We hear time and time again how it's the inside that counts and how good things come in unassuming packages. That might be true, but it seems that there may be some merit to the opposite idea, that looks can be a vital asset in upping a company's value.
Global executive recruitment firms don't generally work like matchmakers picking out the prettiest face, but is there something to this line of thought, according to professionals?
University of Wisconsin researchers Joseph Halford and Scott Hsu seem to think so, and say as much in their paper that was published in November, entitled "Beauty is Wealth: CEO Appearance and Shareholder Value."
This would seem to be a hopelessly subjective field of study, but Halford and Hsu went about their methods using mathematics and the enduring "golden ratio" to rate more than 670 CEOs on their scale.
Not only did the researchers find that "more attractive CEOs receive higher total compensation," it seems there are other benefits to keeping someone who cares about their appearance onboard: namely, that it sends a message to stockholders and others.
"Overall, our findings suggest that more attractive CEOs receive higher compensation for a reason: They create value for shareholders through better negotiating power and visibility," the report reads.
While the implications of this kind of information, particularly in regard to the way women are perceived and judged in the working world, aren't fully clear, a global executive search firm can be the boost that your company needs to focus on real usable factors of distinction — beyond physical appearance — when vetting candidates.
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