"A serious face is often deemed professional-even the dictionary associates unsmiling with being businesslike. It's why hopeful new hires may tap into their inner Victoria Beckham or Kanye West-who famously scowl or pout-when they want to look like they mean business. But actually having a poker or somber face in a job interview may be a less successful strategy to landing a role than flashing potential bosses a big, cheesy grin. That's because, according to new research, a smile exudes confidence and consequently, makes you more hirable."
"Scientists created fake LinkedIn profiles for imaginary job seekers with facial expressions ranging from grimacing to grinning. They then asked almost 300 working professionals to rate each profile's suitability for a made-up sales manager job on a scale of one to seven. The study, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference, revealed that smiling candidates scored an average of 5.11 while non-smilers averaged 4.99, showing a slight advantage."
""We found that, in general, smiling participants are more hirable-they got a higher score compared to non-smiling participants," said Sabrina Chan, the study's leader from the University of Toronto, and added that this is because smiling emits goodwill and confidence and makes you generally more attractive. "First impressions are very important and research shows people have stronger memories for happy faces.""
Fake LinkedIn profiles showing facial expressions from grimacing to grinning were rated by almost 300 professionals for a hypothetical sales manager role; smiling candidates averaged 5.11 versus 4.99 for non-smilers. In a timed task, 146 employers were more likely to shortlist smiling profiles, with the advantage growing when decision time was limited. Smiling conveys goodwill, confidence and attractiveness and strengthens memory retention for faces, improving first impressions. The hiring advantage of smiling can vary based on smile duration, timing and intensity, affecting perceived professionalism and suitability.
Read at Fortune
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