People are naturally attracted to other people who are visually pleasing to them. It's a part of nature and it's the first thing we judge based on sight. Of course not every one who is aesthetically pleasing have personalities to match. Nevertheless, pretty people always seem to be able to charm others without having to do much to garner attention.

But then, there are so many standards and definitions of beauty, and it differs per culture, tradition and society. Still, people who are deemed to be generally beautiful climb the ranks of society or career faster than the average person. Then it's up to intelligence or diligence to help establish them further.

Based on the information below, looks aren't necessarily everything, but it certainly helps a lot, because:

1. Attractive people have a higher chance of getting a job interview

A study conducted by the University of Messina and the Marche Polytechnic University in Italy involved 10,000 resumes being sent out to prospective employers, with the same employment background but each differing in name and photo included on the resume. The resumes received a 30 percent call back rate, but it was well above average for resumes with attractive photos - 54 percent for attractive women and 47 percent for attractive men. Less attractive women received by far the lowest call back rate at 7 percent, with unattractive men receiving a considerably higher rate at 26 percent.

With a higher chance of getting a callback after an interview, attractive people secure more job opportunities - unless you apply in countries where headshots on a resume isn't a standard procedure.


2. The more beautiful you are, the more money you’re likely to make
 
Another study finds that CEOs who are considered attractive are heads of more successful companies than CEOs who are not.

Online statistics research service, StatisticBrain, notes that attractive workers earn 10 percent more than individuals considered to be unattractive. If that number is applied to a person’s lifetime in the long run, it’s a considerable amount indeed. The stats also point out that the average salary for a person with low self-esteem is $50,000 and for a highly confident person it’s $78, 927.

This doesn't mean that one must be attractive to be confident, but there's generally a strong link between looking good and feeling good.


Image: Marissa Mayer, 38, CEO of Yahoo!

3. Attractive people are happier than the less attractive

Economists conducted a study on beauty, and said that being beautiful raises a person's happiness levels. The financial benefits of being beautiful help make a beautiful person happy. This, plus a higher chance of marrying an attractive and successful person, creates an overall pretty package.

The economists conducted the study by analyzing 5 surveys in the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK, which asked more than 25,000 participants to describe their happiness levels. Participants were also evaluated on levels of attractiveness. The people in the top 15 most attractive percentile were 10 percent happier than the individuals in the least attractive percentile.


4. Beauty marries beauty
 
Beautiful people have a higher likelihood of marrying a person just as beautiful as them. Research suggests that what matters most to a beautiful person in a potential partner, commonly, the quality of physical appearance.

This doesn't mean that less-beautiful people can't marry beautiful people - studies have shown that people who were considered less attractive more commonly look past the physical appearance in a potential mate, prioritizing factors such as intelligence, sense of humor, or hobbies and passions.

5. Beauty is the most prized commodity
 
Physical beauty is hyper-commercialized and easily marketable, because it's something everybody wants. One example is the cosmetic surgery industry, which is highly sought after for both sexes. Billions are spent on products and procedures in the quest to achieve the perfect body or best face.