Beauty Bias Can Blemish (or Boost) Your Career

Beauty Bias: The Ugly Truth

Right or wrong, the reality is that putting your best face forward positively impacts your bottom line. While being ‘too pretty’ backfires and results in the ‘bimbo effect,’ research shows that 84% of managers operate under beauty bias. Taking care of your appearance and looking your best does not just affect how you feel about yourself, it also affects how others perceive you and, ultimately, how much money you make.

Studies have shown that individuals with above-average beauty tend to have a salary that is 10-15% higher than those with below-average average beauty. It may seem like an archaic, unenlightened mindset, but these studies demonstrate that, however unfair it may seem, beauty bias is a very real occurrence. There is a ‘sweet spot’ for just how pretty you should be to obtain the jobs you want and the respect you deserve from your bosses and coworkers. The reference to ‘pretty’ does not exclusively apply to women.

While the sweet spot for men is a bit more forgiving, according to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a good-looking man will earn 5% more than the average salary for men, and those deemed less attractive earn about 9% less. Attractive women earn 4% above the female average salary, while women deemed less attractive earn 4% less than average.

While no one wants to admit it, beauty bias is alive and well; looking good plays a role in everything from corporate politics to promotions. Focusing on your outward appearance is no longer something that is regarded as shallow or vain in the business world; it plays a significant role in your financial future. But how did we get to this point? What if the issue is more complex than early researchers believed? Most attractive adults have been attractive for most of their lives. What if we look back years before these ‘beautiful people’ entered the workforce? What would we find?

Sociology researchers discovered that attractive individuals were described as having better social skills than unattractive individuals, even when communicating entirely over the phone. Further inquiries uncovered why this is so. Attractive teens and young adults benefit significantly from the ‘beauty bias’ in their youth. They are the recipients of more social invitations, along with more attention from teachers/coaches/adults, and their peers. These invitations are opportunities for them to grow their social skills, communication skills, confidence, and self-esteem. These skills, along with their physical ‘beauty,’ give them an advantage over ‘less-attractive’ peers when entering the workforce and once they are there. While time travel is not something that is possible, adults can improve their outward appearance in an attempt to close the beauty bias gap.

Being Beautiful Isn’t as Easy as Many Assume

The relationship between beauty and employment is complex. While someone trying to gain an entry-level position must be viewed as attractive, in the more upper-level male-dominated positions, attractive women are viewed as less intelligent. Specifically in business, a conventionally attractive woman might be perceived as manipulative. According to The New York Times, “attractive businesswomen are in fact considered less trustworthy, less truthful and more worthy of being fired than other women.”

This difference cannot be chalked up to sour men who are facing skilled female competition because those descriptions are given by both their male and female peers. Many attractive women in this situation will downplay their features to avoid the part of beauty bias known as the ‘bimbo effect.’

Physical Appearance Ranks in the Top 3 of Employee Attributes

Your entire life, you have been told that if you work hard and do your best, you will succeed. Well, what your parents left out was that some of that hard work should focus on a nutritious diet, exercise, proper rest, and beauty routines. While dated, in a 2010 Newsweek survey, hiring managers were directed to rank the importance of employee attributes.

The results reflect what many already suspect:

1. Experience
2. Confidence
3. Looks
4. Education

The data clearly show what recruiters have been saying for a long time: average intelligence and beauty trump brilliant and unattractive.

Heading Out for a Nip/Tuck? Not So Fast!

What are employees to do? Quit school and get a breast augmentation or a nose job instead? Resign themselves to low-level positions because they just aren’t genetically blessed? No! We live in a time of double standards — where men can be gray and distinguished while women are forced to strive to meet a ridiculously unattainable standard of beauty set by airbrushed models in magazines. It is unfortunate, but the existing and growing pressure of beauty bias is a reality of our time.

If your perceived attractiveness impacts your confidence, you can take simple steps to build self-esteem and reflect your inner beauty outwardly. Here’s how:

Focus on Nutrition and Exercise

• Eat three consistent, balanced meals daily to support your overall health.
• Incorporate walking or other physical activities into your routine to improve physical and mental well-being.

Prioritize Sleep

• Set notifications on your phone to remind you when to go to bed, ensuring enough rest for the next day.
• Turn off your TV and phone 30 minutes before bedtime to help you relax and fall asleep faster.

Visit a Professional Stylist

• Schedule an image consultation with a trusted hair stylist.
• A flattering cut and color can soften skin tones, enhance your features, and take years off your appearance.

Invest in Skincare

• Use quality skincare products to improve texture, tone, and reduce acne or irritation.
• Reverse signs of aging by adopting a skincare routine that works for you.

Always Wear Sunscreen

• Protect your skin from harmful UV rays to prevent damage and reduce the risk of skin diseases.
• Make sunscreen application a non-negotiable daily habit.

By taking these steps, you’ll not only feel better about how you look but also improve your overall health and well-being. A little investment in yourself goes a long way!

Invest in Yourself — Beauty Is as Beauty Does

Before you head to your local department store and spend time talking with a personal shopper, consider getting a personal color analysis! The once-popular trend for women in the 1980s is experiencing a resurgence. Thanks, in part, to millennials, Gen Zs, and TikTok. Proper color analysis is rooted in both logic and science: essentially, the ‘right’ colors make you appear vibrant and energetic, while the ‘wrong’ ones leave your complexion dull and washed out. Some image consultants will argue that because women have make-up, hair dye, and jewelry, their color choices have less impact than a man’s. Carole Jackson wrote in Color Me Beautiful: “During my years as a color consultant, I have found that matching people with their colors produces immeasurable happiness.”  Happiness leads to confidence, and confidence is contagious. People who believe in themselves are more respected in the workplace.

With your best colors, head to your nearest department store that offers personal shopping services. In most department stores, it is free, and they can offer you guidance on how best to choose clothing that will fit your body type and personal style and how to dress for the proper occasion. Avoid purchasing trendy, expensive pieces; instead, invest in a few neutral classics, add in some pieces that use your best colors, and arm yourself with lots of information on how to make the best choices in the future.

This is not the time to be shy, ask for help. That is what beauty consultants are there for! If you are able to build a relationship with your personal shopper, they will call you when the store is having a sale. Remember, a proper-fitting, moderately-priced outfit looks infinitely better than an expensive, ill-fitting garment, so make sure it fits, or get it tailored. There are even clothing websites that offer virtual personal shoppers if you tend to shop online more.

Last but not least, ladies, even if you are a minimalist, the fact is that wearing some makeup looks polished and professional. Go to the makeup counter at your local department store or your favorite salon and look at the people working there. Look for someone that has a style similar to the one you are looking for and ask for help.

Beauty Bias May Be Real, but a Little Time and Effort Go a Long Way

While the intellectual side of you may want to rebel against the relationship between beauty and income, the practical side of you should accept that you cannot change the world’s beauty bias on your own. Making this moderate investment of time and resources into yourself and your appearance will open doors and pay dividends at your workplace.

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[Editors’ Note: To learn more about this and related topics, you may want to attend the following on-demand webinars (which you can listen to at your leisure, and each includes a comprehensive customer PowerPoint about the topic):

1. The Sales, Marketing, Advertising & Publicity Bootcamp (SMAP) / Growing Your Business with ChatGPT and AI
2. Episode 8: Soft Skills Workshop: Leadership, Communication & Trust
3. Common Issues and Strategies in Business Breakups

This is an updated version of an article originally published on January 3, 2018 and updated on January 31, 2022.] 

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