Make More Money by Being Attractive

So far, here's our list of physically related ways you can make more money:

• Wearing skirts and makeup (for women, of course)


• Being taller (heels, anyone?)


• Being attractive


• Having just a "touch" of gray hair (for men)


• Control your weight

Yes, we've covered the "being attractive" idea previously (even asking if you'd have plastic surgery to improve your career), but there's some more information on the subject that I wanted to share with you all. Here's a summary:

The Economist recently took a look at three books dealing with a topic that is both uncomfortable and endlessly fascinating:  Whether attractiveness helps you get ahead in life.

The article, citing the research of experts including Daniel Hamermesh, notes that attractive people earn more than average-looking ones even in fields such as professional football.

This isn’t just pocket change, either: Over a lifetime, the article argues that an attractive worker might, on average, earn $230,000 more than a very plain worker.

As noted, the piece highlights parts of a post on the Economist on the same subject. Here's what the original article adds to the discussion:

Physically attractive women and men earn more than average-looking ones, and very plain people earn less. In the labour market as a whole (though not, for example, in astrophysics), looks have a bigger impact on earnings than education, though intelligence—mercifully enough— is valued more highly still.

Daniel Hamermesh, an economist at the University of Texas, has long written about “pulchronomics”. In “Beauty Pays” he reckons that, over a lifetime and assuming today’s mean wages, a handsome worker in America might on average make $230,000 more than a very plain one. There is evidence that attractive workers bring in more business, so it often makes sense for firms to hire them. Whether rewarding them accordingly—and paying their less attractive peers more stingily—is good for society is another matter.

Interesting stuff, huh?

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject (and FYI, I'm not saying that I like this subject or that I even think it's "right" -- but I do think it's true and an issue we need to address if we want to maximize our earnings):

• So, we can add attractiveness to performance and likeability as the things that really propel your career, huh?


• You can see how these issues can substantially impact your earnings over a lifetime -- especially when you look at my thoughts on how to maximize your earnings.


• When we're talking "attractiveness" here, don't think that it's something you either have or don't have. EVERYONE can be more attractive depending on how they dress, bathe, take care of themselves, act (all attractiveness isn't physical, of course, but perhaps this borders more on "likeability"), and so on. Everyone can improve their attractiveness in one way or another -- and usually in many ways. So don't think you're a lost cause or you can't improve your performance in this area because you're "plain", "ugly", or any other word you might want to call yourself.


• Here's a basic example of the note above. When I was in college and grad school, I had a haircut/style that was suitable for a student. The fall semester of my final year, I changed my hairstyle to be more "corporate" and thus more "attractive" to potential employers. It was a simple change, but I believe it made it easier for them to hire me because I looked the part (in other words, was more attractive based on their criteria.) Would I have gotten the job offers I did anyway? We'll never know, but I doubt it.


• When you have information like "a handsome worker in America might on average make $230,000 more than a very plain one" it makes those clothing, make-up, gym memberships, hair appointments, etc. look less like an extravagant cost and more like an investment, huh? Then again, people can (and do) go overboard with those things, so you have to keep it all in perspective.

So, how about you? Have you ever consciously taken steps to improve your attractiveness? What were they?

Comments

[brooklyn money]

Hmm. This contradicts (in my mind)a study cited by the Wall Street Journal recently that women who spend more time getting ready in the morning/primping earn less than those that do not. All those things to be more attractive -- highlights, expensive hair cuts, hair straightening, etc. take time and money. They don't just happen. So while you may earn more (may) you also have to spend/invest more in your looks and image. There's probably a happy medium.

[MattJ]

I lost about 50 lbs in 2009 to be more attractive, not for my health, but I did it for my hobby, not to help my career.

It may however, have helped my career as well. Hard to say.

[BD]

I try, but I can't afford such goodies as dying my hair, or buying expensive acne medication to cure my bad acne, or treatment for my horrible crooked teeth (they're really bad).

I try to keep myself as well-groomed as I can on what little money on make (luckily, soap is not out of my price range!), and just hope for the best. Luckily, I'm thin, since I can't afford to eat tons of food all the time, so I have that part covered! :)

I hate the whole subject of beautiful people earning more and getting ahead. It's so true, and it's depressing. Women who are born with beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes and a perfectly symmetrical face always seem to breeze through life with so little effort.

[Kathy F]

I remember getting a job as a waitress in a restaurant after I graduated college (could not find a job in the 1982 recession right away). After I was hired, the guy (older Italian guy, very fatherly type) that hired me told me he chose me over other women who applied because I was the only one that bothered to wear a skirt to the job interview. I don't think he was not implying anything sexist either. He said it showed that I took care with my appearance and that I was willing to make an effort to impress and look professional for a job interview, even if it was just a waitressing job.

But I also remember trying to ask about a job opening at another restaurant in person. The manager looked at me like I was from Mars and told me that they only hired waiters. I was naive about this and felt kind of stupid. I did not even think about possible job discrimination. This was back in 1982.

[Walden]

When I was at my first "real" job and was having trouble making my sales goals I did everything I could to increase my confidence at work, since that was when I performed the best. I worked out more, ate better and paid more attention to how I dressed (still very conservatively, suits every day). It really wasn't about intentionally looking better (I was already naturally attractive, lucky me!), it was more that I felt better about myself and more able to achieve my goals. Of course, a by-product of those efforts was that I looked better. My numbers went up, I received awards, and got promoted. Whether that had more to do with my increased confidence or my increased attractiveness I will never know, though I suspect it was both!

I totally agree with the point made that everyone can do something to increase their attractiveness. Even if it's nothing more than doing things that increase your self-confidence - that is a powerful attractant by itself!

[John]

I think this is so obviouse. We do not need science here.
Let say you need to hire a secretary. Are you going to hire a fat woman or a playboy bunny? Keep in mind that Science has proven that being around attractive women, increases testoserone.
Also on last weeks Modern Family, when Al bundy showed his closets to a prospective buyer, he hated them, but when Sophia Vergara showed more or less the same closets to that same prospective buyer, all he said was wow! and wow!

[John]

Oh you guys missed one more thing that would help you get a coveted interview..

Having a Fantastic Name, over a name that is ugly or that nobody could pronounce or spell.

I like Lex Luthor, or Max Wheeler. That sounds cool.

[John Wingate]

I believe that looking professional at your job will make a person successful. This doesn't mean going out and spending hundreds of dollars on nails, hair, skirts, suits, etc. This means taking the time to look professional and looking your best.

I have been to many places and the sales people woke up and literally put on their clothes and went to work. I am in the sales business, so I refer everything to sales.

Looking professional is needed at every job. When someone is hiring a new employee, they are going to look for someone that is going to represent their company in an inspiring way. A nice smile will always work wonders and people rather see someone that smiles compared to a person that looks like they hate their job.

[Old Limey]

While I was working I was once on a committee that had some dealings with an engineer in our company's research labs. This guy was so shy that he had a problem looking a person in the eye. When he spoke he put his hand in front of his mouth so you could hardly hear what he was saying. However when you read one of his papers they were beautifully written and the expertise shown in them was brilliant and in stark contrast to what you might have expected.

When he was hired by our company they were told by one of his professors that he was the brightest PhD student to ever come out the Civil Engineering department of UC Berkeley. He made some astounding contributions in software development for us and we were all really sorry when we heard that he was leaving to become a professor in the engineering department of a well known university.

It just goes to show that you can't always judge a book by its cover!

[Mark]

I think as a person gets older, attractiveness is more about taking care of yourself than being naturually good looking...and that's good news, because it's something we have some control over. Eating right, not letting yourself get overweight, not smoking, moderate exercise, and dressing decently are all things most of us can do.

@BD....Most likely your acne is caused by excess sugar consumption. Most of us get way too much sugar unless we're really keeping processed foods to a minimum.

[BD]

Mark: I've always had acne since I was young. When I was a child/teen, I was not allowed to have sugar at all (we're a VERY health-conscious household). No, it's not sugar. It's just bad genes. My mom eats very little to no sugar, and she had bad acne too, for most of her life. Some of us are just genetically unlucky.

[Anne]

For BD: I am not a doctor and don't have any medical expertise, but you might want to check out http://dremilykane.com/2004/08/31/treatments-for-adult-acne/

Especially the step about Vitamin A - one of my daughters has terrible, uncontrollable acne (with a practically vegan, sugar-free diet) and is taking the generic of Accutane. But this is really just a high-dose of Vitamin A. Even with the little I know, though, follow the recommended steps, and be EXTREMELY careful not to get pregnant, because high doses of Vitamin A, even natural, can cause birth defects.

Again, I am just sharing a link, not giving medical advice!