Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 631

Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Social Development and Media Communication (SDMC 2021)

The Impact of Physical Appearance on Employment

Competitiveness
Shihui Pan
Guangdong Experimental High School, Guangdong, 510375, China
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Physical appearance is a criterion for determining a person's level of appearance. Being attractive is a social concern that
affects everyone's life, including mate choice, social interaction, confidence, and happiness, etc. However, a growing
number of data surveys point out that physical appearance has a significant impact on job competition. This research
mainly focuses on how much one's attractiveness affects employment and whether it would influence other factors, such
as interpersonal communication and professional skills. The finding reveals that appearance plays an indispensable role
in job competitiveness and sometimes determines whether or not an applicant is hired. In conclusion, appearance has
become an inevitable competitive advantage.

Keywords: Physical attractiveness, Employment competitiveness, Professional skill, Communication skill

with gorgeous and handsome faces are more likely to get

1. INTRODUCTION a raise [4]. Apparently, this following situation displays
great unfairness to those with an ordinary face. The
Yanzhi, a Chinese cyber term, refers to the aesthetic primary objective of this paper is to discover the
worth of one's appearance. Its function is to evaluate the significance of facial appearance in employment
level of beauty of human faces and rate their competitiveness. First, while interviewing multiple
attractiveness [1]. This phrase can be substituted for employees in the same competency, would the employer
"physical attractiveness" in terms of psychology. make a selection solely based on the employees' looks, or
Individuals who are attractive can be identified by their would the employers propose other questions to evaluate?
facial symmetry, facial features, and body shape. Second, would employers still prefer the applicant with
Employment competitiveness refers to the abilities and an outstanding look if there is a large disparity in his or
skills that employees possess that are required and her ability? For instance, those with ordinary
deemed desirable by the labor market and employers, and appearances are competent, whereas those with
that provide employees with a relative competitive edge outstanding appearances have the lower ability. Finally,
in the labor market (Howard, 1995; Liu Hui, 2009). how many people have lost job opportunities due to their
Physical appearance has recently been a contentious appearance?
issue, influencing every aspect of people’s life. The Attractiveness could be achieved not only by physical
attractiveness-induced halo effect has been proved in the appearance but also through the development of personal
workplace, specifically in relation to recruiting choices strength and some abilities. In society, numerous people
and employee potential assessment [2]. A vast majority advocate the thought that being beautiful is almighty. It is
of businesses would prefer to recruit individuals who true that everyone admires every appealing object, but,
have a more appealing appearance. Those people are on the other hand, it displays great unfairness as well.
considered more capable by employers. Numerous Individuals must adapt to the ever-changing world. If
scholars have offered pertinent perspectives and ideas on they want to obtain occupation or be promoted to a higher
the relationship between physical attractiveness and position, being physically attractive is insufficient. This
employment. According to Muwen W. and Erpo L., paper would primarily focus on the weight of physical
employers favor candidates who have facial appearance in the process of employment
attractiveness [3]. Hamermesh and Biddle suggest that competitiveness.
not only in job hunting but also at employment, people

Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.2 Factors That Affect Employment

Competitiveness
2.1 What Physical Appearance Can Bring For
People 2.2.1 Interpersonal Communication
In China, an old proverb says, "It is in every person's Interpersonal communication ability refers to an
nature to appreciate the beauty," and according to the individual's capacity for effective communication with
concept of physical attractiveness, individuals appear to others, which includes both exterior skills and internal
prefer approaching those with gorgeous faces. Despite motivation [11]. Wang Xin concretizes this notion that
the fact that many people emphasize that uncovering the individuals can effectively and clearly transmit their
hidden intent is difficult, a beautiful face is essential if thoughts and attitudes to others within a certain time
people want to be thoroughly understood by others [5]. frame and can swiftly extract useful information from
Those with a striking appearance are often thought to be others' feedbacks [12]. According to employers from
more capable, friendlier, and more trustworthy. When diverse organizations, communication skills are the most
people have interactions with each other, the first and critical of a candidate's competencies and have gradually
only piece of information available to others is become the cornerstone of personal success. Bi Tingyan
appearance, which could have strong effects on others’ pointed out that this ability is not innate and must be
behaviors [6]. In this scenario, attractive people have a learned from experience [13]. People's careers will
considerable advantage when it comes to displaying the benefit considerably by mastering communication skills,
first impression to employers. which are undoubtedly demanded by companies and
industries. As a result, possessing excellent
Various industries have varying standards for people's
communication skills is extremely essential. Ma
appearance. Employers in the service industry, such as
Xiangtao proposes that the communication skills courses
automobile models and flight attendants, have stricter
should be integrated into the college training curriculum
appearance criteria [7]. According to the report of 2018
system, with an emphasis on promoting awareness of the
China Youth Appearance Competitiveness, the physical
importance of communication skills, in order for
appearance of employees is the most significant
graduates to excel in the employment competition and
requirement. Furthermore, 70.6% of the recruiters from
raise their employment success rate [14]. According to Li
the service sector hold the point that physical appearance
Jundeng (2008), schools should strengthen their language
would be measured by different industries and positions.
expression teaching so that more and more students are
Becker states that interviewers would occasionally
able to engage effectively with others.
choose an employee based on their personal preferences,
disregarding his or her abilities. As a result, individuals
with ordinary appearances would have a lower
2.2.2 Professional Skills And Work Experience
employment rate [8]. In addition, people have Professional skills, a prerequisite for recruitment, are
demonstrated stereotypes about the idea that being a critical factor for determining if an applicant's personal
beautiful is beneficial in practically every aspect which capacity matches the company's requirements. Work
has been implanted in them from infancy. Some experience refers to the cumulative amount of time that
academics indicate that people with beautiful or someone has worked. It indicates the level that someone
handsome faces will work more successfully [9]. Several is at, which firms will normally hire someone with prior
studies in recent years claim that "Today is an era of expertise in that sector of work to save on training
remarkable attention to physical appearance". According expenditures (Liu Chang, 2019). Marketers, for example,
to Yaping G., physical appearance is regarded by an must be capable of evaluating and planning, which
increasing number of groups as a critical component of necessitates the ability to perform independent market
labor market competitiveness [10]. Because of the research, devise planning schemes, and be
growing demands for employees' appearance, job knowledgeable about sales and strategies. Along with
pressure and competition are substantially higher and acquiring knowledge, personnel must possess broad
cruel. People with less physical attractiveness are more experience of participating in a variety of marketing
likely to be sifted out. Under this circumstance, the activities [15]. In the 2016 China Internet Hottest Jobs
amount of people seeking plastic surgery is increasing at Talent Report, R&D engineers (Research and Design
an alarming rate. In summary, appearance, obviously, has Engineer) and data analysts are the most in-demand
unavoidable impacts on employment competitiveness. talent positions in the industry. The demand for R&D
Additionally, the success rate of employment of those engineers is the highest, while data analysis talents are
who have outstanding looks will be definitely higher than the scarcest. Data-related jobs have exceptionally high
those with ordinary looks. professional skill requirements, demanding in-depth
analysis of data, text, and knowledge of computer
networks and technology. This kind of position needs one
to three years of work experience, as it is primarily

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concerned with applicants' professional understanding of professional skill is more important and 50 people prefer
the practical procedures associated with their subject those with superior communication ability. Apart from
field [16]. this, 59.5% of respondents state that employers should
minimize inequity by avoiding recruiting employees who
2.3 The Relationships Between Physical are physically appealing but lack competence. Instead,
Appearance And Some Skills (Interpersonal they should emphatically cultivate those who are
Communication Skill, And Professional Skill potential and capable.
And Work Experience)
4. CONCLUSION
It is apparent that physical appearance would
influence one’s life, particularly in the workplace. Overall, the foregoing findings indicate that physical
Nowadays, there is a popular and humorous saying on the appearance affects employment competitiveness to a
Chinese Internet that individuals may earn money based large degree, although it is not the most essential factor.
on their physical appearance but always rely on their First and foremost, there is no denying that many people's
talent, which is a compliment to a person's ability and lives are influenced by their physical appearance, such as
talent as well as his or her attractive face [17]. It can be being treated unjustly at school or in working
imagined that how advantageous it would be with environments. Second, it is unquestionable that when
good-looking faces in job competition. Kuhn and Shen people with attractive appearances are exposed to the
calculate that 24.3 percent of recruitment enterprises job-hunting process, their employment success rate
would place a premium on applicants' appearance if the would be higher. Unfortunately, a tiny percentage of
ability and educational background of applicants is candidates are rejected during the interview process due
insufficient. However, employers would be more to their physical appearance. However, in reality, when
favorable to hire someone who possesses both, indicating numerous candidates demonstrate the same level of
that an appealing face would somehow help people be competence during the interview, employers
more accessible to seek a job [18]. This demonstrates a would perform additional tests to evaluate which
negative correlation between physical appearance and candidate is the greatest match. Moreover, even if an
the possession of skill and ability. applicant's looks are less appealing, employers would
still choose the qualified one. They are quite clear that an
To summarize, physical beauty has a beneficial attractive face is incapable of doing any task.
effect on job competitiveness as people like to beautify
the attractive one for the reason that they consider that As more people feel unfair in employment
what is beautiful is always good. Nevertheless, competition, they are considering plastic surgery to
interpersonal communication skills, professional skills, improve their physical attractiveness and make
and experience should not be neglected in the interest of themselves more outstanding in appearance. In fact,
demonstrating people's hard power. staffs in senior management are distinct that employees
should be evaluated based on their ability to perform
3. METHOD tasks that companies require and demand, as well as the
attitude of being enterprise and responsible. Everyone
This research solely conducts a survey as the should be treated equally. Employers should treat all
experiment. The questionnaire was randomly assigned to employees with respect—the stronger should be kept.
200 people aged 16 to 50. Among them, 191 Besides, nowadays, inner beauty gradually becomes an
questionnaires are valid. Up to 86.5% of respondents essential consideration in the job-seeking process. The
believe that physical appearance could greatly influence significance of this paper is to appeal to people that
employment competitiveness. Over half of respondents although physical appearance would facilitate one’s life,
claim that people who are facially attractive are more potential and comprehensive abilities would still be
likely to form social relationships and have a higher regarded as the “hard power”. What companies truly
employment success rate. Approximately 60% of require are those who could maintain their job regardless
respondents claim that they are influenced by their of how harsh or challenging it is. Moreover, physical
physical appearance both at school and in the workplace. beauty could be the shining point, but inner beauty
Besides, there is a question that shows two pictures authentically determines whether or not a person is the
of employees—one is young and attractive, whereas the qualified one at any time. Future studies would mainly
other is older and ordinary. Nearly two-thirds of people explore this issue further based on the influence of
choose the younger one. However, when additional physical appearance on social events.
considerations are included, a portion of
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