Are spectacles the female equivalent of beards for men? How wearing spectacles in a linkedin profile picture influences impressions of perceived credibility and job interview likelihood

Abstract

This study builds on our previous work on beardedness [1] and explores whether wearing spectacles in a LinkedIn profile picture affects a female candidate’s prospects of being invited for a job interview and whether this is contingent on the type of job vacancy. Results of a 2 (spectacle use: spectacles versus no spectacles) × 3 (job type: expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness) experiment conducted among 139 participants show that bespectacled candidates are perceived as having more expertise and–to our surprise-also being more attractive than candidates not wearing spectacles. Moreover, a candidate’s perceived credibility is a significant predictor of the intention to invite the candidate for a job interview. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.