The Bias Toward Attractive Job Candidates
In a job application process, an attractive looking applicant has a significantly higher chance of securing a job than a less attractive competitor. This is based on a survey conducted by Resume.io. The service provider submitted nearly 300 digital applications from two attractive and two less attractive applicants. The letters and CVs were more or less identical, only the photo with the applications was different. The attractive applicants much more often received a positive response.
Attractive looking applicant has more chance of getting the job
Of the attractive applicants, 1 in 6 (17%) received an invitation for an interview. Of the less attractive candidates, only 1 in 33 (3%) received an invitation for an interview from the same recruiters.
“Based on previous research, we already knew that recruiters discriminate on racial origin, but the fact that they discriminate even heavier on appearance is a very painful conclusion,” says Robin Bakker of Resume.io.
Recruiters mainly choose attractive applicants of the other sex
Recruiters have a clear preference for attractive applicants of the other sex. It appeared that male recruiters sent out 69% more positive responses to an attractive female applicant than to a less attractive female applicant with more or less the same CV. Male recruiters paid less attention to the appearance of men who applied for the same job as there was hardly any difference in response ratios.
Like their male colleagues, female recruiters also have a clear preference for attractive applicants of the other sex. The attractive male applicant received a positive reaction in 73% more cases than the less attractive male applicant.