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Look good for career advancement? (View Comments)
Yasmin Taj
Posted On Tuesday, February 02, 2010 at 05:55:15 PM
There's increasing research that says looks matter in jobs beyond the silver screen - that beautiful people make more money and have more opportunities for advancement. So it's no real surprise that plastic surgery is being deployed as an instrument of career advancement by men and women alike these days
It’s all about looking good these days – be it at your personal or professional level. A nip and a tuck can take you places in your career! Did you ever think so? If not, you better know that the newest trend in cosmetic surgery, apparently, is nipping and tucking for your job. Workplace go-getters (men as well as women) are turning to appearance enhancement for career advancement.
Do looks really matter?
In the corporate world, there's a lot of emphasis on image, and image goes with self-confidence. This is where looking presentable and good comes in picture and this is why the trend is gaining such popularity everywhere. Dr Sunil Choudhary, Director – Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery, Max Healthcare, New Delhi conducted a large study to look at the current trends in plastic surgery in Delhi. The results were very interesting and showed that 70 per cent patients were actually from the working class (upper middle class) and 80 per cent were women. “Looking good has always been a priority for humans especially for women but it is gaining popularity now due to better affordability and heightened state of awareness and independence,” he informs.
Dr Anup Dhir, M.Ch [Plastic Surgery], Senior Consultant, Apollo Hospital further explains, “Cosmetic Surgery aims to change one’s appearance and make them feel better. And so the trend today is becoming popular all the more. There is an increase of 30-40 per cent which is seen every year in India. Today, it has become more popular because of the new techniques, the non-surgical techniques being added and the increased general awareness of people through print and electronic media.”
According to Dr Meenakshi Agarwal, Director - Face & Figure, Mumbai, “The trend has only seen an upward surge over the last couple of years, recession notwithstanding. The pressure to look your best all the time, competition with people from the younger generation at work front - all these factors have led to an increased acceptance of cosmetic surgery in the working class. It doesn’t really matter which profession you are from, all that matters is looking good to a greater proportion of the population now. Over the last 2-3 years we have seen a 30 per cent increase in the number of working people coming in for such enhancement surgeries.”
Good or bad?
There has been a lot of argument on the advantages and disadvantages of getting cosmetic surgery done. Nonetheless, the concept is gaining popularity with each passing day. So, is it a good idea to get appearance enhancement done in order to get better job prospects or to advance in one’s field?
According to Dhir, “It goes without saying that yes it is always good to get appearance enhancement for all reasons including a better job prospect. There are many advantages one of which is a person feels psychologically better with the good change that he/she gets after the surgery. Appearance is undoubtedly an important aspect of modern life. Old image is replaced with new, good and confident image which is required today in every profession.”
However, Choudhary feels that good appearance can be valuable to good grooming and may enhance job prospects especially in the media and PR industry but it is core competence and good skills which get you the job and not just good looks.
Latest trends in India Inc.
So, what kind of cosmetic surgery trends are most popular amongst working professionals in corporate India? “Increasingly, people want to look fit and not fat! Body contouring procedures which include liposuction and other surgeries such as tummy tucks are becoming the most popular amongst the Indian patients. Botox and fillers have taken off really well as office procedures with minimal downtime and side effects. I have newsreaders who just can’t live without having there Botox jabs on time every 4-6 months as this has really increased their face value! It is also popular with the members of aviation industry and media,” Choudhary asserts.
“Both surgical and non-surgical trends have been observed amongst people in corporate India. Body reshaping procedures, Botox and fillers are very common today. India’s working professionals are looking for self confidence, positive impression and improved efficiency in themselves and thus they tend to go for such surgeries, both surgical and non-surgical,” explains Dhir.
Though it is yet to be decided whether cosmetic surgery is actually a boon or not, it certainly is becoming a part of the corporate culture for ambitious working professionals these days. So, watch out for more of good looking professionals in your organisation now!
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