Appearance a little lacking? Develop your 'brand' to get ahead | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Appearance a little lacking? Develop your 'brand' to get ahead | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Monday, June 19, 2006

Appearance a little lacking? Develop your 'brand' to get ahead

By Dawn Sagario

If you need another reason to be depressed about your low-paying, thankless, so-not-upwardly-mobile, how-did-I-end-up- getting-stuck-here-for-10-years job, read on.

Part of the reason you haven't been able to advance?

You're ugly.

OK, maybe that's a bit harsh. But there's no denying that study after study has shown that attractive men and women get paid more than mediocre-looking people for the same work.

Recent research confirms this. Again.

A study published in March by two economists — Markus Mobius from Harvard University and Tanya Rosenblat from Wesleyan University — shed some research on why.

Their research paper, titled "Why Beauty Matters," involved creating a mock labor market, where students were recruited as employers and job applicants who were vying for a job solving puzzles. (A job where looks shouldn't matter.)

The findings: Physically attractive people are more confident, which translates into increased wages; they were also (erroneously) viewed as more productive by employers.

The study showed that about 15 percent to 20 percent of the "beauty premium" is a result of self-confidence, while oral and visual communication accounted for 40 percent each.

But, there is hope for the not-so-pretty to have a chance at cashing in on all those perks that come so (disgustingly) easy to the beautiful elite.

That's what author Catherine Kaputa tells us at Workbytes, anyway. In fact, she argues, capitalizing on your uniqueness can trump God-given gorgeousness.

The key, Kaputa says, is distinguishing your "brand" from others.

"You can make the most of it, and you can make it interesting," said Kaputa, founder of the Manhattan-based company SelfBrand and author of "U R a Brand!: How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success."

She shared these tips on making the most of what nature gave you, along with wardrobe suggestions and how to exude power and self-confidence:

Clothing. "Clothes are a quick read," said Kaputa, who suggests finding a few clothing designers that fit your style. "The whole thing in a product brand is its consistence," she said. "What you don't want to do is go into an interview and be like wallpaper. You want to be appropriately dressed, but you want to have your own style."

Come up with a trademark accessory — distinctive jewelry, glasses, bow ties or brooches — something with a personal touch.

Emphasizing your unusual features. She points to Barbra Streisand's less-than-perfect profile and Arnold Schwarzenegger's muscle-bound body as examples.

"She's kept the nose," she said of Streisand. "She's made herself very special, very unique, and it certainly didn't hold her back."

Hair. "It sends a message about who you are, where you fit into an organization and how much you should be paid," Kaputa said. "With a different hairstyle, you can look very commanding. I think a hairstyle can go a long way in transforming who you are."

"Soft power." "It's the whole idea of executive presence," she said. How many times have you shuffled into a meeting, walked to a remote corner of the room and slumped into a chair? For a more powerful entrance: Remember to stand tall and walk confidently, taking the initiative in introducing yourself to others if the meeting hasn't started.

"All these nonverbal things give important messages about you and help you exude confidence," she said. "Just sort of play the 'host' until the leader of the meeting comes. People will love you for it, and it's also a great networking thing."

Communication style. "Make people get excited about your ideas," Kaputa said. "You want people to remember you as different than all the other candidates" not only in what you wear, but also in the original assets you can bring to a company.

To do that, she says, tell stories of accomplishments in past jobs and "bring it to life so people can visualize it."

Thank goodness for charisma.

Dawn Sagario is a writer for the Des Moines Register.

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