A serious face is often deemed professionaleven the dictionary associates unsmiling with being businesslike.
Its why hopeful new hires tap into their inner Victoria Beckham or Kanye Westwho famously scowl or poutwhen 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.
Thats because, according to new research, a smile exudes confidence and consequently and makes you more hireable.
Says who?
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 profiles 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.
In another timed experiment, 146 employers were shown the same profiles and asked, yes or no, whether they would shortlist that person for a final interview.
The study noted: Smiling faces received more offers than neutral faces. The effect was more pronounced when participants were given less time to make a call.
Why smiling trumps seriousness in a professional setting
We found that, in general, smiling participants are more hireable they got a higher score compared to non-smiling participants, said Sabrina Chan, the studys leader from the University of Toronto, and added that this is because smiling emits goodwill, confidence and makes you generally more attractive.
First impressions are very important and research shows people have stronger memories for happy faces.
But its success can vary, she warned, depending on factors like how long you smile, the timing of it, and the intensityalso think about the job and whether it is appropriate.
Beaming away at an interview for a job as a funeral director, for example, will probably come across as creepy and not have the desired effect.
A tip for job hunters and hiring managers
Chans general advice for job seekers is to fake smileas long as you dont overdo it. Meanwhile, employers are recommended to take into account the natural tendency to prioritize smilier people when designing bias-free hiring policies.
This is especially because some people may struggle to conceal or fake emotions.
I do feel like people with mental health issues are at a disadvantaged position, especially those who do not feel up to showing their emotions, Miss Chan said.
If they just dont feel like [smiling] then it does put them in a disadvantaged position and also people who may not be very good at emotional expressions or regulation.
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