of potential employees and were prepared to give salaries that were up to 10% higher than those candidates that were considered attractive. They perceived conventionally attractive people to be more capable and better at their jobs
Grooming
Fortunately, grooming is something that men have control over. Being clean and well presented isn’t down to genetics, but personal hygiene and styling habits. Good grooming needs attention to detail and taking care of any issues such as stained teeth by looking at the best teeth whitening solution for men, or ensuring that you’re wearing clean, pressed clothes.
A well-groomed person is considered to have better standards, high self-confidence, and will represent their employer well.
Height
The average height of a man in the US is 5ft 9inches. A study of half of all CEOs of fortune 500 companies revealed that they were, on average, about 6ft tall. Tall men made on average almost $6K more per year than those who were 5ft 5inches or less.
Weight
In job interviews, overweight candidates were less likely to be successful than thinner candidates with relatively similar qualifications and experience. Whereas being overweight was far more detrimental to a women’s career than a man’s, it is still a factor when it comes to being successful.
Hair
Today, in some industries, there are hipster beards everywhere you look. But in many other traditional fields, your hair can play a role in your prospects. An article in the times showed that facial hair was bad for career advancement. Some people felt that facial hair was a sign of laziness and poor grooming.
The hair on your head can affect your confidence and your career too. 63% of men questioned said that they thought that hair loss had a detrimental effect on their career.
It’s important to know that these traits are no guarantee of success. In fact, some of them are a self-fulfilling prophecy. You hear that tall people are more successful, you are tall so you feel self-confident, which helps you when it comes to interacting with potential employers. Therefore, you are more likely to get a job. It may not have been your height that helped, but your self-confidence, but then you are added to the statistics that tall people are more successful. And on it goes.
No amount of good looks help a lack of talent or work ethic. Once culture’s idea of attractiveness can be markedly different from that of another. The best advice is to make the best of what you have, improve what you can through grooming, cosmetics, and exercise, and don’t obsess over attributes that are a pure genetic lottery.
