How to Make Up for Being Ugly

I've posted previously that attractive people make more money (as do tall, "wise", and appropriately dressed people.) Kiplinger recognizes this fact as well and suggests how to compensate if you're less than pleasing to the eye. Their suggestions:

Don't skimp on self-development. If you have mediocre skills, that’s strike two. Add a mediocre personality, and it’s usually strike three and you’re out. So self-development, while important for everyone, is crucial for you. Instead of watching TV on the treadmill, read a professional magazine. Instead of loafing around on Saturday morning, go to that seminar on executive deportment. And ask for 360-degree feedback from bosses, co-workers, supervisees and customers.

Make an effort to look sharp. There are some physical attributes we can control and some we can’t. If you ignore the features that you could enhance, it sends the message that you don’t care—a message that may even give the wrong impression of your work. Dress well—at your boss's level of dressiness. Wear a moderate amount of subtle makeup (women only!). Not sure whether yours brings out the best in you? Major department stores have an army of cosmeticians willing to make you over for free.

Don't smoke. If avoiding cancer isn't a good-enough reason, smoking also makes you uglier: It yellows your teeth, wrinkles your skin and makes your breath stink.

Manage your weight as well as you can. Stand up straight. Helen Gurley Brown said, only half joking, “After 40, it all comes down to posture.”

I'd like to add my two cents to these suggestions/this issue:

1. It's a fact of life that attractive people generally get ahead, get the breaks, etc. Don't yell at me -- I didn't set the rules, I'm just recognizing them.

2. That said, it's a shame that it's this way.

3. No matter who you are -- attractive or non-attractive -- you MUST deliver results and have a good attitude. If you don't have these, you're doomed (sure, a good-looking person without these will do better than an unattractive person without them, but he'll still do much worse than most people.)

4. Do whatever you can to make yourself better in all categories -- performance, attitude, AND looks. You need to do everything you can anyway to manage and grow your biggest financial asset (your career).

5. Most people are neither stunning nor ugly, they're in the middle of the pack. As such, most people can simply focus on the basics of looking better (noted above) and this will be good enough.

6. Personally, I cover the basics that make me look at good as possible (proper hygiene, dress appropriately, etc.), but spend the most time on delivering results for my employer as well as being a "yes, I can do that" sort of employee. So far, it's working. :-)

Comments

[jj]

I'm not sure about the department store cosmeticians. Their job is to sell you as much stuff as they have behind the counter.

[Strick]

Looks, social skills, IQ, financial status - we all get what we get at birth. It all matters (why wouldn't it, what employer wouldn't expect better performance from a Good looking, well adjusted, financially secure, intelligent employee), so time, awareness, and effort spent on both our prime attributes (as well as our shortcomings, which is more rare and more difficult to face) in all of these areas will increase our chance for success greater than another evening of watching TV.

[Lurker Carl]

An ugly duckling with a great attitude, team spirit, fantastic work ethic and terrific skills becomes considerably more attractive than the beautiful swan nothing else to offer. Eye candy wears thin when you're trying to get the job done.

[Eugene Krabs]

I laughed when I saw the title, but the chuckles faded to seriousness as I read on. Indeed, it's very important to continue to develop as a good employee, and even self-employed must to keep improving their network and client base.

[kenyantykoon]

this is really insensitive. i hope you will not market this post "to all the ugly people out there" and in any case your definition of ugliness is relative(ever heard of the saying- one man's meat is another man's poison?) but i respect the openness

[Ellen]

I think that these are important tips for anyone. The idea that attractive people get ahead more easily is probably only true to a degree. For women at least, sometimes the more attractive (or feminine) a woman is, the less likely she is to be taken seriously and given promotions, etc.

I would market these tips to everyone. Dressing like you take your job seriously is applicable no matter what you look like. Smoking can make even beautiful people look worn and nasty. And a little self-development never hurt anyone.