Research conducted at the Paris-Sorbonne University in France finds that women who wore low-cut clothing in photographs attached to job applications were significantly more likely than women dressed in more conservative attire to be called for job interviews.
Researchers mailed two applications for jobs as salespersons or accountants over a three-year period. Photographs were attached to each application. The women had similar qualifications, job histories, and appearances. But one photograph showed a woman with a low-cut top and the other photograph showed a woman with a higher neckline. Women were photographed in both low-cut and high-cut necklines and an equal number of applications were sent out with a particular woman in each style of dress.
The results showed that the applications showing a woman with a low-cut top were 19 times as likely to be called for an interview than women pictured with higher necklines. Women in low-cut outfits were more likely to be called for interviews as accountants than women applicants in low-cut outfits for sales positions.