Can a Facelift Land a Job?

To land a new job, some men change their résumés. Others change their wardrobe. Now, some are changing their faces.

It’s a statistic sure to raise some eyebrows: The number of men getting facial cosmetic surgery rose by 15% in 2023 from the year prior, according to a new report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, an industry group. And according to the report, men are utilizing facelifts, chin augmentations, nose jobs, and other facial plastic-surgery procedures and treatments to gain an edge careerwise. “A youthful appearance in a competitive job market can be an advantage in many businesses, allowing men to lengthen the years they spend in the workforce,” the group writes in their recent report on surgery trends.

That explanation may not be that far-fetched. At a time when some experts believe there’s a white-collar recession, with middle-management roles in particular being squeezed, experts say some men might try unconventional means to improve their career prospects. Those who do, these experts say, are turning to a tactic women and older people have long used. (The report found that the number of women who underwent facelifts rose 4% last year; women still comprise the majority of people getting the procedure.)

“There are men saying, ‘If I do this, maybe it’ll be the tipping point to the people who will be making a hiring decision,’” says David Vied, global sector leader of Korn Ferry’s Medical Devices and Diagnostics practice.

To be sure, the sidelines of the job market are filled with competent and trained workers who are looking for an edge because they can’t seem to find a new role. The situation has become so acute that half of job seekers report they are completely burned-out by the hiring process.

Facelifts are a far cry from the days when your stereotypical corporate leader had gray hair (or no hair) and a few wrinkles. The world of social-media influencers, in which everyone seems to look young, with beautiful skin, could be having an impact; similarly, the rise of videoconferencing might be making men more aware of how their faces look to others.

While the report didn’t break down age by gender, it did confirm that more people aged 20 to 39 are getting treatments; of those, 21% got face-related procedures. Whatever the person’s age or motive, none of these come cheap, with the cost of a facelift averaging more than $11,000, according to the trade group, and other facial procedures averaging between $3,000 and $8,000. These prices are exclusive of healthcare-facility expenses.

Experts say some men may believe that cosmetic surgery is just a step up from upgrading their clothing, dyeing their hair, tanning their skin under a sunlamp, or other anti-aging tactics. There’s a degree of vanity involved, of course, but these men might believe that looking younger could give them a leg up over the competition, says Dennis Deans, Korn Ferry’s vice president of global human resources.

While cosmetic surgery might be a step too far for some, switching things up isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The urge to change can be a positive thing, says Renee Whalen, a Korn Ferry senior client partner and North America Consumer Market leader. To land a new role, many job hunters might need to adjust their approach, perhaps make better efforts to network, open themselves up to a different industry, or learn a new skill. “Too many people get stuck in a career and need a jolt to move on,” says Whalen.

Learn more about the job market and get career advice from Korn Ferry Advance.

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