Getting By On a Smile: Do Looks Matter?

You have about 10 seconds to assess someone before forming an initial opinion of him or her and, inevitably, how somebody looks is the first thing we notice. By this point, we all know that what makes someone attractive goes well beyond their physical appearance. At a time where our cities seem more superficial than ever before, and where beauty is simple to construct if you have the cash, how important is physical appearance (as opposed to attractiveness) in work, relationships and life in general?

In the Workplace
Some companies are known to have a “good looking and stylish employees only” policy, especially those in highly visible, social or fashionable professions. This, of course, is designed to reflect the overall image of the brand – and the strategy has its merits. In a job that is heavy in networking, good looks set individuals apart from the crowd and make him or her memorable. Even if fellow young professionals (YPs) don’t get to speak to that eye-catching person across the room at an event, their face will be remembered and others may be intrigued to get to know them should their paths ever cross again. Furthermore, in a profession like sales, people may be more inclined to buy what you’re selling if you’re good looking, especially if the product may somehow be seen to contribute to attractiveness – like a golf membership, beauty product or clothing line.

On the other hand, good looks can be detrimental in the workplace. We can recall a friend of ours whose dad had a strict policy against hiring attractive female secretaries or administrative assistants as to avoid distractions and the potential for extra-curricular temptations in the male-dominated office. As we’ve witnessed time and again from the “question portion” at beauty pageants, beauty and brains are not always synonymous. Hiring someone based on his or her attractiveness alone, therefore, is never a wise idea. While they may be nice to look at, they can quickly cost your company resources and dollars if their brains, skill level and dedication aren’t also perfect 10s. Furthermore, being good looking in the workplace may put extra pressure on employees, as coworkers could place more scrutiny on the good looking person to ensure he or she was indeed hired for the right reasons, isn’t receiving any sort of special treatment, and isn’t distracting others from completing their work. 

“I am not going to lie, for certain positions within my company, like the sales team or the reception team, I would probably give the job to a better looking person,” said a 38-year-old male Toronto business owner. “But I would much rather a team of average looking, smart, driven and strategic people than a team of beautiful dummies. Looks help, but only models can make dollars with a smile alone – and I am not running a modeling agency.”

In Dating and Relating
Ideally, many of us would probably choose for our significant other (SO) to have movie star-like looks. Dating someone good looking likely (but not always) makes him or her physically attractive to you and will probably inspire you to want to look your personal best as well. You may secretly love the feeling of walking hand in hand with the other, knowing that people are checking him or her out… while you’re the one who has them. Not to mention (yes, we are being petty here) that easy-on-the-eyes accessory by your side makes running into an ex or frenemy a little less torturous. Finally, we are innately attracted to physically fit, good-looking people in the hope that any potential future offspring will be as well. 

As we have to remind fellow YPs from time-to-time, looks are not everything and should be seen as an added bonus in addition to all of an individual’s other amazing traits when it comes to dating. Let’s be honest, those blessed with incredible looks, especially women, may be used to getting what they want because of them and know how to take full advantage of their genetic lottery win. Along with their looks, they may bring that attitude into the relationship, routinely taking more than they give. Even if he or she is indeed refreshingly humble when it comes to their looks, some may not want to deal with the ogling eyes and constant advances of others that inevitably come with dating an attractive person. Furthermore, good looks may actually be a detriment when it comes to dating for the young, hot single person. A good looking person may be viewed as unapproachable because others are too intimidated to make a move and may even make pre-conceived notions based on your looks, like “she must be a b*tch,” or, “he must be a d-bag.”

“Only in the beginning are looks important, and are what breaks that initial ice,” said a 32-year-old Toronto male in sales. “Once you get acquainted, the significance of looks diminishes.” 

“I think looks are important,” said a 25-year-old Toronto female in fashion. “A friend of mine is hopelessly in love with her boyfriend of five years but is seriously considering breaking up with him because he has gained so much weight that she is no longer attracted to him.”

In Life
From free drinks and meals to never going dateless, to doors held or other attention, being good looking has its perks. But looks can have negative effects on lives too. We have seen some of the most beautiful people turn out to be the most insecure, and this is likely because they feel they have an image to live up to, can’t handle the attention, or simply want to be known for more than the way they look. At the end of the day, looks will fade and people who define themselves by their looks will have a harsh dose of reality once they aren’t so young and fresh anymore. All of this begs the question: what does it mean to be good looking anyway? Like art, beauty has and always will be subjective. All we can try to do is look and feel our personal best; that’s all that matters.

Cover Image from: http://mayamalkin.tumblr.com/