Can't get jobs in prison service, certain other sectors
Trick-cyclists in the States have found that being a beautiful woman,
while in general good news, is a disadvantage when trying to get
certain types of jobs.
“In two studies, we found that attractiveness is beneficial for men and women applying for most jobs, in terms of ratings of employment suitability,” according to Colorado biz-psych prof Stefanie Johnson and her fellow experts. “However, attractiveness was more beneficial for women applying for feminine sex-typed jobs than masculine sex-typed jobs.”
Examples of "masculine-typed jobs" offered by the trick-cyclists
included director of security, hardware salesperson, prison guard
(presumably in a men's prison), tow truck driver, manager of research
and development, director of finance, mechanical engineer and
construction supervisor. Hot babes tend to be overlooked when people are
hiring for this kind of position, an effect known to psy-profs as the
"beauty is beastly" syndrome.
It seems, however, that among men beauty is never beastly. Should you
have the good fortune to be a smouldering hunk of delectable manhood,
you'll be on the inside track whether you want to be a oil-fire
hellfighter or a hairdresser.
"In [perceived manly] professions being attractive was highly detrimental to women," said Johnson. "In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn't the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender."
According to Johnson and her allied profs, there may occasionally be some sense in the prejudices shown by personnel managers with regard to the beauty or otherwise of those they hire for given tasks. There may be good business reasons for hiring hotties as receptionists or sales folk, for example.
"One could argue that, under certain conditions, physical appearance may be a legitimate basis for hiring," says Johnson, in a statement issued by her uni. "In jobs involving face-to-face client contact, more physically attractive applicants could conceivably perform better than those who are less attractive. However it is important that if physical attractiveness is weighed equally for men and women to avoid discrimination against women."
The argument here seems to be that beautiful men should be discriminated against just as foxy ladies are. That is, presumably they should be hired less often for certain classes of jobs. It was unclear, though, which jobs should mainly be the preserve of plug-ugly or otherwise unattractive blokes.
Certain obvious sectors do spring to mind, however. ®
“In two studies, we found that attractiveness is beneficial for men and women applying for most jobs, in terms of ratings of employment suitability,” according to Colorado biz-psych prof Stefanie Johnson and her fellow experts. “However, attractiveness was more beneficial for women applying for feminine sex-typed jobs than masculine sex-typed jobs.”
"In [perceived manly] professions being attractive was highly detrimental to women," said Johnson. "In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn't the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender."
According to Johnson and her allied profs, there may occasionally be some sense in the prejudices shown by personnel managers with regard to the beauty or otherwise of those they hire for given tasks. There may be good business reasons for hiring hotties as receptionists or sales folk, for example.
"One could argue that, under certain conditions, physical appearance may be a legitimate basis for hiring," says Johnson, in a statement issued by her uni. "In jobs involving face-to-face client contact, more physically attractive applicants could conceivably perform better than those who are less attractive. However it is important that if physical attractiveness is weighed equally for men and women to avoid discrimination against women."
The argument here seems to be that beautiful men should be discriminated against just as foxy ladies are. That is, presumably they should be hired less often for certain classes of jobs. It was unclear, though, which jobs should mainly be the preserve of plug-ugly or otherwise unattractive blokes.
Certain obvious sectors do spring to mind, however. ®