Hiring based on looks/image

[gian-franco]

I dont care about the attractiveness of the people working for example in a clothing shop, though shopping at AA is super fun.
But for me, the ladies who work at cosmetics stores must have a beautful face without any problems - because I feel strange if there is a girl saying "you must buy this product, this will make wonders to your skin!". And then I look at her face - and she has a terrible skin and needs that product way more than me...
But all in all, like someone sad - it just depends on the place were you are applying.
Although, somehow I can not believe that the people working at AA (the ones we dont see in the shops, who work in higher positions) are also selected only by one criteria - sex appeal. I just dont believe that there would be someone so stupid in the world to organise his business like that. "Sexy and smart" - that could be a nice idea for someone to be different. I really like that even reall AA workers pose for their ADS. But "our stuff is just sexy"..? no, I refuse to believe that

 

[iLoveCouture]

While it is completely unethical, companies do this. I worked at Abercrombie in high school right before the lawsuit took place and they wouldn't give a person a second look if they didn't have that "All American" look . I remember one time a girl came in and she did not have that look at all and the managers laughed at her and threw her application in the trash.

Working at other companies, it was more about the person's skills, but the management did take the person's looks into account. They didn't stress it nearly as much as AF or AA would have. Also, most of the policies at these stores are for the employees to wear the clothes to help to promote the brand. It does help to sell more clothing in the end...I can't tell you how many times I have sold an outfit I had on.

 

[tigerrouge]

That said, for every well-groomed beauty counter salesperson, there's an unkempt computer genius earning ten times their salary in a room somewhere. So brushing your hair (and/or teeth) will get you somewhere, but in some areas, what's inside your mind still matters more. Mostly men doing that work, though - when it comes down to it, there's probably no job where a woman isn't more severely assessed in terms of her appearance, more so than a man.

 

[silk skin paws]

I'm kind of torn. On hand I understand a company's desire to represent their brand but hiring someone solely based on looks can be discriminatory or even potentially damaging. Overlooking someone with the requirements and not the look is vain and vapid. I wouldn't be surprise if this is done more than a lot of employers like to admit. Like for example instead of wearing a suit a job-seeker wears jeans and a t-shirt and would get dismiss for this fashion faux pas.

 

[LifeNatureLove]

I recently left a struggling retail company trying to revamp their brand and image. When I first started three years ago, looks were not an issue; now they want to represent the brand more accurately, their hiring process changed significantly.
Anyway, during the process of finding my replacement I was often encouraged to consider their looks first and foremost. Experienced candidates were often turned down because they didn't have "the right look". I often struggled with this but I do see both sides. Working with the public does require some type of personal maintenance but hiring based largely on looks is absurd.
There was also immense pressure to wear their clothes head to toe. I know this is the typical standard with retail, especially SA positions, but many of the associates simply cannot afford to wear the latest clothes month to month.
I often wonder how those working at more high end stores can afford it.

 

[CelineX]

I used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch and everyone there is hired strictly for looks. They do hire some people that don't fit their image, so they don't get sued again, but they stick those folks in the back away from customers. I do think that their strategy has been extremely beneficial to the company. Their clothes are plain and average in quality, yet have managed to become the uniform of most American teenagers. I think that's 99% due to the fact that they don't just try to sell Abercrombie clothing, they try to sell a lifestyle of sexy half naked people running around carefree on the beach all day. Hiring attractive all-American people in their stores is just an extension of their ad campaigns, and it works very well to appeal to their target demographic.

 

[Lapin de Lune]

I'm curious (UK person here) about the 'All American look'.

 

[CrisGalaxy]

I'm curious (UK person here) about the 'All American look'.

Tall, caucasian, blonde or brunette, blue eyes, tanned skin, fit bodies, and football-looking.

heres and article about it http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/05/60minutes/main587099.shtml

I personaly think that the image of a brand is imporntant on how they want their emplyees to look in order to well represent the brand... but they should try to hire more asian, african-american, or latino people in order to attract a more diverse public than just caucasian people.

 

[Lapin de Lune]

Tall, caucasian, blonde or brunette, blue eyes, tanned skin, fit bodies, and football-looking.

heres and article about it http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/05/60minutes/main587099.shtml

I personaly think that the image of a brand is imporntant on how they want their emplyees to look in order to well represent the brand... but they should try to hire more asian, african-american, or latino people in order to attract a more diverse public than just caucasian people.

Thanks for the link

I tend to agree with you: and yet our subjective perceptions of what is actually fair or well represented will differ across the board, no matter how a brand chooses to portray itself through their staff. Tricky stuff! There's that element of exclusivity, also.....and whilst this makes sense to me, I tend to feel slightly disturbed by it at the same time, especially with regards to race, age and bodyshape.....I would prefer more diversity. But does diversity threaten exclusivity in this case?

Can't see Primark jumping on this bandwagon too soon

 

[tigerrouge]

A person will start to mind when they stray into becoming 'too old' or fall foul of some other arbitrary judgement, leading to a situation where - again - no-one will bother to look at their CV, but with no job offer forthcoming, only the message that their experience and strengths don't matter, and belong in the rubbish bin, much like themselves. But if you didn't care before, why start caring about such things later?

 

[gian-franco]

haha, talking about that - I just had a job interview call. it was in french, so i didnt understand everything, but they asked me only two questions - when am i free and what is my size/height.
though, i know i sucked, they will not give me another call..

 

[Deborah]

There was also immense pressure to wear their clothes head to toe. I know this is the typical standard with retail, especially SA positions, but many of the associates simply cannot afford to wear the latest clothes month to month.
I often wonder how those working at more high end stores can afford it.

I would imagine they recieve an allowance, I know I have heard about some stores doing this so the staff can afford to dress the part as well as having a discount for any items they would buy after they had spent the allowance. I mean its only fair. Unless secretly they pay really well!

 

[chloehandbags]

Tall, caucasian, blonde or brunette, blue eyes, tanned skin, fit bodies, and football-looking.

heres and article about it http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/05/60minutes/main587099.shtml

I personaly think that the image of a brand is imporntant on how they want their emplyees to look in order to well represent the brand... but they should try to hire more asian, african-american, or latino people in order to attract a more diverse public than just caucasian people.

Not only that (and I couldn't agree with you more, BTW), but what's with the tan thing?

Don't they realise that a permatan is bad (and aging) for skin of a Northern European origin?

OK, you can fake tan (although, why you should have to bother, I don't know?), but isn't that orange look a bit passé?

What's wrong with white people being their natural colour?

What's wrong with us all being our natural colours?

 

[ibarrac]

That is terrible! I don't think that it should be a matter of looks when it comes to academics or scholarships. Especially if you are talented and deserve one!

I work in events, so I can relate to this whole hiring based on attractiveness. Every single internship or job application I have done said "please include one head shot and one body shot in addition to your resume and cover letter"

 

[Crakk]

This is totally the case, especially in NYC. If your look is not together, you really cannot expect to get a job in one of the better retail stores.

 

[Coulbourne]

I've worked at tons of major retail stores (American Apparel, Abercrombie & Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, etc and each time I came in knowing I had look the part of their ideal employee. I always got the positions I was applying for and now its sad to say that mentality is stuck in my head for when I open my first retail shop and start hiring employees... although I will say Abercrombie was a bit intense with "looks" policy.

 

[CosiDiModa]

I don't really think companies hire on looks per se, i think it's more about presentation as a whole.

If you are interviewing someone for a position in a law firm or PR or something, as an employer, you are more likely to be drawn towards the woman/man dressed in a suit and looking like they made an effort rather than the person who turned up in jeans and a t-shirt (obviously if the person in the suit is an absolute dumb **** then that's another story). And tbh I don't see anything wrong in that (why people say it's better to be overdressed than underdressed).

Hiring on ugliness/prettiness or ***Edited *****, colour etc is just discrimination and THAT is wrong.

 

[CosiDiModa]

I work in retail and they let us pick what we want to wear from the store but it has to be checked by our manager first. I don't really have a problem with it because as an employee, you are representing the brand. Our store is quite relaxed with regards to everything but if they did have a policy on, for example, the amount of make up you wore then I don't think I would have a problem because it may not be representative of the brand.

 

[WonderfulTonight]

i was interviewing in a retail store, and i admit i was definitely not feeling it. I had a headache, was tired, and totally bombed it. I answered all the questions wrong, and messed up a lot. The interviewer kept giving me weird looks..but after the interview he sighed and said - well, you're cute, and you have a good look..so i'll give you a shot.

I mean, I was glad..but how often do you go into a store and everyone who works there is a ******? Thats what happens when you hire based on looks

 

[j.cruz146]

i used to work at hollister, it was a pain in the *** the employees had to wear EVERYTHING from the store, i even had to buy those d**n ugly flip-flops...

i was told that guys had to work out to keep a muscle/lean tone, which i don't have, could not wear hair products and had to keep "clean". i was told about their hiring process and one time and the manager said that she would not hire the guy because he had "horrible skin and nasty nappy hair"...

sometimes i do think that i got hired to be the "token" there, and because i kinda flirted with the manager that was interviewing me.. haha