- Ellie McCarty
Many of us have probably considered the effect that makeup and our looks have on dating and our relationships, but have you ever considered the effect that this could have on our job prospects? According to the article a new study suggests that women who wear more makeup have a better chance of being hired because they are more likely to be perceived as competent, likeable, attractive, and trustworthy as opposed to women who wear natural makeup and no makeup. As students at IHA, we often separate work and makeup/looking attractive in that most of us usually disregard how we look when we come to school because our effort and thoughts are focused on our schoolwork, athletics and other obligations.
Do you think that this should carry over to the workplace and that women should focus more on working hard than looking good, or do you think that it is beneficial for women to wear makeup to work, and why? What do you think might be some reasons why people in general see women who wear makeup as more competent, likeable, attractive, and trustworthy? Do you think that employers should consider whether or not a woman wears makeup, or do you think that they should completely disregard on the job or career field or that the sentiments of employers are/should be generally the same across the board?
I don't think that women should become too preoccupied with looking good in the work place, but I do feel like there should be some effort made. Though people might view it as being shallow, looking good could help boost a woman's self confidence level, making a more positive work attitude. People might view her as more competent, likable, attractive and trustworthy simply because she is taking a little time each morning to make sure she looks put together. It's also necessary to look your best if you're working directly with customers. Rather than having a woman with messy hair, dark circles under her eyes and wrinkled blouse on be my teller at the bank, I would be more comfortable handing my money over to the woman who was competent enough to use a mirror each day.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to hiring someone based upon whether they wear make up or not, I think that that has to do with the specific job the woman is being considered for. Like I said before, someone who is dealing directly with customers should always look their best since they're representing the company. Meanwhile, if the woman is going to be spending countless hours in a job where she is isolated from the customers, it shouldn't be a necessity.
I agree with Stefanie, even though looks should not be a woman's primary focus when it comes to work, she should always look presentable. As we see at IHA, personal appearance doesn't have an effect on someone's work ability or intelligence, however by getting up and making sure she looks good or at least presentable, a woman is sending the message she cares about the job enough to take out time to look nice. I also agree that certain fields to require women to look better than others. If you have to interact with other people in general you have to look better than someone who works behind the scenes. No woman should ever be hired based solely on looks, and if a woman is qualified she shouldn't be ruled out for not being attractive; that being said if the woman puts the effort in to look nice it says she cares about the job.
ReplyDeleteFrom a young age we learn that presentation is something that can give you that extra wow factor, whether it is in art or self-appearance. I say that if a woman wants to wear makeup then she can and if she doesn't that's her choice. Inside, it doesn't mean that a woman insecure or that she isn't qualified for the job just because she doesn't wear makeup. Maybe she's allergic to most makeup, maybe she's never worn it before and she feels unlike herself when she does. That being said I don't think that employers should hire a woman based on whether they wear makeup or not, but I can understand why they think women who wear makeup are more attractive, trustworthy, etc. Women who wear makeup seem like they care about their appearance and most employers hope that this skill will travel over into their work and in the long run help their company boost sales or open their company to a new set of customers.
ReplyDeleteMy computer died just as I was about to post my comment..so I guess I'll start off by saying that I agree with Stefanie; there should be some effort made. If you think about it this way: how am I supposed to put my trust in a company, that the company cares about my interests, if a worker of theirs doesn't even seem to care about her appearance? You want to be able to come across as an intelligent, trustworthy, put together representative of a respectable company. Because sometimes, people do judge a book by its cover; evolutionary psychology helps prove this.
ReplyDeleteAt IHA we do often disregard our appearance because of how much effort we put into our schoolwork and extracurricular activities, and its understandable when we are in school. When we are out of school, however, participating in functions such as the Open House, we act as representatives of our school just as people are representatives of the company they work for. As the author states, however we should not become completely preoccupied with how we look. We must be able to demonstrate the skills and the competence we say we have.
While I understand what the previous posters' perspectives, I think that not wearing makeup says more than just not being concerned with looks and being focused more on work. I think that it really takes a self-confident woman to feel comfortable enough with herself not to wear makeup, especially in today's society where so much emphasis is placed on appearance. I don't think employers should discriminate against women who choose not to wear makeup because I don't think it really says anything about the importance she places on looking professional. Just because a woman doesn't wear makeup doesn't mean she doesn't care. I think it would be unrealistic to expect all employers to agree on this issue, though.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Meg, it shouldn't matter whether or not a woman wears makeup to work. After all, you're there to work and get the job done. Not sit there and look pretty. But I also think that women should take some interest in how they look, but more so of what they wear and what their hair looks like - no sweatpants and messy buns. I was actually watching something on the news about "pretty" people being hired over "ugly" people. They had two pictures, one of an attractive woman, and another of an "ugly" woman and when they asked people on the streets who they would rather hire some people chose the "pretty" woman and did not really have a reason why, while others chose the "ugly" woman because they thought she would care more about work than the way she looked. With that being said, I don't think that whether or not a woman wears makeup should be a key factor considered by an employer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dylan and Stef in their point that women should not be too involved in their appearance but they should at least make some effort to show that they care about their work and are representatives of their workforce in means that they aren't showing up to work in the casual IHA messy bun. I feel that women who wear makeup to their workplace are more confident because they look good this also spreads a positive work attitude across the workplace like Stefanie said. This could help lead towards people viewing women with more competence, likable, trustworthy, and attractiveness. The fact that these women took extra time in their morning to get "prepared" also effect this view of women. Also when it comes to employers employing their employees they should hire workers who at least put in a little effort in order to look presentative for the customers. This makes the workforce look better because the people their take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteWomen should not spend all of their time focusing on their appearance, however, i do think appearance is important. If a woman is applying for a job and she happens to be very skilled and capable of doing a great job, if she does not look presentable to her interviewer, it is going to make her seem less competent. That's just how the brain works. Subconsciously we see a good looking person and automatically assume that they are more likeable and competent. If we see someone who is conscientious about their appearance and takes care in how they look, we assume that they are dedicated in other aspects of their life as well, in their jobs for example. Although this is not definitely true for every good looking person who spends time on how they look, first impressions really are important, especially when applying for a job.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't think that a woman's appearance should be the main factor in deciding whether or not to hire her, I can understand why some employers may take it into consideration. Often, a company's image is based on their employees, both in how they act and in how they look. Makeup definitely shouldn't be the main focus of someone to the point where it takes over focusing on the work itself, but appearance does count. I also think that the concept of "putting a face to the name" plays a part in the workplace as well, as people who look presentable, which shouldn't necessarily mean applying excessive amounts of makeup, will appear competent, trustworthy, and respectable to potential employers.
ReplyDeleteI think women should look presentable when in the work place but i do not think their main priority should be their appearance. Unless it is your job to be a makeup artist i think the work place should be a place where people strictly work- and as long as the job is getting accomplished well it should not matter how attractive the person who is accomplishing it looks.People may see women who wear makeup more competent and reliable because they put a facade on their face that makes others believe this is how they are like. For example, if i wanted to sneak into a closed black tie event i most likely could if i dressed in the proper attire and looked as if i belonged there. Noone would feel the need to question whether or not i belong there because it would seem to the naked eye that i belonged. This is the same in the work place, if you present yourself as well taken care of and capable people will tend to believe that this is your true nature. I feel employer should hire their employees based on their experience and their intelligence to best complete the job. If a less attractive women is more qualified she should receive the job over someone who is less qualified but more attractive. Hiring should be an equal opportunity thing, not a beauty contest.
ReplyDeleteI think that it the workplace, it is a healthy balance of looking good and working hard. Women should not be too worried about the way they look but they need to look presentable. In some careers, such as marketing, one may be working with a lot of people, and it is important to make a good first impression. The first impression is the most important. That is why a woman who wears makeup will be remembered rather than the woman who did not take the time to look presentable. We live in a superficial world and automatically people think that a person who is dressed the nicest is the best person. I do think that owners should disregard whether a person is wearing enough makeup. Rather, they should see if this person is put together, meaning, do they look too tired, do they look like they showered, and do they look healthy.
ReplyDeleteMakeup is used to make you look better. It is suppose to cover your flaws and bring out your strengths. Everybody can say that they dont judge a book by its cover and that what you look like isnt important but that is false. The first thing you see of a person is their appearance. If their appearance is a mess then nobody is going to want to spend time trying to figure out whats inside. It sounds low, but thats the way the world works today.
ReplyDeleteI think it is beneficial for women to wear makeup to work. Most people when they put makeup on and look their best feel their best. By wearing make up they will feel their best so they will work their best. When people look at a person and they see they are wearing makeup most of the time people like it if it doesnt take away from the person. If the person is wearing bright blue eyeshadow then people are going to have a hard time focusing on that person. Makeup makes everyone look as if they were perfect. It cleans up their flaws therefore it makes women look stronger and so forth.
People should not just judge on makeup. If the person looks presentable and clean and has the credibility for the job then hire them. If they are messy but have the credibility then the employer should think about it. That person is representing your company. Do you want people to view your company like that? Image is a big part of todays world and there is no way to change that.
I think Jess put it perfectly, we shouldn’t judge people by their appearance but we do. However, personally when I see a woman with a massive amount of makeup I think that she must have some kind of self esteem issue and I think that would make me think twice about hiring her. I do believe that women, and men, should look put together while being interviewed and on the job because you are representing yourself and eventually a company. Just like on the day of open house all the IHA girls working it, do their hair and maybe put a little make up on because we are representing our school. I also think that when doing a job when you feel good about how you look you will do better, but that doesn’t mean that employers should consider whether or not women wear makeup.
ReplyDeleteThis article I found to be very interesting especially because being at IHA no one wears makeup and when someone does it seems to be ridiculous to us. I personally think that women should care about how they look when they go into work or on a job interview. We say that it is judging by appearance but sometimes there is a deeper meaning behind just a face with no makeup or clothes that are not well thought out. The thought someone puts into getting ready to go to work is a reflection of how they live their life. For instance if I was a boss and I wanted to hire someone new, whether it be male or female I would look at how they are dressed because that is a reflection of what their work can be. If someone comes into work not looking put together and sophisticated it could mean that they are not very organized with how they run their job. This is not true for everyone but it is a personally trait. When I have been going on my college visits and interviews I make sure that I am wearing appropriate elegant clothes and my hair and makeup is done. Seeing some of the males and females on the tour looking like they just rolled out of bed I instantly think in my head they must not be that interested in the school or attentive to what the person is saying because they are not concerned about making an impression. In school I do not wear makeup or do my hair because I have other things that are much more important to that but in the workforce I think women should be wearing makeup, even if it is subtle and dressed eloquently. For me it all relates back to their personality. How would you feel if one of our teachers walked in wearing jeans and they had bags under their eyes and their hair was not done nicely? I would think that they do not care enough about their job because if they did they would have put more of an effort in to look presentable in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the rest of the girls in that although looking good should never be one's ultimate priority while on the job, that women should put in some effort to look presentable. Looking presentable can mean various things though and makeup should not be the only way that society views someone as presentable. While on the job and while looking for a job I think the most important aspect appearance wise should be looking clean. Having your hair perfectly straight and your eyeliner applied professionally shouldn't be anyones defining factor, but looking as though you appreciate hygiene and that you own a comb is important. Although It depends on the job position you hold, I understand why employers would want to hire attractive people to represent them, and no matter how unfair it is, people respond differently to those who they think are attractive. Growing up in my parents restaurant business, when hiring waitresses and bar staff, looks have always come into play for the managers and my parents. These people are in contact with the customers and have an appearance to uphold. Now concerning the back of the house staff like the kitchen staff and prep staff, looks have never come into play during any conversations I've overheard since their appearance has no bearing on the restaurants appearance.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, I think people should understand what works for them and how to look and feel their best. Not everyone needs makeup but everyone should look presentable and decent, especially if you are being paid to perform a service.
I agree with several of the other girls that appearance is part of a job interview. In our society today, appearance is the first impression, before people get the chance to know what kind of person we are, they have already made decisions about us based on our looks. Meg pointed out that it takes a very confident woman to go into a place with no make up, I agree it certainly takes a woman of confidence. I also agree with Stef in saying that you need to look at the very least presentable in a work environment. By taking the time to make yourself presentable you show people you are concerned and care about your job. IHA doesn't focus on appearance because it is more concerned with our school work which makes sense because our teachers aren't looking at us and grading us on appearance, they are looking at how well we do in our school work. As Amber points out, attractiveness is important in some job positions, especially when your job entails you to work with other people.
ReplyDeleteSo the bottom line is that whether a person chooses to wear make up or not, they must look presentable in their work environment.
I think that whether companies consciously take into account whether a woman wears makeup or not in hiring, it is a factor. Especially in retail or customer service companies, appearance affects success. I believe makeup is at least a little important in the hiring process. It just depends on how women wear the makeup. If women wear makeup that is completely unnatural, like blue eyeshadow, it can give off different ideas than the company wants to portray. But if a woman wears natural makeup it can often brighten the eyes, or make them look more awake. If makeup is used in the correct way it can be important to a company.
ReplyDeleteWith the idea of attaching the idea of wearing makeup with work, yes it is true that at IHA we find this ridiculous. People often do link the ideas together though. This comes from the idea that you want to impress your boss, so in order to do this you work hard and try to look your best. In looking your best women use makeup to enhance themselves. As long as it is not overdone, makeup can help women in work.
I agree with what many girls have said, appearance is important in the work place, such as having good hygiene, dressing appropriately and all together looking "put together." On the other hand, this does not necessarily mean that a woman has to walk into a room with a full face of make up. Though people may find her "more attractive" in society's standards, sometimes makeup is used to hide behind and disguise flaws others may not see. I personally commend the women who wear the bare minimum of makeup since it shows self confidence, inner beauty and comfort within her own skin.
ReplyDeleteI think that every human being tends to work harder when they feel good about themselves. Don’t you feel like performing your best when you look your best? I do not necessarily agree that women should be hired on their appearance, but you can only make a first impression once and sometimes wearing a lot of makeup allows a woman to put her best foot forward in an interview. I don’t think that looking good should take away from working hard in the workplace for women. At the end of the day, you are being paid to perform a task not to look good. It should not be at the cost of the company what their employees look like, if women want to look good for work they should take the time to ensure this is so before they arrive in the office. I do not think that anyone should be judged strictly on their appearance alone, but unfortunately, this is unavoidable. Your appearance is the first thing that is registered in a person’s mind and it is a common thought that the way in which someone cares for themselves is similar in the way that they care about their work. Thus, if a person (woman specifically) takes good care of herself then she would essentially perform well and care about her work.
ReplyDelete