It’s been long suspected that some employers are swayed by a pretty face in a job interview. But being good looking might actually be an impediment to getting to that stage in the first place. Attractive women who attach a photo to their CV are less likely to get an interview than their plainer rivals or those who don’t send a picture, research via a daily newspaper has revealed.
For the best chance of getting an interview, women should send their CV without a picture. The high number of women in HR staffing positions is blamed. It’s their job to look through a mountain of CVs and job applications to decide who should be asked for an interview, and who shouldn’t. When they see an application from a pretty woman, researchers said, many of these staff feel extremely ‘jealous’ of their potential colleague and often reject her instantly.
To check this stereotype, researchers telephoned companies who were recruting to find out about the people who screened the candidates. They found that 96% were female, the majority were between the ages of 23 and 34 and nearly 70% were single.
The research was conducted in Israel because it’s normal to attach a photograph in the corner of a CV there, unlike in Britain. Many women in HR departments may be trying to help the underdog. It could be that they consciously think that the less attractive woman is at a disadvantage and want to give her a chance. They may think to themselves: ‘These attractive women stand a better chance of getting a job elsewhere. I’ll give the less attractive one an interview.’
What do you think?