Physical Attractiveness: A Key to Success - Research Paper Example

Physical Attractiveness: A Key to Success Introduction In South Korea, the female population has seemingly become obsessed with making themselves beautiful that plastic surgery is now a common topic of discussions. Supposedly, South Korean women have come to believe that getting a good job or finding a husband depends greatly on looking good. (Choe) The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported that one out of five South Korean women has undergone plastic surgery, surpassing the number in the United States because they want to look more Western, (Stone) equating the look with beauty and consequently success. Not surprisingly, the sentiment is shared by the same sex in the western hemisphere. A study from Cornell University found out that looks does matter in the work place, with attractive women getting higher wages or better job titles. (Sinberg) It would appear that physical attractiveness is a necessity to gain success in society. This paper will attempt to present information to the contrary. Although physical attractiveness may influence a person’s career and personal life, the type of industry one gets involved in, the person’s skill and his personality are the key factors in realizing one’s ambitions. An ordinary-looking individual can indeed be successful. Success and the Average-Looking Person In a generation marked by advances in technology, Bill Gates is a very familiar individual. Pioneering software essential to the use of computers for business and personal activities, Bill Gates became a millionaire when he was just thirty-one. (Billionaire) Microsoft, a product of Gates industriousness, is a household name everywhere in the world. He has been married to his wife for nineteen years. (Rao) Surprisingly for those who believe that one needs to be good-looking so he can make it in the world, Bill Gates does not have a dashing attractive face nor is his body well-built. However, there is no doubt that Gates has achieved a lot since discovering Microsoft. Because of his knowledge in computer software development, he was able to create a program that has elevated his financial status enough to be called a billionaire and philanthropist. He is just one proof that skills and not appearances is an ingredient of success. Another factor that leads to the attainment of one’s goals is personality. Many popular individuals who are known for their achievements may be observed to relate well with people. Oprah Winfrey, for example, has become one of the most influential people in America (Pomerantz) because of how she communicates to the public. Through her television show and magazine publication, she touches the lives of each audience by sharing as much of her private life as she can with them. Instead of basking in her celebrity status, she uses this power to help the plight of the underprivileged and victims of disasters through her Angel Network. (Oprah) Some people even say that once Oprah features a product on her show or magazine, the product will most certainly gather a following which consequently benefits its producer. Oprah Winfrey is not svelte. She has the face, eyes and hair typical of an African American woman. Nevertheless, she is worth millions now because of her charming personality. Last but not the least is the type of industry one endeavors to be successful in. This is a very important aspect to consider when deciding if attractiveness plays a role in the advancement of one’s career. Case in point is the survey from US News on the Best 100 Jobs in America where dentists and registered nurses are high on the list. (Money) In getting a job as a dentist or a registered nurse, passing the necessary licensure examinations is a must, not appearances. In this sector, the ability to provide healthcare is the most important characteristic an individual should have and not whether the practitioner has a pretty face or well-chiseled features. Athletes are another example. Although there are the likes of David Beckham, Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova and Michael Jordan, a lot of the professional sportspersons around the world are well-known not because they are aesthetically appealing in pictures and in person but because of their contribution to the respective sport they belong to. Beauty and Career Growth The title of an article written by Laura Morsch for CareerBuilder.com says it all – looks matter in the workplace. The piece shares how physical attractiveness can be a determinant of success citing the personal experience of a dentist who was asked by a company to do dental work on certain employees so they could look presentable and an observation by a group of researchers on the most effective teacher at the University of Texas. (Morsch) Indeed, there exist a number of reasons why the triumphant attainment of one’s work goals is associated with aesthetic beauty. Models and people in show business are fully aware of how important physical appearances are in building their career. These personalities strive to have well-maintained bodies and blemish-free faces so fans will continue to follow them and bring them to stardom. In this industry, time can be an enemy as evidenced by the number of stars getting nips and tucks just to look youthful. Plastic surgery has been some of these stars’ best friend. Although some still do not openly reveal they have had help in looking good, some personalities are not as shy. The late Michael Jackson was fair-skinned and looked entirely different in the latter part of his career than how he was when he first became famous. Farrah Abraham of “Teen Mom” in America has proudly shared her trips to the surgeon, claiming she wants to look more natural and believes she looks amazing. (Farrah) Salespeople are also motivated to look good because consumers almost always are more attracted to pretty and handsome sales persons than average-looking ones. This is why endorsers of various products are usually celebrities or persons who are beautiful or macho. Companies know that their market would be inclined to buy their products if the people trying to convince consumers to buy look like they actually use the products. So, audiences see training equipment endorsed by people who have six-pack abs and lean bodies. Toothpaste commercials show individuals with sparkling white teeth. Salesladies at the cosmetics section of department stores have complete made-up faces and tidy hairstyles. A research from Oklahoma State University showed that attractiveness directly affects sales productivity, especially for female employees. (Prickett) Physical attractiveness also has an edge in acquiring a job. One research has shown that managers are biased when reviewing applications with photos. (Marlowe) A survey by MSNBC has discovered that competence is associated with attractive superiors because people will almost often judge the way someone looks. (Tahmincioglu) There seems to be an unspoken belief among members of society that beautiful people are better or more knowledgeable. Thus, people should be attractive in order to be considered better and so given more responsibilities or opportunities in their career. The wrong belief Even though there is literature to show that attractiveness can be a factor in achieving success, there exists a number of articles to show that looking good can be detrimental to one’s career. This means there is no advancement or success on the other side of the picture. Case in fact would be how physical attractiveness has no become a bad thing, especially for female applicants. Since most of the personnel tasked with hiring processes are also females, it appears to be that these individuals choose candidates who are average-looking over those who may be prettier than these human resource personnel, according to research. (Daily) Supposedly, enviousness gets in the way of being objective when hiring employees. Another manifestation that having good looks do not necessarily mean success can be observed in the world of show business. There have been a lot of very attractive actors, actresses, singers, etc. who failed to make a mark in the industry despite their appearances. This could be attributed to their lack of mass appeal or their lack of acting or singing skills. Conclusion Through the course of history, there has been obvious proof that success does not result from being handsome or pretty. The likes of Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey are circumstances where having brains, a charming personality or both have brought these individuals the kind of success the rest of society can only dream of. It is not denied that aesthetic beauty can give a person an edge in the work environment. However, as explained above, physical attractiveness is not the key ingredient to success. More than a pretty or handsome face, a person needs to have knowledge and a personality that appeals to the people around him or her. In addition, the type of industry the person works in would also be an important factor in determining his or her success in the workplace. Indeed, although beauty has its benefits, it does not bring about success. References: “Billionaire Bill Gates.” Billionaire Times. Billionaire Times, n.d. Web. 19 July 2013. Choe Sang Hun. “In South Korea, Plastic Surgery Comes Out of the Closet.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 3 November 2011. Web. 16 July 2013. Daily Mail Reporter. “Sorry, you’re too pretty: Good-looking women more likely to be turned down for a job (and jealous females in HR might be the reason why).” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers Ltd., 03 December 2010. Web. 19 July 2013. “Farrah Abraham.” Daily News. NYDailyNews.com, 14 June 2013. Web. 21 July 2013. Marlowe, Cynthia, et.al., “Gender and attractiveness biases in hiring decisions: Are more experienced managers less biased?” Journal of Applied Psychology, 81.1 (1996): 11-21. Web. 21 July 2013. Money Careers. U.S. News & World Report LP, 2013. Web. 20 July 2013. Morsch, Laura. “Looks matter in the workplace.” Career Builder. Cable News Network, 28 February 2007. Web. 20 July 2013. Oprah. Harpo, Inc., 2013. Web 19 July 2013. Pomerantz, Dorothy. “Down, But Hardly Out: Winfrey Tops Forbes 2013 List of The Most Influential Celebrities.” Business. Forbes.com LLC, 14 March 2013. Web. 20 July 2013. Pricket, Robert W. Does Attractiveness Increase Sales Productivity? Department of Agricultural Economics Oklahoma State University, 2007. PDF. Rao, Vidya. “Bill Gates recalls his ‘spontaneous first date with wife.” Today News. NBC News, 13 January 2013. Web. 19 July 2013. Sinberg, Laura. “Think Looks Don’t Matter? Think Again.” Forbes.com LLC, 05 December 2009. Web. 16 July 2013. Stone, Zara. “The K-Pop Plastic Surgery Obsession.” The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 23 May 2013. Web. 17 July 2013. Tahmincioglu, Eve. “Power of attraction still rules in workplace.” Careers. NBCNEWS.com, 8 March 2007. Web. 21 July 2013. Read More