Do attractive people find it easier to get a job?
Academics have long proven that beauty does pay off in the job hunt. But presenting yourself in a way that makes you appealing to an employer is about more than just being the proud owner of a perfectly symmetrical face or chiselled jawline.
Have you ever noticed how attractive people have self-confidence, look you in the eye, smile at the appropriate moment, and hold themselves well? It turns them into star candidates.
“First impressions count,” says Peter Acheson, chief executive of Peoplebank. Interviewers usually make their minds up about people in two to three minutes. That’s why we have elevator pitches.
To make the most of those precious first few minutes try these tips, which will enhance your chances of being an attractive candidate:
- Look your interviewer in the eye. “It is very important to look the person in the eye and give a firm handshake,” says Acheson. Eye contact shows interest and can be just as important as your hard skills.
- Smile. “A smile is inviting and warm and creates an immediate rapport,” he adds. Smiling shows that you’re enthusiastic about the job and you’re interested in what the interviewer has to say. You’ll find that smiling makes you feel confident as well.
- Learn about your interviewer. People like you if you take an interest in them. It also takes the heat off you as an interviewee. “When you are meeting an interviewer find out a little about them before you go,” says Acheson. “That allows you to open a conversation on their background as an ice breaker.” If you find out that your interviewer has a volunteer role in the industry or for charity, or is a keen skier in his or her spare time, ask about those activities. “Asking questions creates an immediate connection and forms a bond.”
- Mirror your interviewer’s body language. As human beings we like people that look and behave like we do,” says Acheson. It’s a non-verbal way to say: “I like you.” It creates a neurological connection.
- Be an active listener. Active listening is a technique that requires the listener to give feedback on what they’re hearing. Do this by asking a question about or making a comment on something the interviewer has said, says Acheson. Good active listening improves your ability to influence and negotiate and warms your interviewer to you.
- Improve your posture. Standing and sitting tall boosts your self-confidence and makes you look more attractive and more energetic Study your posture in the mirror. If you slouch, practise standing with your ears over your shoulders, your back straight, shoulders squared, chin up, chest out stomach in. Can you feel how much more confident it makes you look? Consider going to yoga or Pilates to improve your posture, or Google “posture exercises” and do them.
Finally, remember beauty is within. We all know people whose charisma overcomes beauty defects. Being attractive can come down to confidence, self-esteem, the way you hold yourself and the way you make other people feel special. Work on your self-esteem and confidence. It can only benefit you.
Smiling shows that you're enthusiastic about the job and you're interested in what the interviewer has to say.
