Research discovers good looking men may find it harder to get a job in competitive areas

IF you are an average man, envious of the Leonardo DiCaprio’s of the world, we have some good news. The balance of power is coming back to the common man.

This could you. Well, only if you are average looking.

IMAGES of Leonardo DiCaprio courtside with a gorgeous model are enough to make any mere mortal green with envy.

However, the tables have turned and a new study has given power back to the common man.

Researchers at the University College London and the University of Maryland discovered attractive men may find it harder to get a job in a competitive work environment.

Lead author Marko Pitesa said genetically blessed people may be unknowingly discriminated against.

“It’s not always an advantage to be pretty,” he said.

For the purpose of the study, researchers conducted four related experiments involving between 92 and 273 participants.

All experiments asked participants to select candidates they would hire based on a selection of photos.

The headshots were selected from a set of images often used in attractiveness research.

Researchers discovered the discrimination was based on the role the candidate was applying for.

If the candidate was applying for a job in a team environment, attractive men were more likely to secure the position.

However, if they were applying for a job in a competitive work environment where employees are rewarded for success, unattractive men reigned supreme.

“In situations where there are subtle or less subtle cues of competition among colleagues, the fact that attractive men are seen as more competent is going to create a disadvantage for attractive men,” he told Fusion.

“I was taken by the fact that people were unaware of [their bias].

“People make these important job decisions and inferences about how competent people are just based on their physical attractiveness without having the slightest clue that they’re doing that.”

Surprisingly, no such effect was found when the selection involved female candidates.

Mr Pitesa said the researchers hope the study will help prevent stereotyping in the workplace.

He suggests companies should rigorously force people to justify their decisions in writing or orally.

“Basically, making people think harder interferes with the act of stereotyping itself,” he said.