Whether we like it or not, human beings make all sorts of judgments about one another based on the way we look. The first time we see another person, we automatically make assumptions about their status, their personality, and even their moral character.
This process occurs at the conscious and subconscious level, which means people are largely unaware that they’re even doing it. It’s simply human nature to categorize people based on their appearance.
A significant body of research demonstrates that when it comes to getting a job and advancing in your career, it really matters how you look.
The Halo Effect
We tend to categorize people based upon one or more observations. It’s basic human nature to assume that “someone possesses other positive qualities because they possess one.” In fact, a review of scientific literature demonstrates how “physically attractive people” are judged to be “more sociable, dominant, sexually warm, mentally healthy, intelligent, and socially skilled than physically unattractive people.”
Social scientists refer to this phenomenon as “the halo effect.” The term was originally coined by psychologist Edward Thorndike in the 1920s, and it has significant implications when it comes to human behavior.
One salient example of the halo effect is the way we view celebrities in our culture. If somebody is famous or gifted in one aspect of life, the positive feelings we have about them will transfer to other areas. That’s why celebrity endorsements are so effective in advertising.
There’s no logical reason to believe that a product such as a watch, car, or razor blades are somehow superior because a famous person says so, but celebratory endorsements have proven effective nonetheless. And when a famous person becomes a spokesperson for a political cause, it garners a lot of attention, even when the celebrity in question has no particular expertise in the matter.
How Looks Affect Your Employment Prospects
When it comes to your career, the halo effect has unavoidable consequences, particularly when you’re looking for a job. According to Newsweek Magazine “fifty-seven percent of hiring managers” report that “qualified but unattractive candidates are likely to have a harder time landing a job.”
The Newsweek article also states that employers rank looks third in order of importance among nine character traits when hiring a new employee, right below the candidate’s experience and confidence. A potential employee’s appearance is even more important than their educational background when it comes to landing a new job.
Your Smile Makes a Big Difference
Your smile is one of the first things a person notices about you and it has a major impact on the way you’re perceived by others. According to CNBC, employers “make instant judgments based on appearance, including someone’s smile and teeth.” That’s why it’s common for people to “associate how one presents their oral health with all kinds of biases.”
The type of judgments that are commonly associated with how your smile looks can be devastating. In the CNBC News report, Lindsey Robinson, dentist and former president of the California Dental Association, explains how this issue can be particularly acute for people who work in customer-facing jobs such as a waiter or receptionist: “If they have a job that requires them to interact socially with the public, it’s almost impossible for them to get that job.”
Fixing Your Smile Can Transform Your Life
Given what we know about the relationship between oral health and the way human beings in our culture perceive one another, it’s not surprising that “studies show bad teeth prevent otherwise qualified candidates from getting jobs or promotions.” That’s why it’s crucial to provide people with the essential dental care they need to become productive members of society.
Susan Hyde, a dentist who’s also a researcher at UC San Francisco, was part of an experiment in 2006 where they offered free dental services to 400 welfare recipients. The positive impact this had on their lives was truly astounding. The patients “who completed their dental treatment were twice as likely to get jobs or move off welfare than those who didn’t finish treatment, the study showed.”
Treatments to Enhance Your Smile
Improving a patient’s smile can dramatically improve their self-confidence and provide life-altering results. That’s why Dr. John Oettinger offers a full array of restorative and cosmetic services to renew your oral health and make your smile look like new. Dr. Oettinger says, “Nothing in my professional life makes me feel better than seeing one of my patients smiling without hesitation for the first time in years.”
Dental implants are natural-looking prosthetic teeth that are surgically attached to the patient’s jaw. Through a process known as osseointegration, your body will develop a secure attachment to the dental implant, delivering outstanding stability and chewing power. They can be used to replace any number of missing teeth, even a whole arch.
Dr. Howard Bauer has forty years of experience providing exceptional dental care. His patients love the way their smiles look and feel after he restores their missing teeth with dental implants. He says that dental implants “are one of the most remarkable dental innovations I’ve ever seen.”
A Great Time to Be a Dentist
Another talented dental implant provider is Dr. Timothy Kosinski. He’s an experienced practitioner who’s published over 150 articles on the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant dentistry. Dr. Kosinski loves the way modern technology allows him to change people’s lives for the better. He says, “it’s a great time to be a dentist.”