Thursday, April 5, 2012

Should Your Face be Made Public?

As I approach the working world, I've been spending a lot of time researching and preparing; learning all I can about the process of applying to, interviewing for, and landing a job. I have been to workshops that have taught me how to curate a portfolio, write a resume, and edit my online presence all in the name of appearing professional. We all know there there has always been some bias in the workplace when in comes to men and women. While many advances have been made, especially in the design field, there will always be stereotypes and judgements made. Studies say that attractive people have an advantage in the workplace; that the people around them project positive traits onto them because of their appearance. But when it comes to the application process, this type of stereotyping reverses. An article in The Economist talks about a study done on CV letters with and without pictures of the applicant. While attractive men were more likely to be called into for an interview, attractive women were less likely to be followed up. This is a lot to think about; both for men and women who are entering the job applicant world. How much should be made public? Can just your face online hurt your chances of landing a job? We will all be judged by our appearance over and over again in life. By saving parts of ourselves in the private realm, perhaps we can curtail extra stereotyping.

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