51% employers judge a job seeker based on his looks, says a study!

We all are aware of the various discriminations that are prevalent in the workplace.

From gender-based discrimination to unequal pay, these issues constantly make headlines.

But did you know that your appearance can impact the judgment of an employer during a job interview?

Yes, a new and interesting study has found that more than half of employers judge applicants based on their looks.

The interesting research, which analyzed how an employer is influenced by prospective employee’s looks, analysed around 1,000 hiring managers and bosses based in the United Kingdom. Surprisingly, a whopping 90 per cent of the employers admitted that having a professional look for an applicant is an important factor because it greatly influences the hiring process.

If you are attending a job interview, you better hide that tattoo in your arm or any other visible parts of your body because according to the research, 43 per cent of employers admitted to rejecting candidates because they had tattoos. Not only that, 40 per cent of managers who participated in the study said that they judge candidates based on what they wore and 30 per cent said they were disappointed by the candidate’s hair colour and it definitely influenced their decision.

We already know that candidates are constantly judged (as per the study, almost 51 per cent bosses do that) for their looks but did you know that younger candidates have an advantage? According to the study, 57 per cent employers didn’t mind how the candidate looked as long as he or she is younger than 24 years!

Since first impressions are so important, you should be dressed for the occasion, right? And when the occasion happens to be a job interview, looking professional can win you a few brownie points. Men should wear full sleeve shirts and in case he decides to choose a short-sleeved shirt, it should always be formal. Both the shirt and trousers should be well ironed and wear a tie and a blazer only if it is appropriate. Clean and shining shoes are a must. Women should stick to formal clothes like a shirt and skirt or pants. What matters is your attitude and how well you carry what you are wearing.

While the above-mentioned point explains what to wear for an interview, here we will tell you what to avoid. Whether you like it or not, heavy tattoos or weird hair colour may not be well-appreciated (just as the study found) by all employers. In case, your job requires you to be in a very formal environment, it will be wise to wear clothes that cover your tattoos. Also, wearing clothes of neutral colours rather than too bright colours is advisable; avoid animal or big prints. A well-groomed appearance might earn you more brownie points than a just-out-of-the-bed look. Avoid revealing clothes and too many pieces of jewellery. Also, your body language matters a lot, so working on it might prove beneficial.