Attraction

Thanks to the many of you who took the time to answer the two questions we posed last week.  If you recall (and who can, given that it was an entire week ago?), we asked:

• All things equal (i.e., job, pay, benefits, commute, physical work space), what would attract you to an employer?  And,

• All things equal (i.e., education, experience, skills, abilities), what would attract an employer to you?

In essence, we are interested in attraction, that curious power that draws us, pulls us, compels us to something or someone.

Much has been written about physical attraction.  The psychological research literature is littered with studies attempting to explain the peculiarities and vagaries  of human attractiveness.  Rather than asking you to read the many studies that have been conducted, let me, as a public service to you our cherished reader, sum up the entire body of literature on human attraction thusly:

1.  We are attracted to other humans we find attractive.  (I'm not kidding.)

2.  What we find physically attractive in others varies from person to person.  (This is a very important finding, as you'll soon see.)

3.  Certain emotions -- happiness, optimism -- can increase physical attraction while other emotions -- unhappiness, anger -- can decrease it.  (A key learning:  Smile!)

4.  We tend to be more attracted to those who wear clothing suitable ('flattering') to their body and who are clean.

5.  Familiarity breeds attractiveness.

6.  Our attraction for others tends to increase if they are attracted to us.

That's about it.  But before we move on, take a moment to review Findings #2 and #5 above.  These hold huge implications, as they clearly imply that:

• Attractiveness takes many forms, yours being one of them; and, statistically speaking

• Someone currently finds you attractive.

It's true.  I could walk you through the probability argument -- which would take some time and a good deal of space on a white board -- but suffice it to say that there is, without doubt, at least one person outside of your family you see regularly -- during your commute, at work, around town -- who finds you physically attractive.

Argue if you must, but it would be futile.  Data never lie.  Someone is physically attracted to you.  And the more people you see regularly, the more who are attracted to you.  Accept it.  Better yet, enjoy it.

But while there's been much examination of physical attraction -- for obvious reasons -- little thinking has been devoted to what attracts us to employers or what employers find attractive in us as workers.  That's where we come in -- and where your input has already been so very helpful.  For we are in the process of developing a research study to explore the two questions we posed last week.  The results we believe will hold important implications both for employers and individuals seeking work.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, who do you think it is who finds you attractive?  That guy on the train?  The woman down the hall?  The man who makes your latte?  The woman at the gym?  Maybe the one you see in the elevator.  Yes, maybe.

Keep your eyes open.  It's going to be a good week.