jobs that hire based on looks

that being said, here are some industries where appearance might play a role, but where other qualifications are also important:

1. modeling and entertainment: in industries like fashion, modeling, acting, and entertainment, physical appearance often plays a significant role. However, even in these industries, talent, versatility, and professionalism are also important factors.

2. hospitality and customer service: some roles that involve direct customer interaction, such as flight attendants, waitstaff, and front-desk personnel, may emphasize certain grooming standards and appearance, as they are often seen as representatives of the brand or company.

3. sales and marketing: in sales and marketing roles, a presentable appearance might be considered an asset, especially in client-facing positions. This is because having a professional demeanor can help build trust and rapport with clients.

4. personal branding and influencer roles: in the age of social media, individuals who are building personal brands or working as influencers might place a strong emphasis on their appearance, as it can be part of their overall image.

5. fitness and wellness industry: roles in fitness instruction, personal training, and wellness coaching often emphasize physical fitness and appearance as a reflection of the individual's commitment to health.

6. model-adjacent roles: while not exactly modeling, roles such as fitness models, hand models, and parts models (e.g., hands, feet) might place emphasis on specific physical attributes.

remember that even in these industries, qualifications, skills, and professionalism are crucial. discrimination based on appearance is generally not ethical or legally permissible. Most reputable employers aim to create diverse and inclusive work environments that value a wide range of talents and qualities beyond physical appearance.

Can employers hire based on looks and photos? Does beauty affect hiring and even promotion? should it?

In 2013 there was much controversy over what was termed "beauty bias", particularly in light of a legally-dubious job website that allowed employers to hire "beautiful people". As this issue gains more traction, here's what the law says, what existing research says, and our take on whether you should factor beauty and image into your employment decisions.

no federal law currently exists that specifically prohibits employers from basing hiring decisions on criteria that include physical attractiveness or personal appearance.

Several non-employment-related factors are protected by law, including race, age, gender, ethnicity, and disability. Because many of these protected factors tend to overlap with physical attractiveness or personal appearance, employers must proceed with caution.

For example, Abercrombie and Fitch has been notorious for hiring "attractive" employees as part of its brand, and has a "look policy". a class action lawsuit was filed against the company claiming the company's policies were racially discriminatory. the court found that the actual jobs that the company was hiring did not require a certain "all-american" appearance, and the company settled the case for $50 million and agreed to change its policy on hiring "good-looking" employees of different races. . interestingly, the company has not faced legal trouble for hiring attractive people, but has to clarify that "good-looking" people come from different races.

other examples of when personal appearance may intersect with protections under the law include not hiring an employee because he or she is obese (since obesity is generally covered as a disability under the americans with disabilities act (ada), hiring a there is a preference for younger employees over older employees, or a bias towards a certain gender or race as more attractive.

attractiveness has been found to influence employers' judgments about job applicants. Studies have consistently shown that there is an unconscious attractiveness bias in our workplace, and that physical attractiveness influences employment-related decisions, including hiring, promotion and compensation.

research shows that more attractive people are seen as more favorable candidates. they are generally considered to be more likable, happier and more socially desirable traits. they've even been found to earn higher starting salaries than less attractive candidates (source: cornell hr review).

At the same time, research has also shown that basing employment decisions on non-job-related factors is not effective. attractive people are neither more nor less capable, intelligent, or sociable than less attractive people (source: cornell hr review).

So while we may not hire based on looks or attractiveness, research shows that we probably do unconsciously.

Consequently, employers should be aware of this bias and ensure that employment decisions are based on objective criteria. Because interviews are the primary method by which bias occurs when candidates are hired, hiring decisions are advised to factor other objective forms of evaluation, such as selection evaluations and work samples. Use of a structured or behavioral interview format (including standard questions and an interview form) can help reduce bias.

Because of the "beauty bias", it is clear that appearance and image are important in some cases. research shows that perceptions of credibility, competence and likability are heavily influenced by personal appearance, which affects our business interactions – especially in customer-facing roles where such perceptions are clearly advantageous. Still, you shouldn't hire or promote based solely or primarily on looks because it's one of those legally "gray areas", not very effective, and most importantly, you can overlook extraordinary talent.

but, there is a middle ground. it is reasonable to have standards for personal appearance and professional image, such as appropriate clothing, accessories, and grooming habits (grooming, hairstyle, etc.).

organizations should ensure that these standards do not discriminate against protected groups and classes and that the standards are not overly stringent and do not make sense for their type of business.

While preferential treatment of attractive individuals in the workplace is not recommended when making employment decisions, and the type of "look policy" that a&f creates is not recommended, you can expect employees to maintain a professional image and acceptable standards of personal appearance. , and of course can hire and promote employees based on these values in addition to objective factors including performance, results, and potential.

A great image can be a plus at work and in business because of our biases, but true substance and talent must be considered first and foremost.

Please note that by providing you with the research information that may be contained in this article, the erc is not rendering a qualified legal opinion. as such, research information that the erc provides to its members should not be relied upon or considered a substitute for legal advice. The information we provide is for general employer use and not necessarily for individual applications.

that being said, here are some industries where appearance might play a role, but where other qualifications are also important:

1. modeling and entertainment: in industries like fashion, modeling, acting, and entertainment, physical appearance often plays a significant role. However, even in these industries, talent, versatility, and professionalism are also important factors.

2. hospitality and customer service: some roles that involve direct customer interaction, such as flight attendants, waitstaff, and front-desk personnel, may emphasize certain grooming standards and appearance, as they are often seen as representatives of the brand or company.

3. sales and marketing: in sales and marketing roles, a presentable appearance might be considered an asset, especially in client-facing positions. This is because having a professional demeanor can help build trust and rapport with clients.

4. personal branding and influencer roles: in the age of social media, individuals who are building personal brands or working as influencers might place a strong emphasis on their appearance, as it can be part of their overall image.

5. fitness and wellness industry: roles in fitness instruction, personal training, and wellness coaching often emphasize physical fitness and appearance as a reflection of the individual's commitment to health.

6. model-adjacent roles: while not exactly modeling, roles such as fitness models, hand models, and parts models (e.g., hands, feet) might place emphasis on specific physical attributes.

remember that even in these industries, qualifications, skills, and professionalism are crucial. discrimination based on appearance is generally not ethical or legally permissible. Most reputable employers aim to create diverse and inclusive work environments that value a wide range of talents and qualities beyond physical appearance.

After a few months of studying, you'll be excited to embark on your new career path with a degree in hand. but there's one more hurdle to clear before you can proudly say you love your job: landing a job.

you're confident that your education will eventually give you the technical skills you need, but the interview process still worries you. positions at the best companies can be competitive, even in growing industries—so what can you do to set yourself apart as a qualified job candidate?

While some fields are more technically demanding than others, such as nursing or data analytics, you can make a good impression by showing that you have a wide range of "soft" or "transferable" skills that employers look for when hiring a new team member. We spoke to employers in a range of fields to discover the high-value transferable skills you can highlight.

When it comes to what employers look for when trying to fill a vacancy, it's more than just technical skills. Those abilities are expected to perform the job duties. but it's often the soft skills that separate an average employee from a great one.

Soft skills are traits like teamwork, listening and communication, which may not seem as important as technical skills, but they have a big impact in the workplace. Whatever your ideal career path looks like, you'll use soft skills—interacting with patients as a medical assistant, giving a presentation as a marketing specialist, or working on a team as a software developer.

"Companies can train employees in technical skills, but soft skills are much harder to teach," says Sophie Miles, co-founder of elmejortrato. you can grab an employer's attention right off the bat if you walk in the door with in-demand soft skills that aren't easily taught.

check out these soft skills so you're prepared when you embark on your job search. you may even discover that employers already look for many of these top skills in you during the hiring process.

you won't get far in the workplace if you don't have the ability to communicate well with those around you. "Most problems that have occurred in the past could probably have been resolved with proper communication," says cornelius charles, co-owner of dream home property solutions, llc. Charles adds that recruiters value this skill because it allows them to reduce risk and avoid problems before they arise.

Having strong communication skills in the digital age means strong writing and speaking skills, both in person and on the web with tools like video conferencing and email. You can demonstrate your communication skills in an interview by practicing active listening, asking questions, remembering the interviewer's name, and sending a thank you note.

Meeting deadlines and staying efficient are important for companies in every industry. This makes time management a valuable skill for employees who often work on multiple projects at once. Employers want to know they have employees who can manage their time well so managers don't have to look over their shoulders to make sure they stay on track.

"the ability to successfully manage time is often demonstrated during the interview process," says miles. you can start your interview on time. Beyond that, try to talk about times in your life where you clearly had competitive priorities and explain what you did to stay on top of deadlines.

critical thinking is a skill that allows you to objectively examine information to determine the best way forward and is a key component of problem solving. “In any job and any company, employees are bound to run into unexpected challenges and setbacks. companies depend on employees who step up and find creative solutions to problems the company is facing,” said eleonora Israel, recruiting manager at clutch.co.

you can brush up on your critical-thinking skills by practicing problems you encounter in your everyday life. Why did your cat stop using the litter box? How can you save enough money to take a vacation next year? what does your community baseball team need to do to win their next game? ask smart questions, conduct research and make an educated guess

No career path is discounted when it comes to the ability to work well in a team. Even positions with a lot of independent work still require you to collaborate with others. "Every role in the company is connected to other roles and teams," says israel. "employees who are able to work well with others and understand their perspectives often come up with creative solutions efficiently and effectively."

The importance of teamwork cannot be overstated, so it's a skill you'll want to communicate to employers during your interview. be sure to mention specific instances where you worked well with a team, either in school or in a past job, and share the positive results that resulted from your group efforts.

emotional intelligence is the ability to understand both your own emotions and the emotions of those around you. This is especially helpful in the workplace, where teams work together to make companies work successfully. If teamwork is an essential component of a successful company, then emotional intelligence is the glue that makes all collaboration possible.

There are many signs that you may have high emotional intelligence, but one of the biggest is empathy. "To be a valuable employee, it's important to understand information from a peer's perspective," said ketan kapoor, ceo and co-founder of mettl. "This single shift in perspective helps build a thriving, positive company culture."

We live in a technology-driven age that demands digital literacy in almost every profession. Digital literacy is in demand far beyond technology careers. being comfortable with computers, online research and apps – not to mention industry-specific software – is expected in the workplace today.

There are plenty of ways to develop your digital literacy if mastering technology doesn't come easily to you. If these soft skills seem beyond your reach, be sure to express your willingness to go the extra mile to learn new skills and follow your natural curiosity. “Those who are curious make a conscious effort to explore, explore, and learn without needing an outsider to convince them. such people are always a part of the solution," says kapoor.

Employers are always looking for hard-working employees who take initiative and are proactive about finding new ways to help the company do its job. Employees with initiative do not wait for their boss to delegate their tasks. They are self-motivated and driven to do whatever they can to improve their company from their current position.

As you can imagine, employees with this kind of internal drive can add enormous value to a company. "A strong work ethic is a must for any employee as they take ownership of their work and are self-driven to achieve results," says kapoor. "they become a well of inspiration for others in the workplace." share with your interviewer an example where you took initiative at your previous organization to demonstrate that you have experience with these soft skills.

Now that you have an idea of what skills employers look for regardless of the job, you can go into your post-college interview with confidence in both your education and your soft skills. Of course, you still have to do the work and complete your education. Rasmussen University has a variety of flexible degree offerings that will help round out both your technical skills and the universal skills we've already highlighted. If you're ready to get started, contact an admissions counselor to request more information.