An unsettling and unsurprising new study found that when it comes to securing a job offer or interview, women have better luck when they ...
An unsettling and unsurprising new study found that when it comes to securing a job offer or interview, women have better luck when they wear low-cut, revealing tops rather than conservative ones.
The study, due to be presented today at a body image conference in London, showed that women were a full 19 times more successful in landing job interviews for sales and accounting jobs when they were pictured on a résumé or application packet in revealing tops. The study was carried out in Paris by Dr. Sevag Kertechian, a researcher based at Paris-Sorbonne University.
For three years, Kertechian watched for job listings and put two women up for the role, according to Phys.org. The women are similar in looks and have nearly identical skills and resumes, but the big difference was in their attached photographs — one woman was pictured in a low-cut top, while the other was pictured in a high-cut, conservative top. To ensure the study was fair, each woman was submitted for 100 jobs in a low-cut top, and 100 jobs in a high-cut top.
Kertechian found the low-cut top to be far more successful. Among the 200 job applications for sales roles picturing a woman in the revealing shirt, there were 62 more interview offers than the woman in the conservative top. Among the 200 job applications for accounting roles, the woman in the revealing shirt received 68 more job interview offers.
"Regardless of the job, whether customer-facing saleswoman or office-based accountant, the candidate with the low cut clothing received more positive answers," Kertechian told Phys.org of his research findings. "The results were quite shocking and negative but not necessarily surprising — they show we need to conduct more research."
These findings are total garbage — not because they're inaccurate, but because it's upsetting (and like Kertechian said, unfortunately unsurprising) that a shirt that gives hiring managers a glimpse at your cleavage makes you more favorable for a job. If anything, this means there should probably be more women in hiring positions.
