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I'm curious what kind of jobs you all have and what jobs/employers are more lenient about long hair. What are good jobs to look for that allow casual dress and an environment conductive for long hair?
I'm a musician that freelances around town and also a piano teacher. But I'm looking at moving to the West coast and I'll need a job there before I can break in to the music scene.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Brad
Civil Service employment - at a college campus or public library.
I work in an I.T. dept for a local public school system. Never had an issue with my hair and I grew it long from an inch after being employed there. Never had an issue during the awkward stage either.
Hmmm....probably a mistake to try front office dealing with the public type jobs like retail, _except_ in businesses that have a rep. for not being uptight like bookstores, music stores (the kind that sell guitars, amps, mics, band supplies as well as music), coffee shops...I'm assuming you want something kind of temporary; not a career. for careers, geek-tech places seem surprisingly tolerant (there are probably exceptions of course) which is ironic since in the 1960s these places were dick clark city.
by the way, i didn't mean to imply that you can't have a career in a bookstore etc.; I just meant that those places are more likely to take someone on and not loose it if you quit 6 months later. re "coffee shops" let me clarify--not dunkin doughnuts or any place that makes you wear a little paper hat; I mean't hang out places, some literary atmosphere, maybe less hassles if independently owned, like city lights in s.f. (actually a bookstore but it gives you an idea of the type).
Brad,
I am convinced that the problem of employment for long hairs is almost past. Of course there will be some troglydites who think that short hair is a symbol of sanctification, but the key if you value your long hair, as I hope you do, is to go for a job interview dressed very neatly, if appropriate in a white or solid blue shirt and tie, and if in an air conditioned professional office, with jacket as well.
Make sure you hair is clean, if loose neat, and if not loose neatly tied up, into a pony tail, or braid.
Under no circumstance shall you mention your hair. If it comes up, you will ask why the interviewer asks. Make sure you take a note of her response. Then say this that this is how you wear your hair in honor of the traditions of your family.
After all, as you not establishing a tradition for your family of freedom, individual expression, neatness and clinliness, and celebration of the natural possibility for healthy men?
Just do not distort yourself to conform to what you expect others to think.
James
Brad. Musician here too, guitarist. Stopped gigging out and started writing freelance for Southern music mags and doing guitar reiews. It's a livin and nobody can say anything about my hair! Best of Luck! Eat A Peach For Peace! RedTail Wolf
Software & electronics engineering.
Hair never an issue.
- Oren
High school teacher, public school. Hair never an issue.
Robert
Hello,
For those who are new to the board since I have mentioned it before:
I work as a computer tech at a montreal university, and in the academic milieu, hair is never an issue. I even come in in jeans. I sometimes tie my hair on bad hair days, but usually I wear it loose.
Montreal itself is quite laied back, and lots of longhairs can be seen in the streets
Have a nice day,
Georges
Hi Brad,
My whole lives work was one of a Classical Musician which branched-out into a number of areas. ie: Piano Teacher, Piano Tuner, Sub School Music Teacher, Organist/Choir Director, Concert Recitalist and Composer of over 150 works that actually made it into print and appears to have been adopted throughout England, France and Germany. Ignored mostly in the US. The beginning and a considerable amount of my life was on the East Coast. Despite always being the one with longer hair, I was never given a problem nor denied a Job opportunity because of it.
Now for the past 15 years on the West Coast I notice people much more layed-back and tollerent than were those on the E. Coast. Much friendlier out here also. Wish I could tell you more about a non-self employed situation, but by observation the two Music teachers in the school system where I live have long hair. One wears his in a Ponytail, the other has curly hair that puffs up all over the place..........this particular teacher newer to the system in the last year and had relocated from the Mid West. Guess the Board of Education had no problems with him. There are also several other male teachers of achedemic subjects with Ponytails.
Hope this helps.
Justin
Justin, I didn't know you were so into classical music! I'd love to see/hear some of your music. Are you still active musically? My undergrad degree is in music; I have played piano and cello since I was a kid; also play a bunch of wind instruments (clarinet, sax, bassoon, etc.) and of course I sing tenor in a chorus. I haven't composed in quite a while... most of my stuff isn't worth the paper it's written on anyway.
dino
Thank you. I am soon to find someone to put on a CD a "Sampler" of different compositions.
Only about 5% anymore of what I once was.
Wow! That is really impressive.
I don't believe it............that is about your own music. It is probably quite better than what is "thrown" at we Classical Musicians by the US publishers who are now in it soley for money and have "inside house" composers writing under different names. Now, as well known as I am, even I cannot get past a publisher. The curtain is shut tight. The "only hope" one might have at placing a work lies in Europe, but the classical unfortunately is starting to slip even there. France seems to be the last hope.......but the Government contributes to the arts. They are always (it seems) angry at how they are treated by the Americans. (I can hardly blame them.) Politics enters the picture and ANYTHING sent to a French Publisher must 1st be approved by a Government worker at the Publishers front door. "If" trouble is going on, the Publishing house doesn't even get to see your work. Too bad. Those that are the actual workers in the publishing house are very fine musicians looking at quality rather than making a quick buck as has happened in the US. My own music has always been accused of sounding too much like Ravel or Debussy. (American critics.) Well, that is just the way I write. I consider it a very fine compliment.
Please feel free to write to me about music.
Justin~
Freelance IT, musician.
In the past, property management, retail - pro audio, reocrding, live sound, synths, etc., and more IT.
Before that, more IT, and before that, more music.
Before that, lots of restaurants and factories.
Only one boss in the IT business ever had much to say about my hair, but I think he realized my hair was okay when I came to work with a shaved head, goatee and no eyebrows and dressed better than him. He wasn't so happy about that one. 8^)
-m
I am a public librarian, and have not had an issue even though I am in midlevel management...librarians are more liberal than our stereotypes! Check on entry level jobs in libraries - of course the pay is not great, but the benefits (vacation, insurance, etc.) are generally top notch as they are gvt. institutions.
The Left Coast should treat you well as a longhair in most professions.
Patent agent working for a law firm. Started out as an electrical engineer. It's never been an issue, although there are probably jobs I didn't get, but I'll never know.
Government Scientist for $$$’s
Piano Technician for Sanity
Hair is not an issue.
I work at a Sports Authority, and my managers have no porblem with my hair at all. Customers never even give me a second look, mainly because I am polite and friendly, and people could care less about how you look as long as you have a good personality. I deal with a lot of old people as well, and a lot have talked to me for over half an hour, and never once mentioned my hair.
Biologist with the federal goverment. I have waist length hair which I usually wear loose and, at times, as many as 30 earrings which I also wear continuously.
Although my primary love (and would-be career choice) is music, I make my day-to-day living working in a pathology laboratory in the San Francisco Bay Area. No issues at all with the hair, or the several earrings that I wear. I keep my hair tied back (for safety). Soon I'll be moving out of the lab and into a desk job at the same company (in the medical services department), and although I will be dressing in long-sleeves and slacks instead of T-shirts and jeans, the company won't have any problems with my long hair or anything else. All the doctors there, who own the company, are very nice and for them it's a non-issue.
dino
Graphic designer, never any problems.
Logistics Analyst working as a contractor for the US Navy. The only grief I've caught has been from the deputy program manager but that seems to be dying off. I'll know more soon, as the major problem he had was with me travelling to fleet commands and being seen with the long hair, and now I've got a trip planned next month to Norfolk to work with one of the ships. We'll see.
Jim
IT Support & Development Technician for an insurance intermediary in the UK. In a nutshell I assist employees with any IT problems/queries, develop software and improve the exisiting technology to meet the demands of the company.
I'm the only guy with long hair in the company, but its never been an issue. My colleagues are fantastic, it really is just a great place to work.
I'd be interested in seeing how many members of the board work in the IT industry - as from my experience its pretty liberal when it comes to long hair.
Mogh
