| By: |
Kimberly Scharf (University of Nottingham);
Oleksandr Talavera (University of Birmingham);
Linh Vi (Aston University) |
| Abstract: |
We employ a sample of nearly 40, 000 gender-targeted online job vacancies in
Vietnam from February 2019 to July 2020 to investigate gender differences in
returns to physical attractiveness. In particular, we compare the monthly
offered wage in matched vacancies with and without beauty preferences of the
same characteristics among job ads directed at men and women separately. We
find evidence that better-looking women enjoy a wage premium of 3.7 percentage
points, whereas better-looking men do not. Further analysis shows that the
gender differences in returns to beauty are mainly driven by gender role
attitudes and the perceived lack of fit rather than productivity-enhancing
effect or employers' negligence in job postings. |
| Keywords: |
FinTech; physical attractiveness, online vacancies, gender, beauty premium |
| JEL: |
J16 J23 J24 J71 |
| Date: |
2023–09 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bir:birmec:23-08&r=cul |