Your Height May Keep You From Getting A Job
There was a previous thread on how obesity affects one's success rate in employment. What do you guys think about height? You hear and read many stories that explains the thought-process of how greater success is linked with one's height. Sources say that employers are hesitant to hire short people because it's an "unattractive feature" that physically expresses lack of dominance, leadership, or charisma. And of course the term "short" is very universal. I could say the short height range is below 5'6, but others could argue that it's a different scale.
I am 5'8 1/2 which I feel is an average height, but I feel relatively short among people in the business world. Why the hell is everyone in the financial industry so damn tall? (Yes, this is my opinion).
What are your heights? What's your take on this?
Is 5'9” Short For a Guy on Wall Street
While looks can matter on Wall Street, it is not the end all be all. Our users have varying opinions regarding the effect of height on your recruiting prospects.
Some users shared that many guys on Wall Street are actually on the average to shorter side.
Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine. FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US.
Percentage of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. Analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... I’m not kidding
Height Doesn't Matter on Wall Street
Some users shared that height is really a non-factor.
This is banking, not Americas Top Model. Stop watching American Psycho, stop watching Wall Street, stop reading LSO.Almost every banker I have met has been pretty nerdy and normal to smaller height. This isn't the roster for the Cowboys. Just know your technicals and be eager. MD's want slaves, not Fabio.
Gotta play to your advantages and realize that a prospective employer is not hiring solely based on one physical feature or another. You will get the job based on their perception of your abilities and how they think you will successfully make them money.
Height Too Short Affecting Job Hunt
However, some users feel that height and appearances really do matter.
Looks matter, it's only natural to get judged off them. If you're tall, good looking, and fit, you're always going to have an advantage over someone who's not. That's a no-brainer. There's a ton of evolutionary reasons for our biases but I went get into it here. Suffice to say, life's tough, but you need to play the hand you're dealt with.
Height does equal power. To a certain extent of course; however, I wouldn’t worry too much. If you have a solid educational and work background you should be fine. Just keep at it and don’t take no for an answer.
Decided to Pursue a Wall Street Career? Learn How to Network like a Master.
Inside the WSO Finance networking guide, you'll get a comprehensive, all-inclusive roadmap for maximizing your networking efforts (and minimizing embarrassing blunders). This info-rich book is packed with 71 pages of detailed strategies to help you get the most of your networking, including cold emailing templates, questions to ask in interviews, and action steps for success in navigating the Wall Street networking process.
I'm 5'6-5'7, hasn't hurt too bad, but I have problems with the top shelf in the kitchen where they keep all the snacks at the office. It's helped with the fat issue though. I refuse to work in an office where obesity is allowed.
Most of the supermotivated guys at my non-target who got into BB S&T were short as fuck. I swear they had Napolean complexes. You're fine.
FYI: 5'10 is the average height for a man in the US
so true.. % of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... im not kidding
so true.. % of short guys (under 5'9) dramatically increases as you move up the ranks on my floor. analyst level: average / 5'10ish.. HoD/senior traders: 5'8 ... im not kidding
so happy im at least average
I still wouldn't hire any of you guys though
"A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, which is approximately 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) taller than the average American man. 30% were 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall or more; in comparison only 3.9% of the overall United States population is of this height."
Conclusion: looks matter, it's only natural to get judged off them. If you're tall, good looking, and fit, you're always going to have an advantage over someone who's not. That's a no-brainer. There's a ton of evolutionary reasons for our biases but I went get into it here. Suffice to say, life's tough, but you need to play the hand you're dealt with.
Dunno how much stock to put into this.
1) Self-reported heights should be taken with a grain of salt - a lot of people actually don't know what their true barefoot height is (how many busy CEOs have the time to check their height for a dumb survey?)
2) Self-reported heights should be taken with a grain of salt - most people exaggerate (how likely is a F500 CEO, who most likely was confident, not modest, would never stand to be inadequate etc. to report a height that sounds too short to them?)
3) Was it a busy CEO who responded to the survey? Or his/her assistant who was just eyeballing their height? If there's one thing that humans are terrible at, it's estimating other people's height.
4) Did they account for the fact that some of CEOs were women?
Interestingly, though, if the 6ft average height is true, then the height premium is >2.5 inches. The average age of F500 CEOs has to be around 50 years; men of that age in 2005 were not 5'9.5" on average (that number was the average for 18 year-olds in 2005, and people were shorter in previous years)
6'0"! Nice, but the Dutch average 6'2" I think? is that right?
Height Disadvantage? (Originally Posted: 05/24/2006)
Will I be at a disadvantage being shorter than 5'8"? Will employers not hire me? Do you know short i-bankers at top firms/ or at PEs/HFs/VCs?
~Jacob~
height does equal power. To a certain extent of course; however, I wouldnt worry too much. If you have a solid educational and work background you should be fine. Just keep at it and dont take no for an answer.
Maybe someone actually in the business could give you some more insight.
wow
are you kidding?
i've met a filipino MD at Merrill that was about 5'6 if that makes you feel any better
i've met some very TALL I-bankers and very short i-Bankers at ALL levels...funny thing is ususlaly it's one extreme or the other, at least at the firm I worked at.
Gotta play to your advantages and realize that a prospective employer is not hiring solely based on one physical feature or another. You will get the job based on their perception of your abilities and how they think you will successfully make them money.
It's more about the size you project. Being physically taller of course normally helps in how you project yourself but there are plenty of guys 5'8" and under that still exude confidence. It just takes a little more for them.
When Gordon Gekko (aka Michael Douglas) gave his Teldar Paper "Greed is good" speech no one said "who's that 5'9" shrimp".
I'm 5'8" and got a job, but I wouldn't think its a hindrance once I start work.
How about being tall?
I have met many bankers over the years, and I never got the impression that they were an unusually tall set or that height was an advantage in the profession. Figuring out how to make $$, is what it
I work with tons of under 5'8" bankers, of course it helps a lot if you have breasts and are below that threshold
I am in the opposite position, i am 6 5, but that has never seemed to influenced me negatively...
I think 6'-6'4 is the best height. Too big and you look weird, but being tall makes you look more imposing. Probably important for commanding respect.
The impact of height on career? (Originally Posted: 01/26/2011)
So I am well-groomed, healthy, and in good shape etc.
However, I am 5 foot 5 inches. I know it sounds stupid, but I am worried about height's effect on careers. I know in politics it matters, so I guess I can forget that route.
What is your take on it?
2nd Malcolm Gladwell Topic in 2 days?
It may be a disadvantage to some degree... but if you can get a chick in bed at 5'5" then you've got enough grit to land a top job at 5'5". I've seen plenty of people (granted they're like 5'7 maybe....) who are way shorter than average end up being very successful. Besides, worrying about this is not going to help you in any way... this is the definition of one of those things you can do nothing about so you should not waste your time fretting.
Disclaimer: I'm 6'4", so I'm not really qualified to lecture on this... but still.
To give you the long and short of it, people can use it to size you up and you might get the short end of the stick, but reach high and don't let it bother you.
This is banking, not Americas Top Model. Stop watching American Psycho, stop watching Wall Street, stop reading LSO.
Almost every banker I have met has been pretty nerdy and normal to smaller height. This isn't the roster for the Cowboys. Just know your technicals and be eager. MD's want slaves, not Fabio.
I AM Fabio ¬¬
Steve Schwarzman is 5'6, you should be okay
hopefully you're wide
x
Worry about things you can actually control bro... your career and life in general will be much better off for it
Kravis is really short too actually... like 5'5 or 5'4
5'5" is fine. Anything less is gremlin territory. And I'm not putting a gremlin in a room with my clients.
This seriously had me laughing my ass off in my cube!!
I pass a midget on Vesey Street all the time, power suit and everything. If HE can do it, I think it's reasonable to expect a fighting chance for yourself given you d.o y.o.u.r j.o.b
My MD was about 5'5...and he was an asshole too. Napoleonic complex...oohh how we all hated his guts...
.
Concur with the majority of people on this thread saying it isn't a big deal. All else equal, being tall is better, but it's not the norm and not a big deal.
Wall Street is full of short, Jewish guys who run things (i'm generalizing...sort of tongue in cheek...and i'm not trying to be racist). Kravis, Scwhwarzman, Blankfein, everyone at Apollo... I think a lot of Jewish people are shorter because they have genetic roots in the Middle East and people from the Middle East are generally shorter. I have no idea why they run everything in NY.
You need to be smart and/or work hard to succeed in finance. It also helps if you have/make connections.
Dedication, charisma, and intelligence dominate.
Just be confident about who you are. Act like your shit is gold and other people will believe it is, too.
Actually pretty interesting topic - how tall are the posters here, if you guys care to share?
Why would anyone with a healthy self-image work in ibd anyway?
hysterically true +1 sb
we're all basically the same height when on all fours taking it up the a$$ from our MDs.
all kidding aside, it probably helps to be taller. it probably also helps to be the better looking, the right ethnicity, born into royalty.. you get my drift. it's certainly possible to be successful at your height, so don't worry too much about it.
I'm working in HK atm 5'11 and was the tallest in the train carriage last night. **** yea!
Yeah this was one of my biggest fears. I thought the street favors the tall. But it doesn't really matter. It's all about the attitude, intelligence, and eloquence of a person. I'm 5'6 asian ethnicity. I try to exceed in communication skills and leadership voice and it's been equaling the playing field.
I am still growing slowly to a halt, perhaps I'll be 5' 6'' or 5' 7'' when I stop.
5'8" and it hasn't affected my life negatively really in any way. Although, most women will reluctantly date men 5'7" and above and start to discriminate under that, so I can't speak to 5'5". But you'll be fine in your career. 5'5" black dude sits next to me at work and is rockin' it. He might even be 5'4" and he's really good at his job and keeps getting promoted (and it's definitely not a race thing).
I hear that at MS they have a doctor present at final round interviews to make sure all male candidates are over 6'.
Phew, glad I'm tall, BB's here I come!
Lol in my company the support staff are all short, and the engineers and bosses are very tall. My boss is 6'4, another division's boss is 6'2, 2 of the VPs are around 6'3, another one is 6'6, and another one is 7 ft tall. The CEO is also about 6'3, and 2 of the "short VPs" are 5'10-5'11. Engineers are around 6'0 - 6'2, except for females, who are 5'7-5'9.
Okay. So should I include the fact that I am 6'5'' on my resume?
That seems to stretch it. The point of the tallness is because in person it has a body image effect. By saying your height without the person seeing you in real life, your height does not matter. It is almost natural primal instincts. The bigger creatures are dominant (alpha male type idea).
If someone said on their resume that they had nice hair, would you care? But if this person did not say anything about it and you saw them in real life, then would you notice it?
I think you can hint at your height without being all up in your face about it, by mentioning a length of your Johnson. Unless you are a statistical oddity and have like a 6 incher, in which case hahahaha I bet you look ridiculous naked!
^easily the gayest comment on WSO...ever
LOL completely agree
Huh? Your height has nothing to do with the size of your "Johnson"--it's about about blood flow. But yes, gayest comment ever.
I'd love to see that study. A 2 second google search will show about a thousand pages debunking it as a myth with supporting studies. But as they say, 80% of all facts are made up on the internet. ahem ^^^^
You must be going to some different Internet. Here is what my google search showed: http://www.google.com/search?q=penis+length+height&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl…
Grow a personality and you'll be fine.
Do you have any idea how many Napoleons there are in banking. Congratulations on finding the perfect career match.
Just kidding, 5'5 is not that short for a younger guy who still has time to grow some. Quit yo stressin.
I'd say having a nice face is more important than height. When you're sitting down, generally everyone's the same height anyway.
Height important when trying to garner the respect of one's colleagues? (Originally Posted: 07/27/2013)
Has anyone noticed a difference in how people are treated depending on their height? I don't think there is anyone less than 6'0 in my office...is anyone else's the same?
I was talking to someone at a bar one night and they said that taller males tend to project a more dominant position which is better for business, especially when facing a client. They actually look at height as a factor when recruiting.I guess I am lucky because I am 6'2.
How dare you ask if I lift when you haven't even figured this one out yet lol
Height and weight needed.
I thought this was about height? Come on brah, let's ease up some.
Shut the fuck up you guys are just killing this forum with your stupid dick-measuring. People who do this the most on online forums are typically the most inadequate and insecure individuals in real life.
Lol this is what I get for responding.
Okay king, in all seriousness: height is definitely an advantage, for both guys and girls.
One of the female CEO's I've worked with in the past year is only about 5'4" - but she spits flames and lasers shoot out of her eyes. If you want to be a boss, act like one.
I agree being tall helps, and I'm 6' myself, but there are lots of ways to project yourself to have presence/confidence.
define flames and lasers
It has been statistically confirmed that being taller (to a certain point) adds on to average income every year. http://www.livescience.com/5552-taller-people-earn-money.html, just one of many articles
Height and appearance do matter. It is just human nature and we are just wired in that way. But there are better ways to earn respect.
I am glad I am 6'5 but I am one of the taller guys in my office.
Physical Height in Banking (Originally Posted: 04/19/2014)
Today I was having a discussion with a friend and I figured it would be food for thought that this forum would appreciate. I wanna preface by stating that I am aware of how frivolous this looks at face value, but after getting over the shallowness of the argument there is an interesting dialogue to be had.
I was arguing that in IB, more so than any other niche in this industry, having an imposing stature significantly improves your chances of melding and integrating into the club. My argument was that height (and shoulder width, to a lesser extent) has a value which is underwritten in the fabric of this line of business. I argued that, for better or for worse, any candidate above 6'0 foot has a significant advantage over their shorter counterparts. My argument is that height and stature has been imprinted in this industry through the years in ways other physical characteristics haven not.
My friend disagreed. He conceded that a tall applicant has an advantage over an otherwise equally qualified counterpart. His argument is that height is just one of many characteristic that makes a man seem more powerful, thus more able to protect its peers, thus more attractive as a leader. In any circles, but even more so in circles where fiduciary trust is vital, attractive people are inherently more prone to be successful, and height/stature is just one of many components that will net an advantage. He argued that while being tall certainly helps, having a strong jawline and "banker hair" and an attractive smile are just as crucial.
I agree with his assessment that a plethora of physical characteristics can distinguish someone in a positive manner, but I still contend that there is a considerable underlying bias in the favor of 6'0+ men.
What does WSO think?
PS. While discussion is obviously focused on men (sorry ladies), I do think the same arguments stretch to women as well, albeit to a lesser extent. PS2. Before anyone gets silly, I do understand that there is a point of diminishing returns and being 7'1 won't make you the best banker in the world, and that will probably work against you. PS3. Has shitty games.
I'm 5'10" and feel short, every one of my friends is taller than me. I don't feel all that short in public but compared to my peers I am which is weird. Anything less than 5'10" I think you might get discriminated against a bit in the workforce for being kind of a midget. It sucks because its entirely not your fault, unlike being fat.
My opinion is that it matters more in IB than in other fields within finance like PE or HF. Whereas PE and HF is more driven by results and less so by client relationships, IB is very much a client-driven business and people who are taller generally tend to be more confident (in my experience) which comes across positively in meetings.
That being said, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. Many bankers are average height or less (many in the 5'6" to 5'10" range) and Lloyd Blankfein himself is around 5'6", as is Stephen Schwarzman (who was considered a prominent rainmaker while in banking).
Point being, being tall helps in that it instills more confidence within yourself and thus taller people tend to be more confident overall, but IMO by itself it's nothing more than a physical characteristic. If you're good, people will know and respect that, whether you're 5'4" or 6'4".
Obviously, this isn't always the case, but it's what I've seen from people around me.
IB has many men of mediocre height in powerful positions with somewhat Napoleon/BSD/overcompensating alpha male personality complexes. Tall people intimidate them. Staying in the 5'10 - 6'1 range is healthy for your career.
Agree with your friend's argument more than yours - I (at ~6'2") am a bit taller than most bankers I have worked with (who are probably in the 5'8" - 6'0" range) but I know/met a few people (in varying levels of seniority) at a range of banks (including top banks) who were very short
good thread interested to hear what the masses say
I would think it matters more for client relationship-driven finance like sales then something like trading or equity research. They wouldn't want some short, scrawny, fast-talking guy like me, ordering chocolate milks, and trying to woo in clients. I've read many threads on here about the importance of looks and the general impression I took away from them is that looks matter to a certain extent. Height is an important feature for a guy's looks so I'd be surprised if it played no factor at all, particularly if the guy is like 5'2.
I'm 6'3 and am visibly scares of the short 5'7, balding MD. Any moment he could jump on my back and bite me in my neck.
There seems to be some evidence that being tall is helpful in business (CEOs tend to significantly taller than the average person). The causality underlying this correlation is up for debate. People may treat tall people differently purely because of their height (e.g., perceived competence, power, whatever). Alternatively, tall people may behave differently than short people (e.g. more confidently), which can affect their career outcomes. You can certainly come up with other explanations for this phenomenon. For example, perhaps athletes tend to do well in business and tall people are more likely to be former athletes. Personally, I think it may be a combination of factors, with the primary being the behavioral differences between tall and short people. Merely the belief that tall people are more successful may be essential to their actual success. If tall people believe that their height gives them an advantage, they may act more confident, leading to positive outcomes at work and reinforcing their original belief. If this occurs on a large scale, overtime you will see many successful people who are of above average height, lending further credence to the notion that being tall makes you successful. There's probably some literature on the cognition behind this, which I don't feel like looking up. Still, even if height has some statistically significant effect on your career, it is likely to be quite low on the list of factors that will determine how successful you will be over the long-term. Plus, you can't change your height so why worry about it? Play the hand you're dealt, be confident, and kick ass. At the end of the day, if you don't get to where you want to be in your career, the fact that you're not 6'3'' isn't a legitimate excuse.
Research has shown that men of a taller stature (around 6') are actually more successful in most business fields because they are subconsciously seen as more authoritative, etc.
This is very interesting. I'm female and 5'10", I wonder if my height would have any impact on perception. I'm doing trading of course, not IB.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/BeautySecrets/story?id=3948348&page=1#.T6N…
is it worth it?
So... 4 years have gone by since this thread has been created - has any of you grown an inch or two? troll
Does anyone feel like kids today are taller for some crazy reason? I'm over 6', and always felt relatively tall. However, kids in high school seem like they are fucking huge now. I know it seems anecdotal, but many people I've mentioned it to seem to say the same thing.
Client Interaction and Height (Originally Posted: 11/21/2012)
Hello,
Impressing the client is important for any business and to a certain extent, ones height plays a role.
At what height do you guys think is too short to put in front of a client?
For Male and Female.
Thanks,
Concerned shorty
Nutrition--high protein diet. My Vietnamese friend who is a girl from high school was born and raised in America and she was 5'9". Her parents were both under 5'6". High protein red meat diets are cheaper every generation and I think it's starting to show among people.
I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to bio., but that seems like a way over simplification. I believe there are genetics, which can sometimes alternate generations, among many other factors (how long your growth plates are open) and more generally background based. I really don't think what you eat changes how tall you will potentially grow. Even old adages that coffee will stunt your growth have been disproven (I believe).
This article from Scientific American cites 20-40% of height variation as environmental, largely nutrition.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-much-of-human-heig…
yea kids are definitely getting taller, and I bet it'll continue. I'm like 4 inches taller than my dad
girls over 6'2 with heels, guys under 5'3
if your a manlet, no one will give you the time of day. anyone under 5'10 should be back office
Haha agreed. Manlets and girls that are manmores are no good. #uaware
Hmm according to your logic Mr.Blankfein should be in the back office then?
And Jamie
http://i.imgur.com/PKE6h.jpg
Real question?
misc presence strong . aware broseidon
aware
Not sure if trolling....if so, well done. If not:
One of the best sales guys I know is about 5'4". And I know one lady who is probably 6'1" and another who is less than 5'0" who are both phenomenal with clients.
Not to start a war, but I think weight matters much more than height, especially if you're overweight. (male and female)
And Steve schwarzmann is like 5'5
ROI of Surgery for Height GAIN!?!? (Originally Posted: 11/29/2017)
some of my fellow interns have been talking about someone who left their job and went to India to get surgery to increase their height. Do people actually do this business??? To me this seems insane but the interns ive been talking to says it might be worth it if youre 5'4 or something.
Barely 5'8" and 200 lbs. Haven't had much trouble in the business world. Nothing you can do about your height (outside of major surgery). Just gotta run with it.
Hi seville, just trying to help:
More suggestions...
If those topics were completely useless, don't blame me, blame my programmers...
This is banking, not modeling.
For business? I don't know. Its mostly for little people I think in the 4' range. They break your bones and you have to turn this dial daily that increases the distance between the breaks and then the bones heal longer.
I have heard it is one of the most painful operations and processes of physical therapy.
What is that statistic though, 90% of CEOs are 5'10" or above right?
Height establishes command presence and leadership.
If you're stupid enough to do something like this with your money, so help me god, no one should ever let you near managing any sort of assets
Being a Short Male (Originally Posted: 06/17/2013)
Finance and consulting are very client-focused industries. So are short males, let's say between 5'3 and 5'7, at a substantial disadvantage in a IB/PE/Consulting career? Does it matter less in getting to the top at a F500?
That article about the surgery is extremely depressing.
It does seem kids are huge these days. Going back to my grade school and there are 5th and 6th graders just a couple of inches shorter than me.
Statistically?
Yes.
See: http://www.gladwell.com/blink/blink_excerpt2.html
Is 5'11 considered short in the USA?
there is a huge difference between 5' 3'' and 5' 7''
There's a guy at my bank who is probably 5'4". He's tiny. It's something you truly cannot do anything about so do not worry about it.
I'm 5'6", it sucks sometimes (girls being taller than you in heels, saying they want taller guys, when playing basketball, whatever) but as someone said, its one of those things that you literally cant help, so getting worried about it will do nothing good for you.
I don't think situations occur often where a guy gets passed up strictly because hes kinda short. Just carry yourself confidently and people will be less prone to notice.
Just feel confident about yourself, stand up straight and have good posture, and don't think about being short as a disadvantage as you can't change that anyway.
I'd rather hire someone who is short and confident then tall and not confident.
I feel like every guy under 5'8 and VP level or above in finance has some form of napoleonic complex.
lloyd blankfein is pretty short
Schwarzman, Kravis, Blankfein are all pretty short.
Generally, taller males have more confidence. Thus, more taller males hold higher positions of leadership.
Don't let this kill your dreams though. My grandfather was 5'5"-5'6" at his peak and was the president of one of the first M&A firms. The current president of the wealth management firm I'm interning with is 5'5".
What matters at the end of the day is how well you can work and communicate with people.
Have a great personality (or just one at that), be confident, like others have said, have high self-esteem, say the right things at the right time, put in good work, and no one will give a flying fuck.
I'm 5'4" and 1/4. Do I wish I were taller? Yes. Can I do anything about it? No. Do I let it put me down? Hell no.
Oh and dress well. Meaning wear clothes that don't make you look even shorter. It'll make a difference, trust me.
since we seem to be going for the exact measurement... i'm 5'6" and 1/4 (lol..i laughed too at that "1/4" comment), and yes like many have already said there are times i wish i were taller. i love basketball and i wished i could play bigger instead of playing damn point guard all the time (that has been the case since everyone went through their growth spurt season in middle school). but it is what it is... so i ended up becoming a sick PG
lol on a serious note, i disagree with most who said that height doesnt matter. it does matter. its a form of advantage. period. when you go out, 70% of girls are always taller than you w/ heels on and its also difficult to "fit in" in a group setting when everyone is 6" taller than you.
but like others said you can make up for that by carrying yourself with confidence and etc... its just unfortunate that us short folks have to make that extra effort just to be on even par.
You're welcome :)
Is 5'9 short?
It's average for white people. Above average in general.
being short would suck...being short AND fat would be miserable
If you are that worried about your height, state your measurements in cm. Not only will that be a bigger number but you will seem European and the ladies will just loose control.
In some cases, it may be a disadvantage. But, in the long-term, if you perform well, it clearly isn't.
Blankfein is maybe 5'7" in shoes. He is doing just fine.
Average American height is about 5'10" I believe.
Avoid the "little man's syndrome" at all costs. A colleague of mine in the same FLDP is about 5'5", pretty smart kid with great social skills, but he tries to compensate for his height by always being the center of attention. Its fucking annoying.
This is finance... not basketball. Of course low confidence can have a negative impact on performance and leadership ability, but its quite a large generalization to say that short guys lack such confidence because of their height, especially considering the pedigree of most entrants to Wall Street banks.. I just don't see it.
(full disclosure: I am indeed 5'7" and 1/3)
yea a lot of my short buddies overdress/wear dress shirts/button-ups all the fckin time it's really annoying since it's so obv they're trying to overcompensate
I've met a number of successful bankers who were by no means tall - one was very short!
I wouldn't let height hinder you at all. Don't try compensate for it either, it'll just show that you're insecure. Concentrate on the things that you can control.
per wikipodiatry:
"It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, and carries the implication that such behavior is compensatory for the subjects' stature. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives."
so by def he is correct lol
Negroplasty?
Manlets of peace lul
Just be a likable guy and no one will care how tall you are.
excelent friendzone adv1ce
loads of successful and famous people are pretty short, its not an issue really
Pretty sure the growth hormones in so many animals that we eat today are having some affect. I'm a senior in college and I've always felt pretty tall at 6'2" but all these 6'4" freshmen walking around campus are changing that now.
good point. shit meat.
also @ Virginia tech, good post
This is the reason and it's been documented in studies across developed countries. There are a shit load of hormones in meat and dairy now that didn't exist before. There are some epic examples in Japan where the older (WWII-ish) generation used to primarily eat rice and you'll see a young adult grand child and a grand parent walking together and they look like they're from different species practically the kid is so much bigger.
6'6'' bitches
That must be why you're a King Kong.
I'm a little on the shorter side but I don't think it has hindered me (to my knowledge) in the business world. Yah I probably woulda gotten laid a little more in college if I was a few inches taller but I got mine so can't really worry about it. As has been said, you play the hand you were dealt. One thing I've noticed is that it forces you to work a little harder because subconsciously or not, people are judging you. I'm not talking in a napoleon complex sense, just that you have to go the extra mile to prove yourself sometimes and for people to be like "Okay, this kid can ball."
Quite a few short BSDs on WS, the biggest baller of `em all Stephen Schwartzman stands 5'6 ... so fuck height At the end of the day its all about making it rain
On the subject of height another major balla Henry Kravis is in the 5'4-5'6 range
And Lloyd blankfein
I had a boss who prided himself at "controlling the table" as he put it. He (a Texan) always said "wear cowboy boots, it makes you taller, more intimidating and everyone can hear your foot steps" Needless to say I think it worked for him, but he always said "height helps". And he wasn't short either but you can see how some view height.
Nice one .. http://epicureandealmaker.blogspot.in/2007/06/7-billion-mouse-er-man.ht…
5 '10 3/4, 180
Funny thread. I'm 6'0", 185, and I'm probably average maybe a bit tall. I'd peg avg height in my office at around 5'8" to 5'10"
Now I'm going to go hit up that other threat and unload about how sloppy and unpresentable obese people are.
I feel 5'9" and below is pretty short
Men below 5'7 are mice.
5'11", 220, I am big frame guy but I think my height is average and my body type is pretty average. I don't think people find me intimidating. But I am definitely bigger and taller than most Asian guys though.
not only is lloyd blankfein short, but he looks funny as hell. that give me hope that anyone can be a baller
I am glad you guys can name short dudes at the top of finance, but their all Jewish, and we know, on average, Jewish ppl are short, we also know they are prominent in finance, of course you're going to have some short Jews at the top. I bet it would be much harder to find little guys at the top of the totem pole if you exclude our Hebrew speaking brethren.
im definitely short (5´6"), but I'd rather be short and skinny than tall and fat.
I'm pretty short (5'7'') and I don't think it's had any impact on anything. Yeah I probably won't ever be CEO of a big company one day, but I don't think I can blame that on my height.
Also I've seen clients who are considerably shorter than I am and they're in very high positions (EVPs, Group Heads etc.)
I think it's better to be muscular than tall, seems like bosses always like to have some steakheads around, just my opinion... I'm biased though bc I've always liked training
for example avg height and jacked > than tall and thin
Being muscular is more important than being tall imo. 5'10" @ 220lbs > 6'2" @ 180 in terms of 'presence'.
Totally disagree. Someone that's 6"2 and 180 has a tone model body. I wish I dropped to that weight.
Someone who is too bulky just looks like a meathead imo... regardless if true or not. In finance the 6"2 180lbs is preferable just off first glances.
I completely disagree with this, as a 5'8 stocky guy.
LMAO, seems like everyone I've met in IB is short as fuck 5"6 - 5"7 on average. I'm 5"8 180 lbs btw
This looks like good material for the next WSO poll.
I'm 6'0 and feel short. Wish I were 6'2
All these articles about weight and height are just reminders of what people already know. People, however heterosexual they are, like to be around attractive people, ceteris paribus. Additionally, as other posters have alluded to, I would argue that => Look good, feel good, play good. Of course, like most any other signaling tool you can compensate for them with the entire package.
The 3 most successful people I have met from WSO were all
How big are the schlongs though??
Height thing similarly applies to women. Granted, heels help, but I've always found it easier to command respect than many of my female colleagues because I'm naturally tall. Not tall enough to be threatening to the men, mind you.
I blame my mom for not giving me enough genetically modified beef with growth hormones and such.
there are dress shoes that you can buy that adds some height. just google it. if you think that's deceiving or something, well chicks wear high heels all the time. you do whatchu gotta do
One of malcom gladwell's book covers this with ceo's. Some insane with number with the amount of CEO's above 6 foot
As my brother puts it, "There's nothing worse than being a short male." It's just something you can't change. Some people are fine with it, but a lot of women will tell you that they could never date a guy shorter than they are.
Expedita molestiae ex consequuntur possimus impedit facilis. Nostrum quae fugiat quis id sequi. Necessitatibus in deleniti quae quam sit. Perferendis voluptatem ipsum hic et perferendis.
Error id exercitationem quo officiis amet at. Quasi error perferendis dolore. Ducimus alias et ex quo autem sit. Culpa exercitationem odit nemo odit sint saepe. Ut et voluptatum perferendis quam facere sequi non.
Fugit perferendis accusamus inventore quis ratione. Omnis dolore delectus voluptatem facilis. Maiores unde iure modi et. Sequi distinctio dolorem voluptas ipsa.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Dolorem quos unde illum suscipit deserunt est. Eligendi omnis est id in sed amet est. Facere autem quae possimus molestiae quae voluptates. Cumque autem pariatur quod dolorem quas laboriosam odio. Et temporibus aut inventore culpa.
Velit quibusdam soluta cupiditate tenetur et. Accusamus quas ad veniam quia sit aut. Sint dolorum officia commodi enim totam perferendis. Est perspiciatis quod ut. Dolorum dolores eaque perferendis id sunt ea.
Quas quibusdam sed dolor ea. Ea quod minus dolores sit. Aut laudantium impedit dolore saepe labore amet consequatur.
Ratione porro quia consequatur aut nihil. Voluptates omnis qui ut aspernatur. Assumenda alias autem iusto sint optio exercitationem quam aut. Eaque voluptates expedita fugiat quas voluptatem. Atque consequatur impedit est veritatis.
Est saepe repellat nemo provident. Debitis consequuntur aperiam ipsa id minima. Aut natus aliquam rerum sit aut quasi velit.
Qui esse quo culpa quaerat dolorum esse. Beatae cumque quis error aperiam saepe quam. Et eos recusandae expedita.
Excepturi magni repellat repellat aut voluptatem aut. Sit et architecto et consequatur.
Sapiente reprehenderit vel vel voluptas et voluptatem nihil. Odit quia est inventore ea. Sed ipsam exercitationem rem in voluptatem itaque.
Nesciunt distinctio sed dolorem ex adipisci. Tempore molestiae consequatur et quisquam quas sit incidunt sunt. Et cupiditate animi beatae labore recusandae voluptatem mollitia. Laudantium quam magnam veritatis temporibus et.
Voluptas tenetur repudiandae qui vero magnam. Tenetur cum ut vel velit. Voluptas deserunt occaecati sed cum omnis eum cupiditate.
Dolorem sit error error et fuga sit. Impedit facere porro in enim. Ut voluptatum magnam consectetur qui at tempora. Perferendis unde qui voluptatem soluta sit voluptatem placeat autem. Rerum qui et vitae voluptatem repellat magnam sed. Aut non ipsam quis enim aut.
Sequi cum nam quasi cumque. Et aut quos nisi quo officia itaque. Et voluptatem qui reprehenderit. Facilis fugit id non consectetur. Perspiciatis et autem est assumenda assumenda inventore unde. Aut nisi est possimus possimus.
Distinctio quis quia nobis quibusdam. Officia illum sed nihil tempore aut tempora omnis odit. Optio quis et sunt adipisci sunt consequatur. Nulla voluptatibus hic ea aut. Voluptas et consequatur tenetur consequuntur quam accusamus velit deleniti. Fuga vel illum nisi et delectus.
Hic iure eaque sequi aut sint dolor. Velit quis quia nisi eius. Dolorem et quo sint dolorem quidem. Praesentium quidem voluptate sit eum.
Ipsum eligendi quasi sunt non numquam qui voluptas. Et minima eius deserunt asperiores odio ex. Itaque velit sed autem porro tempora consequatur autem. Aut placeat sit voluptate magnam quaerat non.
Iure dolorem rerum dolores fuga quis quas. Similique exercitationem et voluptate ea adipisci. Architecto voluptas praesentium dolorem adipisci tempore enim. Odit minima praesentium et sint non quia. Sed quia dolorem voluptas vel. Dignissimos reiciendis commodi velit voluptas delectus.
Qui reiciendis aliquam ipsum qui quas vero non. Repellat quidem voluptate harum quas. Omnis et omnis quibusdam libero pariatur temporibus. Unde dignissimos ipsa odio doloribus et rerum quia. Occaecati voluptatem quia sit quam rerum cupiditate. Neque quos qui et inventore omnis.