new thread
Hi everyone,
Despite what we often discuss here -- the negativity surrounding long hair and the prospects of being damned to unemployment and crappy jobs that our parents, peers, friends and others throw at us -- I am here to let you guys know that there is hope.
For the past few months, I have been searching for a full-time teaching position since what I have been doing was temporary before, only teaching one or two classes so I could finish my own studies.
Last week I had a phone interview with a local college. Early this week, they called me for a person to person interview that would take place Thursday. I went in and met with deans and assistant vice presidents and did a teaching demo. (They let me teach an actual class and had let me know ahead of time the subject to cover for the day, a Hemingway short story.) I then met with a committee where they fired questions at me for an hour and a half. Before I went in, I had decided that I was going to give honest answers and not spew out the typical canned stuff that people will tell you needs to be said in an interview. When they asked me what literature I could best teach, I certainly didn't say "all of it." Shakespeare, Spenser, and Milton are my boys; besides them and the British Romantics, it'd be hard for me. And they seemed OK with my answer.
I wasn't too sure what would come out of it. I am a somewhat rough presenter in front of a class, but I do get the message across. I didn't know what they'd think of my casual style. And I have to admit I wondered if they thought anything about my hair. I had it tied back neatly in a tail. But I did dress nicely although I didn’t wear a coat – it’s just too hot in June in Georgia for that.
Today, they let me know that the position of Assistant Prof. of English was mine if I wanted it, contingent on me finishing and successfully defending my master’s thesis by the end of the summer. I think I can do it, and I should be writing now. I’ve reworked almost seventy pages already in the past week.
Thanks guys for reading, and I'm not bragging – not at all. It's just that a longhair can get a job. There is hope for us all. Hard work does pay off too. I want to thank everyone here for just being here and being a part of our community. I think we foster a good sense of camaraderie on this board.
MB
Awesome story man, I'm glad you don't fall into the trap that so many people do, thinking they have to cut their hair to get a job, and then realize that it wasn't necessary.
I really hope you get the job.
Just curious, what college was it in Georgia? I currently attend UGA.
Thanks, glad you liked it. Maybe it'll keep someone from cutting their hair when they don't have to.
MB
Everyone with an education knows that longhairs do the best work. (or in this case, do the best teaching)
Seriously though, congragulations! You will make one awesome professor.
Daniel
Thanks, Daniel. I appreciate your words of encouragement.
MB
Never assume that you have to cut your hair to get a job
Never assume that you have to cut your hair to get a job
It's great to hear your story, uplifting. I think most just assume you have to hack it off to get a decent job. And you know what happens when you assume? You make an ass out of u and me. lol.
I do like that sense of camaraderie! I feel the day dawning when getting a haircut for your job is ancient history. Barber shops will close and old fuddy duddys will have long pony tails! Then... longhairs will take over the world! Sorry, got carried away.
Hair power!
Paul
Thanks Paul! I had long ago decided that I was never going to cut my hair for any reason, unless of course I decided to personally. That is, I decided never to be driven into a cutting situation by external forces like I was once before.
I like what you break "assume" down into. I'd heard that a long time ago but fogotten it. HAHA!
Congratulations Matt !
Looking forward to seeing an update photo in your new academic setting !
Walter
Thanks Walter!
I'll try to get a new picture up some time soon. You know the typical professorial look -- the beard, a tweed jacket, the really super thick glasses, etc. HAHA!
MB
That's nice to hear Matt! Sounds like a good gig.
When the subject of professors and long hair comes up, Professor Dr Patrick O'Brien, of the Potsdam University in Germany immediately comes to my mind.
http://www.geo.uni-potsdam.de/Mitarbeiter/OBrien/obrien.html
- Oren
I don't mean to be the grammar police, but in German you would say Herr Professor Doktor Patrick O'Brien, and in English Professor Patrick O'Brien, if you get my point.
Alun, I stand corrected!
A dodgy German->English translation when I read the title line of his profile page. :-)
Oren - In computers we trust...
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Yes his hair is amazing, Oren. It is floor length plus. I have had a copy of that image on my computer for a few years now. It disproves the myth that curly hair can't grow to great lengths. He appears to be about 5'7" tall or so. His hair is at least 6 feet long. He must have to bun it to prevent stepping on it.
I have never met any guy with hair that long. EdG has the longest hair (calf length) of any guy that I have met in person. He came to an SF longhair meet a bit over a year ago.
Scott
Thanks, Oren! What an awesome picture, but I don't think I have the right genes for that kind of length. Thanks for the picture though.
MB
I love this story, good luck with finishing your study and your new job.
It's far better to give honest answers and do what you love than lie to get a job. In the first option you can do what you want and like. With the second option you have to live with that lie everyday to make it true.
This applies to both the honest answer and the longhair, shaving your hair to get a job is basicly lying if you like longhair more than shorthair.
Thanks, Vincent!
And what a fantatic way to think about things. You have a good head on your shoulders. Of hair too. HAHA!
Hi Matt,
Thanks for sharing that with us and well done on getting the position and I'm sure you will pass you degree with flying colours. It's nice to know that you can get a job on merit you and your experence and not the negativity of the length of your hair silly dress codes.
As I say to people I didn't get the chance to do a degress, oh yes John.B is thick lol. At 18 I decided to go out and earn money and it's done me well. I'm not that interested in doing a degree now and the 10000 word story at the end. I just about scrapped by my English Language and dropped English literature. Just imagine typing to be JC at the age of 14 and all you do is send time looking that notes at the back of the book. But I do have a fine appreciation of our great bard now.
I think you should get a priviledge pass to the that "Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists" as it's not just scientists eh.
Well done again and keep us in touch as to how your degree goes.
Cheers,
John.B
Thanks, John. You always say the right things. Thanks too for the words of encouragement.
Haha! No, you're not thick. Not at all. Thick people don't have the wit you do! All your posts point to smart mind in John B's head. haha. A degree doesn't make you smart. I know lots of dumb people who got through school with a degree. 10,000 words -- haha, I wish it was that easy...
I can see you as Julius Caesar now. Avon's bard did write some good stuff,and good to hear that you like his work. It's almost uncanny if you think about the amount of literature that has come out of England -- especially from that period. You've got to remember that back then, the population was rather small. I don't think it is too presumptuous to say that some of the world's best literature has come out of Britain.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for sharing, and congratulations to you in landing that wonderful job! It is good to know that more and more employers are more accepting of long hair in today's society.
Take care,
David
Thanks David!
I hope all is well with you and you are getting in plenty of golf this summer. As well, all the best to Tammy.
MB
Hi Matt,
Good news ! I hope the job will satisfy you. Until now, I personally never encounter any difficulty to get a temporary job. Certainly, it's more tolerant in Europe, and certainly, it depends on the kind of job, and the kind of boss.
Bye
Vivien
Merci beaucoup, mon ami Vivien!
I think I will like the job. It is a smaller college, so I think I will like that, and the people I met all seem nice. I just hope my office has at least a small window in it.
Haha! Yes, I think in Europe it probably is more tolerant. I hope you have the best success in your employment too. I think you will really like Norway. Next summer, I am planning on going back to Italy. Who knows, when I'm through in Italy, perhaps I could come back through France and we could have a few glasses of vin rouge dans le cafe.
Hi Matt,
Congratulations! That's awesome that you were offered the job and it's definitely a positive affirmation that there are jobs out there for longhaired men.
Jason
Thanks, Jason. Obviously, lots of us here have good jobs, or even our own businesses -- if not, we wouldn't own computers to get online and have digital cameras to post pictures -- you get my drift. I debated whether or not to even make the post, but it seems that the postive possibilities don't get talked about enough here.
A huge congratulations for your hard work and accomplishments and doing it "your way"
Dawn
Haha! Thanks, I can hear the song in the background now...
Hi Matt,
That's certainly a great story of your interview experience as you made a good impression on them since they offered you the position.Goes to show that if you know your stuff a little longhair goes a long way:)Too bad that some guys here aren't so fortunate in interviews but I guess it depends on what the job is.I would think in the education field your hair shouldn't be an issue especially if its neat.Anyway congrats on the offer and I'm sure you will have no problem with your thesis.Cheers my friend.
Mark
Thanks, Mark. I appreciate your perpetually positive attitude here as well. It's a ray of sunshine. Again, I wish you well too as you sort out events in the coming weeks and months.
The worst thing about a thesis is the conventions they expect you to follow. It gets boring just because you have to set out your points at the beginning of each section and then repeat them and so on and so forth. It's not like a creative essay where you can surprise the reader. Even if one has a cool topic, which I think I do, it feels "wrong" to make it so repetitive. It seems like an insult to a reader to spill all the beans in the first section.
Thanks again, Mark.
Anyway congrats on the offer and I'm sure you will have no problem with your thesis.Cheers my friend.
Great to hear, Matt!! Best of luck on your thesis.
Thanks, Mr. Frodo. I need a little luck too.
Hi Matt:
Congratulations on the job offer. It is nice to see that your long hair didn't stop you from getting the job you wanted. You are a shinning example of a well employed long hair. Now finish that thesis and do us proud.
Del
Thanks Del, and I'm working away to complete it.
Well done on your getting the position, education or experience
goes a long way in getting peoples attention away from the hair.
I myself don't have a degree but I've stayed in the same business
for 25 + years and now it's paying off, and luckily I've never
been out of work in all those years. I do sometimes think I
would have liked to teach History although won't pursue that now.
I'm sure you'll be very successful in the English Dept so again
Well Done!
Kevin
Thanks, Kevin. 25 years in one business is an accomplishment too; applause to you as well. You have to be good at what you do.
Think about this: if you did want a History degree, all you'd have to do is take a few classes per semester part time. In a few years you'd have it. It'd take longer, but if it's what you wanted to do...
MB
Congratulations Matt. You the man!
Bruce
Thanks, your sentiment is much appreciated.
MB
Huge congratulations Matt, that is one hard subject for us mere mortals and I know you have been really hard grafting away for a long time now, but's all paid off and in style, very well done, excellent.
~ Dave
Thanks, Dave. English really is notorious for being hard. They actually say it's one of the hardest languages to learn. Everyone screws it up too from time to time. It's just so irregular and idiomatic.
My congrats also, Matt. What I find refreshing here is not that a longhair got a job or was rejected, but that a qualified person got a job based on their qualifications. The fact that you had long hair was a non-issue.
And in defending your thesis, I will assume the sword will not be needed, instead relying "Upon my wit, to defend my wiles". I won't even touch upon the "mask" part of that quote!
HAHA! Thanks Big George. I haven't thought about Troilus and Cressida in years - especially that quote, but I like it.