Interview for a Job when You Feel Unattractive

Some believe that job interview success is made up of 90 percent confidence and 10 percent experience and it has been shown time and again that the initial first seconds of impression set the tone for the remaining interview. Unfortunately, social science may not be on your side either if you're not considered to be attractive by current societal standards; according to one study, unattractive people actually earn 10 to 15 percent less per year versus their attractive counterparts and this may also affect interview success.

If you're a job applicant who doesn't feel attractive, you may be subconsciously killing your own confidence, destroying all opportunities to get on the short list. However, while you may not feel attractive, that doesn’t mean that you empirically aren't and it may well be that you have been failing to attend to making the most of yourself, including good grooming. The key to being successful while applying for a job is to convince yourself that you're not only attractive, but are highly qualified candidate who deserves the position. The more you feel inwardly as if you look the part and know you can do the job, the more likely you will be to convince your potential employer.

Steps

1. Examine your appearance. Are you really unattractive or are you just being hard on yourself? Interviewing for a job puts the applicant in a vulnerable position––you need a job and the company can decide whether or not you can have it. This unequal position can cause many a person to put themselves down a notch out of anxiety or fear of not succeeding. Dig down deep inside to determine if your feelings are more rooted in cold feet or poor estimation of yourself before considering yourself unattractive.
2. Check out your features. Most people have features that they want to enhance and features that they'd rather play down. Attractiveness is often about impression and playing with your good features while toning down the ones that aren't as attractive. Indeed, even those paid to be supermodels claim that there are features they don't like about themselves but they learn the art of covering up, standing differently, using hair styles and other ways to even out these less desirable aspects of themselves. And the reality is that nobody is perfect; there are always blemishes. However, there is never a need to accentuate these by stooping, slumping, wearing baggy clothing or failing to get a good haircut. Some of the things to do to enhance your features include:
   • Make-up can help if you think your eyes are too far apart or your nose is too big. Even men can apply make-up techniques to make their features appear bigger or smaller. Consult with a professional make-up artist or read a good, up-to-date make-up book written by a well-known make-up artist for learning which techniques will help you.
   • Examine your hair. Hair is one of the easiest things you can change. Even if you have a receding, thinning hairline you can still make your hair look better. Indeed, Donald Trump, for all his lack of hair, knows that the side you part the hair makes an instant difference to how soft or hard your face comes across, so even the side your part is on matters! Try both ways and see which hardens and softens your face; you may be surprised by the effect. And instead of a DIY do update, head to a salon and let a pro take care of you. Be sure to ask questions about how you can sustain the look they give you, so that you feel confident about replicating it. See below for more grooming tips.
   • Review your interview wardrobe. Is the last suit you bought from 1983 or do you own new, clean suits or interview attire? Updated clothing or revamped and well-cared for clothing shows that you care about your appearance and that counts for a great deal. You don’t want any of your interview or business clothing to have holes, stains, rips or missing buttons either. Wrinkled clothing never works; it says "I can't be bothered" and the interviewer will worry that that crosses into your daily work ethics too.
   • Take inventory of your shoes. According to beloved fictional character Forrest Gump, "There is an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes .. Where they're going, where they've been." Indeed, many style mavens and etiquette gurus will say that the state of your shoes says much about you. What do your shoes say about you? Confident and smart or sloppy and outdated? Get a new pair if needed or polish up that old pair. People do look.
   • Smile. People who smile often and genuinely are always rated as more attractive than people who scowl and frown constantly. Check out people around you and you'll notice this effect instantly.
3. Investigate the company. Half the battle to building your confidence is knowing about the corporate style and copy it. Is this company like IBM where a crisp, blue suit is standard issue or somewhere like Apple where hippie garb may be acceptable? You want to hit the interview looking the part so nail down the image the company expects employees to project and copy it. Reflecting the expected look is a large part of winning over the interviewer who will be seeking a connection with someone of the same ilk.
   • Some jobs seem to have a plethora of extremely good looking people. They may not openly state that they have a policy of employing only good looking people but be realistic; some jobs such as flight attendants and airline staff, modeling, front desk service for some types of hospitality, pole dancing, etc. tend to err on the side of choosing people whose appearance is more exceptional than the norm. You won't necessarily find this in their job ads, it's an unwritten statement, but unless you're aiming for quirky or the happy character who smiles constantly, etc. within such industries, it might be less easy for you to break in if your attractiveness is rated lower than usual. Rather than fighting the politically incorrect but real facts, consider the millions of other jobs out there that aren't hung up on looks. Or think laterally; perhaps you're not model material but you might be a great fashion assistant, seamstress, hair stylist, adviser, etc. in the back room (the person who makes it all "happen", without whom the beautiful people would topple and fade).
4. Go for polished grooming. If your hair and skin are looking dull and boring, head to the salon for some pre-interview grooming. Tell the stylist or aesthetician about your job interview and your goals. While a chemical peel or a special mask may be in order, avoid doing anything extreme to your appearance before an interview like Botox or any type of plastic surgery; bad results or skin with a rash is not a good look. You can win this interview with your own appearance––you just want to polish and refine it.
   • Ask the hair stylist to remove any grey and cut the dead ends. Ask him or her the best way to style your hair based on its type. For example, hair that seems limp and lifeless because it's fine can be massively improved by being layered or by cutting the style so that it's shorter at the back and gradually lengthens toward the front. Avoid allowing yourself to stay stuck in ideas about having one length of hair; this can sorely destroy your chances of looking polished and more attractive.
   • Look for a professional, but updated hairstyle. However, be way of going for anything that is too far off from a look you're currently comfortable wearing. An extreme new hairstyle may take a while to get used to, which could mess with your confidence. On the other hand, a radical change may just be what you need to get a makeover lift. Ask the hair stylist if they have a computer generated program that can show a new hairstyle with your face before going ahead with any radical change.
   • Request your skin care specialist to provide you with a treatment that will alleviate blemishes and age marks. Make this visit several days prior to the interview as it may take that long for red blemishes or uneven pigmentation caused by aging to disappear.
5. Obtain a classic, refined wardrobe. Head to a big name department store to search for interview attire. Often business clothing departments offer a special style coordinator who can help you assemble the right outfit for your interview. He or she will take your body type, budget and skin tone into consideration to select a series of wardrobe options that will work in your favor. Alternatively, if you have a local small business that specializes in suits or business wear, seek individual attention from this person as their knowledge is likely to be excellent.
6. Tap into your smarts. Remember––you should be hired for what you can do, not how you look. So although you need to attend to your appearance in order to gain confidence, don’t forget that you are right for the job because you are the best person for the position. If necessary, go back through your resume or portfolio as a reminder of your talents.
   • Remember that looks don't last but expertise, knowledge and skill just keep getting better as you mature. The supermodel who was once at the height of her career is a discard at 40, saddened and possibly embittered if she didn't spend time feathering her career nest by learning other skills on the side.
   • Unattractive is a state of mind, one easily overcome by being a genuine, skillful and friendly person. Keep your skills honed, your friendliness at the forefront and your belief in yourself strong.
7. Rehearse and relax. Put this job interview into perspective––what’s the worst thing that could happen if you don’t get the job? You move on. There is a job out there for you, so if this one doesn’t work out, be prepared to continue the search. Review your talking points before the interview and how you will respond to interviewer’s questions. Make a list of questions you anticipate receiving and then stand in front of the mirror and respond. Breathe deeply and try to relax––tell yourself that you have what it takes!
   • Remember that every person can look good by dressing and grooming well, being polite, acting confident, knowing the interview material inside out and having respect for the interviewer and the company.

Tips

• Remember that attractiveness is mainly based on confidence and polish. Many people find unattractive people compelling and alluring simply because they present themselves as being attractive. Check out videos of famous speakers online; you'll find many of them are not stunning but use their confidence, friendliness and smiling demeanor to draw in the audience. You can copy all of these traits to engage people and seem more attractive.
• Appearances aren't even appearances. People respond to symbols, body language, facial expressions and expectations. They don't see reality, they see social reality. Take a long critical look at the "beautiful people." They all have weird features and major flaws, anyone with perfect features looks dull and bland, only vaguely good-looking. Then look at actors or actresses whose features and body shape actually resembles yours. Study them in depth. Listen to their voices and presentation, how they come off to people, practice their lines a bit. Get over any shyness and roleplay the interview as if you were that famous person.
• Realize that appearance and attractiveness isn't everything. Yes you should be dressed and look appropriately, but don't be too self conscious. That will show.
• Smile and look the interviewer in the eye when you shake hands. Repeat his or her name and say that it is nice to meet him or her.
• Go into interviews with questions about the company, its policies and working environment. Be choosy. If you act as if you're picking this company off a short list and wouldn't bother coming back if they don't meet your expectations, that gives the impression that you've got something extra to offer and lots of other offers. Don't settle for less than a job you'd enjoy and fit in with coworkers well.
• Charisma works even for heavy people. If you think about it, there are some incredibly good looking obese people out there - you have to come up with a style that works and looks good. Check out opera singers, chefs and other people who are famous and good looking while being fat for style ideas and presentation.
• Believe that you look good and act as if you do. This makes more difference than anything else.

Warnings

• While it’s important to build confidence, know the difference from confidence and cockiness. You want to come across as self-assured, not an obnoxious know it all.
• Whatever a person's looks, anyone will look or come across as unattractive when doing any of the following: frowning, scowling, spitting, chewing constantly, slouching, passing wind audibly, pouting, looking and acting stubborn, hiding under baggy or ugly clothing, cursing, trash talking, wearing cheap clothing or wearing your underwear as outerwear, showing butt cracks, smoking, picking your nose, picking your butt crack, scratching your genitals, constantly sniffing or snorting back phlegm (blow your nose!), wearing an orange tan, leaving nothing to the imagination, etc.
• If the company is obsessed with appearance, then it's probably a shallow workplace unlikely to provide you with a fulfilling experience. You're well shot of a place that places too much emphasis on looks and not enough on skills and interpersonal abilities.

Related Articles

• Cancel a Job Interview
• Go to an Interview
• Avoid Interview Mistakes

Sources and Citations

• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/opinion/sunday/ugly-you-may-have-a-case.html?_r=1 – research source

See also

• Give Up Control
• Build Self‐Control
• Know That You Are Beautiful
• Stop Running Away from Yourself
• Do Anything
• Be the Best of Yourself
• Overcome Low Self Esteem
• Develop Self‐Esteem
• Be Assertive
• Be a Man

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• Avoid Interview Mistakes
• Cancel a Job Interview
• Go to an Interview