Free Botox treatments and hair transplants are the unconventional prizes offered in a controversial contest aimed at helping job seekers get an edge on the competition. Contestants have to persuade the judges why they need and deserve the cosmetic procedures more than anyone else. The public will choose the winner from 20 finalists, American Idol-style.
A radical new contest is underway in New England that will treat the winner to free hair plugs and Botox injections.
To qualify to win, however, this person will have to be both unemployed and very unhappy with what he or she sees in the mirror.
Leonard Hair Transplant Associates is sponsoring this contest for jobless residents in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It’s based on the premise that succeeding in the job market comes from being confident – and that confidence can be increased through a more attractive appearance.
Unemployed residents have been invited to submit photos and personal statements through a website. They’re being asked to persuasively explain why they need and deserve the cosmetic procedures more than anyone else. The competition will select 20 finalists. From that point, the public will be invited to choose one winner and a runner-up, American Idol-style.
Leonard Hair Transplant Associates has seen an increase in patients seeking hair restoration for job reasons, and hit upon the contest as a way to celebrate 20 years in business. Some are calling the contest irresponsible and unethical – saying that offering cosmetic surgery as a contest prize disrupts the traditional relationship between doctors and patients.
But statistics can’t be ignored. The national unemployment rate was 9.5 percent as of June. And a recent survey by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery confirmed that three out of four surgeons had helped patients who sought an operation mainly because they wanted to stay competitive in the job market.
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