A new survey shows that attractive job applicants may have more success at the interview stage than other jobseekers.

Shockingly, nearly 90% of employers in the poll by employment law service Peninsula have admitted to choosing the most attractive candidate for a job opening at least once.

It’s a finding that is backed up by Online Recruitment magazine, which reports that job candidates are judged on their appearance by 92 per cent of bosses.

“Most employers know better than to base employment decisions on appearance that is related to legally protected factors such as race, age or disability,” said head of diversity for Peninsula, David Price.

However, this could be an emerging “form of modern discrimination”, he said, adding that choosing the most attractive candidates does have “legal risks”.

ClickAJob chief executive Yngve Traberg said whilst he deplores the trend, candidates can play to their strengths: “Work on your attitude. Be so outgoing that you are remembered as looking great, even if you are as ordinary as the rest of us.”