There has been a bit of publicity recently with a new recruitment business launching with the premise of registering only beautiful people on their books. It turns out that it's a spin off business from a dating site which also only works with beautiful people... I've hummed and ha'ed about this for a while and whilst I'm pretty cynical about the whole thing, I think they'll find themselves a market. Albeit a shallow one but a market all the same.
In the years that I've worked. I've seen both sides of this. A boss who was a sucker for a pretty face would recruit speedily and we'd see his new hires exit the business just as speedily. This chap would actually skip the regular interview questions and spend the interview telling the candidates how successful he was and the size of engine of his new Ferrari (about the same size as his ego). As a recruiter, I've also come across clients who do ask for 'attractive' candidates. There are a couple of agencies in the North West where the account handling staff resemble the set of Hollyoaks - the MDs themselves being men of a certain age (and as John Inverdale might say, are no oil paintings themselves). So whilst there are laws in place to ensure discrimination doesn't happen, I'd say there not always enforced. However, most of the time I would suggest that there is somewhere for everyone. Skilled and talented individuals will always find work - good looking or not. If some bosses categorise skilled individuals as not attractive enough, they're bound to find work elsewhere where the recruitment process is fair and appropriate.
The new recruitment business states that 'it pays to hire good looking people'. Well clearly it depends on what the job is - you'll never see promo girls who have a hair out of place and the girls in the pit lane at Silverstone are always gorgeous. But in a marketing agency, it's skills in actual account handling, knowledge of branding, creative ability etc. The job market is such that anyone who isn't performing, just won't last. Good looking or not!
My knowledge of individual agencies and in-house marketing departments is to know what overall profile of candidate suits each business. Beauty is also in the eye of the beholder and who am I to decide who is beautiful enough! So when I'm interviewing, I'll check personality and skills over looks and I'd like to think that 90% of clients do the same. Clients, on the whole, care far more about grooming and presentation over whether a candidate is 'officially beautiful'. The 10% who are suckers for a pretty face should check out www.beautifulpeople.com!
PS:
Photos on CVs. Generally only seen from candidates who perceive themselves as beautiful people - 'once you've seen a photo of me you won't be able to resist an interview...' If you absolutely must....(preferably not) please no photos of you on holiday/on a night out/with your cat etc. This counts for your Linked in profile pic too.
In the years that I've worked. I've seen both sides of this. A boss who was a sucker for a pretty face would recruit speedily and we'd see his new hires exit the business just as speedily. This chap would actually skip the regular interview questions and spend the interview telling the candidates how successful he was and the size of engine of his new Ferrari (about the same size as his ego). As a recruiter, I've also come across clients who do ask for 'attractive' candidates. There are a couple of agencies in the North West where the account handling staff resemble the set of Hollyoaks - the MDs themselves being men of a certain age (and as John Inverdale might say, are no oil paintings themselves). So whilst there are laws in place to ensure discrimination doesn't happen, I'd say there not always enforced. However, most of the time I would suggest that there is somewhere for everyone. Skilled and talented individuals will always find work - good looking or not. If some bosses categorise skilled individuals as not attractive enough, they're bound to find work elsewhere where the recruitment process is fair and appropriate.
The new recruitment business states that 'it pays to hire good looking people'. Well clearly it depends on what the job is - you'll never see promo girls who have a hair out of place and the girls in the pit lane at Silverstone are always gorgeous. But in a marketing agency, it's skills in actual account handling, knowledge of branding, creative ability etc. The job market is such that anyone who isn't performing, just won't last. Good looking or not!
My knowledge of individual agencies and in-house marketing departments is to know what overall profile of candidate suits each business. Beauty is also in the eye of the beholder and who am I to decide who is beautiful enough! So when I'm interviewing, I'll check personality and skills over looks and I'd like to think that 90% of clients do the same. Clients, on the whole, care far more about grooming and presentation over whether a candidate is 'officially beautiful'. The 10% who are suckers for a pretty face should check out www.beautifulpeople.com!
PS:
Photos on CVs. Generally only seen from candidates who perceive themselves as beautiful people - 'once you've seen a photo of me you won't be able to resist an interview...' If you absolutely must....(preferably not) please no photos of you on holiday/on a night out/with your cat etc. This counts for your Linked in profile pic too.