Appearances make a difference. We all know this to be true, but now two researchers at Rice University in Houston have run a study they say proves the proposition that people with scars or other marks on their faces are more likely to do poorly in job interviews.
The study, “Discrimination Against Facially Stigmatized Applicants in Interviews: An Eye-Tracking and Face-to-Face Investigation,” published last month in the Journal of Applied Psychology, shows that interviewers were so distracted by the facial marks, they failed to recall information about the applicants, and wound up giving them more negative evaluations. The research was conducted by Mikki Hebl, a Rice professor of psychology, and Juan Madera, a former Rice graduate student who is now a professor at University of Houston.
The study was broken into two parts. In the first phase, the researchers showed 171 undergraduates an interview candidate on a computer screen, who was being asked 20 questions remotely. The researchers digitally altered the face viewed by a third of the students so that it looked like it had a scar on the left cheek. Another third saw the face marred by a nasty red birthmark. The other third saw a face without a blemish. Afterward, the researchers asked the students to recall the candidates’ answers. In the cases where they saw the face with the scar or the birthmark, the students could only remember, on average, eight of the 20 answers. The students who saw the unblemished face remembered 11 of the 20 questions. The researchers also asked the students to rate the applicants on a scale of one to five. On average, they gave the applicant with the scar or birthmark a 3.69. They rated the unblemished applicant 4.11.
In the first phase, the researchers also equipped the study subjects with an eye-tracking device, which showed that the subjects’ eyes strayed to the facial marks, rather than focusing on the triangular area around the eyes and mouth, where most people look as they’re listening. The researchers say this finding is significant because it shows how listeners’ attention is diverted to the blemish, rather than focusing on the content of the interview.
In the second phase, the researchers used make-up to apply a scar and a birthmark, and they had 38 managers who were in a graduate program in hospitality management, interview subjects face to face. Again, the subjects had trouble recalling the answers given by the subjects with blemishes, and they gave the blemished candidates lower ratings of 3.6 on a scale of one to five, versus 4.03 for the unblemished candidates.
The job interviewing lessons here are basic, but helpful to keep in mind. For managers who might interview someone with a facial disfigurement, it pays to be aware that it’s natural to be distracted by a blemish or scar, but not fair to the applicant. For job seekers, it’s a reminder that looks matter. Groom and dress carefully in preparation, and it’s a good idea to get to interviews with enough time to spare so you can check your appearance before the meeting begins. For those with visible scars or other disfigurements, it may be helpful to acknowledge the blemish at the outset and suggest you hope it’s not distracting.