Photo Source:  The New Yorker magazine

Many years ago I was on the premises of a well known movie studio in Burbank, CA delivering a video tape to a Producer and Board Member of the Minority Community Based Organization I was working for at the time.  During an informal tour of the studio I was struck with all the "beautiful" people working there.  All were clearly "movie star" material image-wise--from guard, to janitor, to carpenters, set decorators, and camera operators; to office staff, accountants, and producers, (I saw not movie stars), etc.  It seemed that their primary qualification was their "image" first a then their qualifications.  But that was and is Hollywood where image rules along with talent.

In the role of Recruiter or Hiring Manager in the working worlds outside of Hollywood--does objectivity  rule during the selection process?  Or are we swayed by image over substance qualification wise?  The results of an employer's hiring process will indicate which way they lean in terms of "qualifications" and "preferences".

For example, besides qualifications do you find the preference is for:

Younger vs. Older?

Attractive vs. Not-so-Attractive?

Majority vs. Minority?

Ability vs. Disability?

Male vs. Female?

Slim & Trim vs. Not so Slim or Trim?

Face-less-Hair vs. Facial Hair?

Head-of-Hair vs. Bald or Turban Head

Put another way--will you be swayed by what is called the “halo” effect?  

[Photo by ericcastro]

The 'halo effect' is a classic finding in social psychology. It is the idea that global evaluations about a person (e.g. she is likeable) bleed over into judgements about their specific traits (e.g. she is intelligent). Hollywood stars demonstrate the halo effect perfectly. Because they are often attractive and likeable we naturally assume they are also intelligent, friendly, display good judgement and so on. That is, until we come across (sometimes plentiful) evidence to the contrary.

(http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/10/halo-effect-when-your-own-mind-is.php)

IMAGE matters but does it RULE?