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Brand Yourself for Success

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Pubished Articles

Pink Magazine

November, 2006

The Beauty Premium:

Why Attractive People Get Paid More and What You Can Do About It

By Catherine Kaputa

It’s so unfair. After all, why should attractive people be paid more? Recently, two economists set up a mock labor market. Some employers only considered resumes while others saw a photo, interviewed or spoke to candidates.

When employers saw only the resumes, looks had no effect. But elsewhere the beauty premium kicked in and had a halo effect. Employers favored looks and predicted higher productivity, pay and communication skills.

So how do you cope? Here are six tips from my new book, U R a Brand

1.Package yourself. Clothes are a quick read. Clothes won’t make a difference in how well you do your job, yet they will affect how you are perceived.
2.Emphasize an unusual or different feature. Think how Barbra Streisand and Arnold Schwarzeneggar all dramatized their usual looks, features or shape.
3. Have a trademark. Develop a signature item. Larry King has his suspenders, Madeline Albreiht has her pins. Steve Jobs has his jeans. And Bono has his tinted wraparound glasses.
4. Don’t neglect your hair. Think of Dolly Parton vs. Laura Bush. Don King vs. Dr. Phil. Donald Trump’s hair symbolizes him as much as the oversize yacht.
5. Focus on “soft power”. Develop comportment.- knowing how to act regardless of how many eyes are on you.
6. Hone your oral communications skills. How you say something is as important as what you say. And you’ve got 80% of the beauty premium licked if you create a dynamic oral and visual communication style.