Model applicants: the effect of facial appearance on recruitment decisions

The fact that attractiveness is associated with goodness has dominated the literature on first impressions over the last few decades. However, one situation that has been largely ignored is the recruitment setting. While evidence suggests that attractiveness is an asset, little research has addressed the possible disadvantage of having a disfigured face. In this study, perceptions of personal qualities and job skills were obtained from both students and recruitment personnel in response to a mock job applicant who had either no disfigurement, a facial disfigurement, a physical disability or both. The results indicated a marked negative perception of the applicant with the facial disfigurement but no main effect of a physical disability, for both personal qualities and job skills. In addition, analysis of the recruitment decisions of the students suggested that while the possession of a physical disability significantly reduced the chances of being selected, the possession of a facial disfigurement had a far greater negative impact. Comparison across students and recruiters suggested that recruitment experience did offset this bias somewhat, and the results are discussed in terms of both a theoretical understanding of the reactions to disability and the possibilities for re-education in the workplace