Get a nip. Get a tuck. Get a job. Dr. Brueck observes

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, whose web site at Beauty-by-Brueck covers all aspects of plastic surgery, comments on the job scene and cosmetic surgery.

No one would suggest that anyone is hired solely on the basis of their “looks”.

No. The usual criteria for hiring aside from skills, training and experience, are intangibles such as energy levels and confidence.

If you go into a job interview looking tired or worn down, or lacking confidence in your appearance, chances are those criteria will work against you. You could well lose the job to someone who looks more energetic and has a little more bounce in his or her attitude.

As a result, more and more people who are looking for work are taking steps to freshen their appearance and give themselves more confidence in how they present.

A recent report on a Chicago TV station chronicles how hundreds of people in the Chicago area are turning to cosmetic surgery to help them keep or land jobs.

According to the report, Dr. Stephen Dayan, a Chicago plastic surgeon reports that 10% to 15% of his patients now request treatments to help them do better in the workplace.

We are seeing the same trend here in Southwest Florida. Men and women, who are feeling the hot breath of competition down the backs of their necks, are considering some type of surgical or non-surgical cosmetic treatment to improve their competitive position, strengthen their hold on current employment or gain an edge in the search for a job.

One case of interest is that of a bartender who was so impressed with the results of her facial rejuvenation that she volunteered to provide a video testimonial. She explicitly says that she didn’t feel that she could compete with younger women in the environment if she allowed herself to look “like someone’s grandmother”.

You can view her video here.

In addition, as reported here earlier, men as well as women all over the country are considering face lifts, eyelid lifts, and other lifts, including the emotional lift from Botox and other filler injections that make them look more energetic and ready to work.

If you are wondering how to invest in your employability this year, give me a call and let’s talk about your options. The consultation will be free – no charge - and without any further obligation.

What do you have to lose?

Can Plastic Surgery give a lift to your job security

From North America to the UK, cosmetic plastic surgery is becoming an important part of the employee’s resume tool box.

Reuters news service reports that plastic surgeons are seeing increased interest from people seeking surgery to look younger and more employable. A male music producer in Los Angeles claims to have invested $17,000 in a face lift. His goal? To look younger and feel more confident. That’s right, a male.

Despite perceptions that cosmetic surgery is only for women, the Yorkshire (UK) Post reports that men also are having more cosmetic surgery these days. Cosmetic procedures for men have increased 25% in England in the last year. Patients range from accountants and attorneys to government employees, with the most popular procedure, according to the Post, being male breast reductions. Mini-face lifts to remove jowls also are popular.

Meanwhile, back in the US, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has completed a study in which they found more American women were thinking of plastic cosmetic surgery as a way to get a competitive edge at work. 756 women between 18 and 64 were surveyed.

Around 73% felt that a youthful appearance plays a role in getting employment, getting promoted and getting new clients. 13% said they would consider a cosmetic procedure to improve their chances of landing a good job. They cited the difficult economic times as contributing to the importance of looking young and energetic.

As a Board Certified plastic surgeon practicing in Southwest Florida I have observed that, as the job market gets tighter, more people are looking to get an ‘edge’ in the jobs competition. Many times this means ‘looking’ younger. Patients tell me they need to look younger because job interviewers seem more concerned about “appearances” than qualifications.

I am seeing people in their 40s and 50s, who must compete with people who may be 10 to 15 years younger. They are investigating cosmetic procedures to make them more competitive in the marketplace.”

If you are in a field that is populated by a large number of young people, looking young may help you succeed.

One woman, who asked not to be named, says she attends networking gatherings where she has noticed she is amongst women who are much younger-looking. “It’s difficult to be confident in that setting”, she observed. “I know some of these women have gone through facial rejuvenation and, darn it, they look younger than me. How do you compete with that?”

I recently worked with a 30-ish woman who came to me for facial rejuvenation. She was convinced that making her aging face look younger would help her land and keep the job she wanted.

In another case, a middle-aged woman came in recently and said she needed to look younger to be more competitive in this market. The procedure I recommended was an eyelid lift. I think it makes a big, big difference to get rid of that overhanging skin that makes your eyes look tired and old. After all, the eyes are one of the first places an interviewer looks. There’s a reason they call it ‘eye contact’.

An eyelid lift is simple, safe and recovery time is minimal. You can shampoo your hair the next day and have stitches out in 3 or 4 days.

But it’s not only facial procedures. Another young, working mother who was experiencing sagging breasts from nursing after childbirth, decided that a breast lift would put more bounce in her step, give her more confidence in her interactions with others and enhance her job security.

People who elect to have plastic surgery in today’s economy consider these procedures to be investments in their future earning power. Those who are short of ready cash for a procedure are finding financing opportunities. We accept financing through CareCredit . (see our (http://www.beauty-by-brueck.com/Links.htm ) CareCredit offers credit plans for medical care, some of which are even interest-free

The procedures can range from relatively inexpensive, non-surgical procedures such as Botox or other filler injections to eliminate age-betraying wrinkles to more extensive surgeries such as eyelid lifts, chin lifts, mommy makeovers (tummy tucks) and breast enhancements.

A male sales rep in New Jersey talks about being passed over for jobs he was qualified to fill. Once he chose to have wrinkles and other signs of aging around his face and neck rejuvenated, he found employers were more receptive. “Maybe I just came off as more confident and energetic, not necessarily “younger-looking”. So what? If it helped me get a job I might otherwise not have been considered for, that’s what matters.”

A web site devoted to members of the legal profession conducted a poll in which 58% of respondents said that implants could only help a woman’s career. It seems that a woman attorney who uses breast implants to improve her physique is apt to receive a positive reaction from her employers. But it is not surgically enhanced breasts that makes the difference. It is a more confident and forthcoming attitude as a result of a more youthful profile that may make a woman appear more qualified.

In reality, it is almost required that the enhancement not be noticeable. The kind of modest attire women in professions wear is designed to leave more to the imagination than to the eye. Therefore, breast enhancement for these women seldom exceeds one size. The result is a woman who feels better about herself and her appearance. More than one size can call more attention to the change than to the person.

For whatever reason, with competition for jobs, promotions and assignments on the uptick, anything you can do to look more confident, more energetic and, yes, even more attractive, may make the difference you need in your career development.

It would be wonderful if we all were judged solely on our inner beauty and professional qualifications. But in the real world how you look appears to influence how others see you and how you feel about yourself.

There is no escaping the fact that surgical enhancement may make a difference in getting employed more quickly and justifying a salary that supports your lifestyle.

If you are looking for ways to invest in your future and plastic surgery is a possibility, the first thing to do is talk to at least one Board Certified plastic surgeon about the available options. (You can arrange for a personal, private confidential consultation with me, simply by calling my office at 239-939-5233.)

Ask every question that comes into your mind, including how you will pay for it and if the doctor has any special deals. You may be surprised at how affordable this investment is. We are offering some deep discounts coming into the summer. Just ask.

For more information, click here to visit my website Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Thank you.