Question for WW in Corporate America

I don't know why this seems to be the case, but it appears to me based on experience that in certain offices and in some departments, be they located on University campuses or in regular companies and businesses, a good number of people both black and white, express much shock and surprise when they walk in and see that I'm the only black guy on staff. I just don't know what's in their minds when they do that. Anyway, not to stray too much off topic.



This is meant to simply be a flirtatious and light-hearted topic to have fun with...probably just to fulfill one of my small kinda fantasies. I wanted to ask some of the white ladies in here, if any, who work in Corporate America or in the Corporate Industry elsewhere in the world and who make hiring and firing decisions...those of you who have hired males in general and black males in particular, does physical attractiveness/good looks play a role in addition to qualification? I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone thinks looks play a slight role when male and female supervisors interview prospective employees.


I used to have a thing for my current boss when I started working in August. She's a pretty brunette, average height, with an unbelievably solid and curvy big ass on a slim body. But before long, I noticed a picture of her dancing with this tall white dude who I guessed must have been her boyfriend and she got married about two months after I got hired. She's 26, I'm 29. Anyway, I don't think I would have risked hitting on her anyway. It would have cost me my job.


I'm the only male on staff in my department, and aside from my supervisor, the rest of the women are in their late 30s, 40s, and one in her 50s. Now, I don't know if some of my co-workers say things behind closed doors, but I've been lifting weights consistently now for almost two and a half years and my muscles, especially chest, biceps and triceps have significantly developed. Sometimes, I seem to get this sort of look in some of their eyes as if to say indirectly: "Dude, if I wasn't married with children, I'd rip your clothes of and give you a good...you know what." It's a weird situation because on the one hand I like it, but professionally, I don't like to be viewed that way. I want to be credited more (and exclusively) for my hard work than to be perceived from time to time as this token hunky black guy in the office.


And for those of you who work in corporate America, the guys especially, what do you think of this? If your lady supervisor were to ask you, although politely to do her a huge favor, and that included giving you her car keys to go out in the heavy rain and walk to a parking lot and put a tag on her rear view mirror, is that abuse of authority? Would that be going too far? Personally, I accepted to do the favor and good enough I had an umbrella-although a speeding car splashed water on me on my way there-but aren't there certain things that are off limits? I'm wondering if by assigning me to such a task, it shows how she views me as a person and employee-very submissive, can be pushed around, not assertive, etc.

 

Hey there,
read this post a few days ago and finally get to post a response. First I want to say that I do not hire staff in my current position but I think I still have a few thoughts re this.

I always notice how many black employees are in an office. Both men and women although I do of course check out the men more just because I like eye candy so it doesn't hurt to look, right? In addition and on a more serious note, I am always surprised that there aren't more black employees in our offices or the ones I visited so far I should say.

As far as looks affecting your choice of who you hire. Studies confirm that good looking people get better jobs and better pay. I say it is safe to assume then that looks also play a role of who gets a job and who doesn't. It might be on a subconcious level kind of like chemistry between 2 people. I do think however that personality and attitude make up more of this chemistry than looks do.

 

Re:

Hi There Chigirl,

Thank you for taking time to respond to my post, which despite its numerous hits, didn't get any replies beside yours. Your insight was very helpful and informative to me and I really appreciate that. Take care.

 

Good looks and common sense can take you very far in the workforce. Of course technical training skills and experience can also do that. I noticed that pretty girls don't have a hard time landing a decent job.

 

Damn.
I’m pretty sure you just told everyone that you look good. That’s bold, to say the least.

 

Looks indeed have power in the workplace when it comes to hiring and promotion. Saw it first hand recently with a young cutie was hired eight months ago and is already moving up the ladder. It just so happens she has lunch and dinner with the assistant manager of a department in which she works. The other women in that department hates her guts. I say it will be a matter of time when she will be sidetracked on her climb up the ladder.

 

I see nothing wrong with doing a favor(small or large) for my supervisor during work hours. However, if I am constantly being asked to perform small favors I would see it as a sign that I am not been taken seriously at work. That`s when I would ask myself why.

 

Hi Shaft,
In one of my former workplaces I was on the hiring committee (the token woman). Attractivenes itself was not a conscious quality that I looked for but the candidate did have to present themselves well for me to even consider them. Presenting well meant confident, dressed appropriately, be articulate and approachable. So yes appearance was very important but they had to have substance.

I do know that the men who were on the committee with me were all over the "bimbos" like fat kids on smarties so I had to kinda reign them back into reality. lol Thankfully we had large hiring classes so they got a bimbo or two and I got the folks that could excel at the job. In all fairness only one or two of the girls didn't succeed but they certainly had some extra-office fun while they crashed and burned. :smt025

EDIT** I will admit that when we did hire a fine looking man - I called my gf's with whom I also worked and shared the good news, lol.