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Not so cute: How a ‘babyface’ may be getting in the way of your promotion
It’s hard enough for the young to battle stereotypes about their generation. It’s worse when employees look younger than their age.
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Unlike the fictional character in the Boss Baby comedy franchise, baby-faced individuals in real life may find it tough to become CEO.
PHOTO: DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
Ben Chester Cheong
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A software engineer shared on Reddit how facial features can impact careers. Despite nine years of experience, they were labelled “junior” due to their youthful appearance, while a less experienced colleague with mature features was promoted ahead of them.
Appearances seem to matter at the workplace and the bias against “babyfaces” seems to affect professionals of all genders. Some Reddit users reported being excluded from professional events or addressed as “kids” despite their qualifications.
