Do Looks really matter at work?

cars · Post by **cars** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:16 am

AA,BA, MBA, PhD, educational degree achievements whatever their abbreviated names certainly contribute to career success. In addition, and possibly more important, PA (Physical Attractiveness) certainly can help or hinder that success.

It has been said, that research studies concluded, (see if you agree or not) PA can significantly affect workplace advancement, treatment, promotions and incomes. PA can affect a person's entire work-life with its influence seemingly more pertinent and even eclipse a person's university degrees earned to his or her achievements.

SO HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PA IN ACTION AT YOUR WORKPLACE AND ADVANCE PA PEOPLE, on SEEMINGLY PA ALONE?

BobStew · Post by **BobStew** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:24 am

I wouldn't necessarily say that PA can hinder your work life but it does depend on your presentation. If you come to work with let's say pink & blue hair, people will give you less credit than with a "normal" haircut for example.

So let's change the PA to PP (personal presentation).

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:24 am

Physical attractiveness can help you in any walk of life. Sad but true.

IMO physically attractive people are likely to be more self-confident. That's a big help to them....er us! I meant us! :wah:

I seem to recall that studies have been done showing that people respond more positively to PA people both in terms of trusting them more and being more likely to believe what they say. Anecdotally, look at the fact that Hollywood heroes tend to be more attractive than Hollywood villains!

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:26 am

Sorry: tautology. That should be "do what they want" rather than "believe what they say".

Durr.

cars · Post by **cars** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:12 am

Actually, I personally witnessed PA in action in the workplace, in one of the Company's I worked for. I was going to promote a qualified person who worked for me to "team leader", but was "over-ruled" by the company's VP. She wanted to promote a not so qualified person to the position, the reason being because the person was 6'- 7" tall saying that the "size" of the person would command respect of the rest of the team!

I objected, but I was only the Dept mgr, and she was the VP, so needless to say, the 6" - 7" person got the promotion! In this case, "looks" did matter!

Hope6 · Post by **Hope6** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:14 am

Clodhopper;821290 wrote: Physical attractiveness can help you in any walk of life. Sad but true.

IMO physically attractive people are likely to be more self-confident. That's a big help to them....er us! I meant us! :wah:

I seem to recall that studies have been done showing that people respond more positively to PA people both in terms of trusting them more and being more likely to believe what they say. Anecdotally, look at the fact that Hollywood heroes tend to be more attractive than Hollywood villains!

I agree with you commpletely, physical attractiveness has an effect on every part of your life and your physical presentation as well. I've seen it myself i can run out to the grocery store in blue jeans and a t-shirt and get a completely different response than if i go a little dressed up.

It's always been really irritating to see people treated badly because they are not pretty, it's very disturbing to me, i mean we had no control over how we look, we have our parents genes to thank for that!:wah: so why should pretty people be rewarded and not so pretty people be punished?

it seems to be in us to do this though even as children, i know when i was a child i had a male cousin who wouldn't play with a friend of ours because he thought she was ugly!

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:38 am

:wah::wah::wah:

Jimbo: Perhaps you're trying to shampoo the wrong bit? :sneaky:

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:22 am

Years ago I worked for a bank and sat in the banking hall helping customers with their queries. My colleague was gorgeous, think of Snow White and that's her. Needless to say she sold more products, saw more customers and got better annual reports than the rest of us :rolleyes:, yeah - good looking people do better at work!!!

Pheasy · Post by **Pheasy** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:27 am

I don't care what people look like. I just wish people around here, where I live, would smile and stop grunting at me!

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:43 am

PA

Makes a huge difference - huge..

I had jobs due to my beautiful teeth & smile.

I've see PA work for years - people over weight for instance - never promoted.

And I have used my PA to my advantage also.

Patsy

koan · Post by **koan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:45 am

I think it makes a difference with getting promotions and wage requests but it doesn't necessarily help with coworkers. Advancement that is unearned tends to create unrest in the workplace when it's obviously given for the wrong reasons.

Another thing that attractiveness allows, and I've tested this one out, is the ability to do squat all day long and get away with it. I wore a good quality human hair wig with long hair to my waist and flipped it around all day. Sure enough, I didn't do my job for the rest of the afternoon and no one seemed to care. I presented my findings to another girl on the crew who has naturally long, blond hair and she smiled then nodded her head enthusiastically. Yep. Grow your hair long and you don't have to work for your wages anymore.

koan · Post by **koan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:50 am

Oh, also, a friend of mine, who is 'big as a house,' from highschool, went to a trade school for the music industry and finally quit when she overheard two teachers talking about her. "Sandra is really talented. She could go far if she wasn't so freaky fat" "Yep. Too bad."

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:25 am

KOAN

Ever had a UNION JOB ?

Now there's a job - where you do not have to do a great deal - work at your own slow pace and still get paid the same as another working their butt off..

Patsy

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:38 pm

PA, ambition, associating with the "right" people, knowing how to work the "office politics", being the center of attention, disdain for others who don't measure up......................hhhhhhhhhhmmmm...................sounds like the diva in my office.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:49 pm

Koan I agree and have witnessed this myself many times. Just flip that long hair and georgous smile and long legs and you can sit on your behind all day and do nothing. :wah::wah:

The only jobs where PA doesn't make a big difference is Government work, or Union jobs no matter what you look like no one is working so it doesn't matter. :p

[QUOTE]Another thing that attractiveness allows, and I've tested this one out, is the ability to do squat all day long and get away with it.[/QUOTE]

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:00 pm

I refer to this group as "Sales Weasels" your right I won't even talk to one when they try to sell me something. :wah:

[QUOTE]At the same time, PA can be a turn-off on the receiving end. I typically see it with sales people who think they are so slick and good looking that all they need to do is flash their pearly whites and they've got the sale. When they're too slick, I can't get away soon enough.[/QUOTE]

PurpleChicken · Post by **PurpleChicken** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:28 am

I think it more depends on someone's presence in the workplace. You can bring this about by being attractive, being confident, or simply by being big. I think it does make a difference. So if you are like me and don't have the physical presence (I'm probably 5'2" with heels), then you need to be confident and make yourself very presentable to generate your presence.

mikeinie · Post by **mikeinie** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:30 am

Good looks do help, but as BobStew say about PP is more true.

Good looks work to a point, but eventually qualifications and experience come into it. Oddly, most women that I have seen advance and succeed tend to masculine themselves a bit.

I think that people who are self confident have a general attractiveness about them anyway.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:48 am

cars;821282 wrote: AA,BA, MBA, PhD, educational degree achievements whatever their abbreviated names certainly contribute to career success. In addition, and possibly more important, PA (Physical Attractiveness) certainly can help or hinder that success.

It has been said, that research studies concluded, (see if you agree or not) PA can significantly affect workplace advancement, treatment, promotions and incomes. PA can affect a person's entire work-life with its influence seemingly more pertinent and even eclipse a person's university degrees earned to his or her achievements.

SO HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PA IN ACTION AT YOUR WORKPLACE AND ADVANCE PA PEOPLE, on SEEMINGLY PA ALONE?

Rather than physical attractiveness I have definitely noticed that mental attitude has a massive effect :wah:

I have seen two means to promotion used that I thought out of order - one was sleeping with the boss and the other was being useless at the job

Both involved the same "lady". She was promoted beyond her ability and then promoted again by the next manager to get her out of his department as this was easier than facing a tribunal.

In answer to the original question, outside of the PA / Secretary pool I've not seen physical attractiveness get anyone a promotion.