Six Bad Things for Your Career . . . That Are Actually Good

If you're looking for a raise, and think you're doing everything you can to get one, think again.  Here are six things that SOUND BAD for your career . . . but might actually be GOOD for it. 

#1.)  Being a Jerk.  According to a survey by Notre Dame and the University of Western Ontario, people who rated themselves as being "more disagreeable" than their coworkers made an average of $9,772 more per year.

And for another part of the study, they asked over 450 students to hire someone from a list of fake job candidates.  And the ones described as "more agreeable" were less likely to get the job . . . even if they were equally qualified.

  #2.)  Being Sexist.  Between 1979 and 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics interviewed nearly 13,000 men and women about their views on gender roles.

And the men with more TRADITIONAL attitudes about women in the workforce made an average of $12,000 more a year.  The researchers concluded that if a man thinks his wife should be at home with the kids, he's more driven to make as much money as possible . . . because he wants to be the sole bread-winner.

 #3.)  Growing a Mustache.  A lot of companies discourage facial hair.  But according to a survey in conjunction with the American Mustache Institute . . . which really does exist . . . men with mustaches make 4.3% more than clean-shaven guys.

And they make 8.2% more than guys with beards.

 #4.)  Gaining Weight . . . but Only If You're a Man.  This year, a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that men who are 25 pounds below the average weight end up making about $8,500 LESS per year.

And the study also found that on average, the more a man weighs, the more he makes. Meanwhile . . . and not surprisingly . . . women make more if they weigh LESS.  Women who weigh 25 pounds BELOW average make over $15,000 more than women of average weight.

#5.)  Being Less Attractive . . . but Only If You're a Woman.  It seems like being attractive would always be good for your career.  And that's usually true for men.

But one study found that "plain" looking women were more likely to get a job than attractive women . . . simply because they had to go through human resources, and the person who interviewed them FIRST was usually a young, single woman.

So in other words, being sexy didn't matter in their first interview . . . and probably even put them at a disadvantage.

 #6.)  Going Out.  Obviously, there's a limit.  But according to the Journal of Labor Research, social drinkers earn 7% more than non-drinkers.  And people who go to bars on a regular basis make 10 to 14% more.

So there you have it. We need to be ugly, sexist jerks to succeed, apparently.

Jerkily yours,

Behka