How important is size?

[Mae]

You have two applicants and one is overweight and not as attractive as the other- who is not quite as qualified, but Damn! The (fill in ideal here) is sure willing to be taught. So is the other, but really, honestly, which would you hire? Me? I'd like to think that I'd hire the one most qualified, I am not that advanced alas. I would hire the hott chick. Maybe one day I will evolve. Honesty will not get you flamed.

On the other hand, Ladies, If you are faced with the same decision in boyfriends what would the outcome be?

[Billyman]

As much as I would like to hire the attractive person I would simply have to go with the most qualified.

I have to deal with unqualified people at work now and I tell ya, it ain't pretty.

[MAC]

lets see

extreme #1
a) gorgeous fashion model with perfect everything except she's about as skilled at the tasks of the job as my cat.
b) fat as ricky lake in cry baby with an IQ of 140 and 5 years experience at my leading competetor

me, being me, I'd have to hire the tubby bitch (I use that term on purpose, keep reading)

extreme #2
a) nice looking, funny, personable, has little experience at this job but has plenty of real world experience and is willing to learn
b) nasty, slovenly, hard nosed, mean spirited, lieing witch who critises everything and manages to tell me I should hire her because I don't know how to operat emy own business..but she has 10 years expereince, an incredibly successful track record and a degree from a prestigious university

I would hire person a) because of the REST of my employees. One mean nasty employee will drive away all your best workers and make your 8 hour day feel like an eternity in hell.

(personal experience)

now, granted, I am basing this on my own limited experience I would like to expand slightly on the individual characteristics and divulge what I have found to be true to human nature and work ethic.

near where I work is a dry cleaner who is also a UPS office. I use and abuse their services and I try to be as helpful as possible because they do me a great service by handling all my packages. (don't mak eme go into where I am and our shipping schedule and why its best to use thes eppl instead of daily pick ups...trust me, its not worth it)

The ppl who run it are nice and friendly and hard working. They don't ask anyone to do anything they will not do themselves. Are they beautiful ppl physically? Not necessarily..course they are both hard into 50s. But thei rhelp has been a perfect example of what you are talking about. I walk in one day and here's this VERY beautiful young lady. She is also VERY sharp and hard working. She runs the whole store with minimal trouble and can take care of all my shipping needs. She learned fast and retained the training till sh emoved on to a new job. then came gal #2. I walk in and I see her and I am IMMEDIATELY leary of her. Yes,she was fat, yes she was funny looking...but worse..she had this look onher face liek she didn't know what was going on and wasn't going to figure it out. She never did. Then cam gal #3. Once again, not physically pretty like gal #1...but you instantly saw in her that she was uncomfortable with what she was doing and after dealing with her a couple times you realised that she wasn't going to figure this out. then she was gone.
Now gal #4 is there. She is sharp and on top of things. She's late 40's and not physically beautiful. Over bite, not much figure left, and she's had one too many die jobs on the hair. But she smiles and talks to you like she can do whatever you need done and THAT makes her attractive. I wouldn't think to judge her physical appeal as any part of her job, but I am GLAD to see her when I go because she does a fine job.

I don't know how to express this in a world where "you can't judge a book by its cover"
but perhaps what I mean to say is you can tell a lot by the first couple pages.

[Mae]

Very good, I ask the questions because I wonder. Take it for what it is, a learning experience. I ask because I see things that I think should not happen and then ask myself what I would do. I recently started to ask what others think, thanks for your input everone.

[ms. bing]

if faced with the same question in boyfriends...
guy #1 is absolutely beautiful but a bit of an ass and a twit
guy #2 is chubby, balding, but successful, interesting and honest

10 years ago it would have been guy #1. actually, 10 years ago i never would have taken the time to get to know guy #2.
now im not so sure. it would be tempting to just date guy #1 because he's pretty and i knew it would never go anywhere anyway, it would be fun for a while. but in the long run, guy #2 would make me alot happier alot longer, and when you get to know somebody that closely and respect them that much, eventually you just kinda stop seeing the outside anyway. when youre with that person, youre with the person, not the package. by the way, that works the other way too. youre with guy #1 for a good length of time and eventually you stop noticing how hot he is, you just know he's an asshole.
my ex looked like brad pitt. there you have it.

[SimpleSimon]

You mean he was an ugly motherfucker as well as an asshole?

Bad combination.

[disturbed]

In the next few weeks I will attend a class on Targeted Selection which covers topic like this. Interview processes, how to find the most qualified applicant, etc. I'll let you know if they have a chapter on good looks. :)