Dear LoveCafe,
My roommate and I have been living together since our freshman year in the dorms. I’ll admit, he’s a little unmotivated, nice looking guy who is constantly under the influence of something. I, myself, am a bit opposite, but we get along great - I am pre-med, constantly studying and/or doing research. But, don’t get me wrong, I do occasionally join him in his weekend festivities.
This year, I decided I would be taking some time off of school in order to get my finances together before I go on to grad school, so both my roommate and I attended several career and job fairs hosted by Cal. My resume: filled with professional experience and extra curriculars; his, not so much. I plowed through multiple rounds of interviews from top biotechnology firms in the area and he had a few interviews from small consulting firms and start ups.
In the end, I was left unemployed, while he had multiple offers. I’m a extremely envious of my a 6'4 roommate and me, well I’m nowhere near that…
My question is this: does physical attraction/physique increase the chances of being hired? Like hot bartenders at a high-end nightclub…
- Handsome & Unemployed
Dear Handsome & Unemployed,
Don’t worry too much, blame it on the recession. Many people feel the same way you do, at a dis-/advantage because of the way they look, which is understandable, but also untrue.
When you’re applying for a job, think about what makes you the best at your craft. For example, in biotechnology, would previous experience as a Abercrombie & Fitch model increase your chances of getting into these kind of firms? Probably not. On the other hand, would having impeccable technique and intelligent experimental designs increase your chances of getting into biotech? Definitely.
But, this is strictly on a case-by-case basis. Some jobs do require employees to truly work off of their image, and you brought up a great example of one, being a bartender.
–B