Cooper Koch, known for his role in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, revealed that he struggled to get acting roles because he 'sounded gay.' His experience highlights how vocal perceptions can act as barriers, overshadowing talent.
Mid-career women with at least five years' experience are being overlooked for digital roles in the tech and financial and professional services sectors, where they are traditionally underrepresented, according to the report by the City of London Corporation. The governing body that runs the capital's Square Mile found female applicants were discriminated against by rigid, and sometimes automated, screening of their CVs, which did not take into account career gaps related to caring for children or relatives, or only narrowly considered their professional experience.
The same is often true for entrepreneurs. A Journal of Business Venturing study found that the most successful entrepreneurs tend to be middle-aged, even in tech. In fact, a 60-year-old startup founder was three times more likely to launch a successful startup than a 30-year-old startup founder, and nearly twice as likely to launch a startup that landed in the top 0.1% of all companies in terms of revenue and profits.
Some law firms are handing out recruiting entertainment budgets to law students. While we don't fault law students some sweet walking around money, placing that power in the hands of students highlights the breakdown in the law school recruiting process and a real risk of baking more bias into hiring.
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.
