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Hi, first time poster. I have been growing my hair out on and off for about 6 years with only 1 real haircut in between. I just wanted to ask for advice on dealing with hair length and job opportunities. I am currently only a semester away from graduating with my Bachelors and I was wondering if the professional world really cared about hair length. While talking to my counselor a few weeks ago, he mentioned that I may need to cut my hair short for a program that I was entering. He told me that having longer hair would decrease the chance that I was hired by a school system (I’m studying to be an English teacher). I would normally just brush it off as a myth. I would assume that the school system would not be prejudice because of my choice to have longer hair even if I take good care of it. Which I do, I take great care of my hair.
But then he told me a personal story saying he had a student who was one of the best in the entire school, but was denied a job for around a year because he had long hair and mutton chop sideburns. He said when the student cut the hair and shaved he was almost immediately hired.
Should I worry about cutting my hair to gain employment? I love my hair, I don’t want it to cost me a job, but I don’t want to have to give in and cut it for no reason besides the fact that some people might think its unprofessional or something.
So, should I worry about my hair getting in the way of employment? Does anyone have stories that show otherwise, where hair length was in no way a factor for getting a job? And is there any way to show my possible employers that my hair length shouldn’t be a factor?
Hello Steve, welcome to the mlhh board of longhairs:)I'm glad you decided to participate as this is a great support outlet for us longhaired men.Not sure if you have been a lurker before posting but this issue comes up numerous times with all sorts of fields involved.I recall that some guys who were looking to enter your profession have had problems but then some others have not.If you really love your longhair I feel it would be cruel of a potential employer to pass you by just because of hair length.So does that go for women applicants too?Hmmm.That could be a response you could use if brought up in an interview.I'd love to hear their answer to it as it better be a good one to make it legit.None of this "well men just aren't supposed to have long hair' nonsense.
I had one instance years ago in a job interview where my longhair was mentioned for a service technician position.Well you will work in office environment and we need to maintain that AT&T look, it was told to me.Uhhh sorry but no thanks as I don't want to look like that.When I go home after work I want to feel my longhair on my head.It's not like I can remove it for work and put it back on afterwards like some jewelry or something.I ultimately did get that type of job with another employer so you just need patience.
Anyway I know I've run amuck in my response but I hope it helps.Do let us know how it goes when you start interviewing.Cheers my friend.
Mark
Hello- Steve,
I was just experiencing the same situation and thankfully I just got a job in a restaurant after pounding the pavement looking work for over a year...I almost cut my hair which is shoulder length right now because I thought that cutting my hair was the reason why employers were not hiring me...But, thanks to the support of this board I realized that having a crew cut would not better my chances of possible employment. I feel like "ME" when I have long hair-it gives me confidence and makes me feel like what I'm suppose to feel like...I'm a year away from getting my degree in graphic design and that thought of cutting my hair comes up now and then. However, I don't think that I am going to give in too it because my hair does not interfere with my talents. (Look at some of the most brilliant men in history-many of them had their own unique hair styles.)Many scientist sport long locks and are respected in their professions...I can't tell you what to do but think about it very well before you decide to cut it off for a job you're not sure you even have yet..
I agree with Mark 100%. Excuse the language, but only a douche bag of a boss would care about your hair length. And trust me, you dont want to work for a boss like that. About 4 years a ago, I was hired by a very large telecommunications company to work in their Network Operations Center. After 3 years there, I was promoted about a year ago to supervisor. All while having mid-back length hair. Nobody at my company has ever said a word about me having long hair. Just hang in there and you will find a job without cutting your hair.
I still cant believe in the year 2011 that people still have a hard time when it comes to men having long hair. I even once had a girl tell me she wouldnt date me because I had long hair. "Girls are supposed to have long hair and boys are supposed to have short hair. Thats just the way it is" she told me. Jeez this world is freakin crazy. Ok sorry for my rant. LOL
It's maybe true that some employers won't hire you with long hair but that are not the employers you want to work for. It their loss not yours. Long hair is a perfect filter to test your employer :)
If you really want to keep your hair, keep on searching till you find a job that let you keep your hair. Maybe it will cost a little more time, but growing your hair back will take even more!
It's outrageous that in this day and age there should be any form of discrimination - which includes the length of your hair. Your appearance is your personal choice, and no one has the right to dictate to you what that should be. Good luck and keep us posted.
Ian
It depends on the job. I work in IT, and when I went to an attorney's office one day to work on their network, he told me that if I looked like him - all natty and clean cut - he'd figure I was a phony putting on airs. With my long hair and black jeans he knew I was for real, as it were. That's very convenient.
So it seems to really depend on the particular situation.
It seems like IT is one of the most adhesive careers to longhair on men. Is that a pretty true statement?
hair length was in no way a factor for getting a job? And is there any way to show my possible employers that my hair length shouldn’t be a factor?
I think this would be an accurate statement, Shark. The great thing about IT / Telecommunications is we do not have to come into face to face contact with the public and the customers. Pretty much the only people who you come into contact with are your co-workers. At my IT job, we have a very relaxed dress code. Several white guys here have hair at least shoulder length and several black guys have dreads that are at least shoulder length. One black guy even has dreads down to his waist. Basically, as long as you are clean and wearing clean looking clothes, nobody cares what you wear or how your hair looks. We even have the option to work from home X amount of days per quarter which is awesome. You can stay in PJ's all day while working if you want. LOL
I'm a one man shop, so I do deal with the small business customers. Still, such as with the attorney example I mentioned, it is never an issue. I would add though, that I work in liberal Santa Cruz County, CA. Geography could be another factor.
Exactly, sir! I live in redneck Atlanta Ga (born and raised!)and this really isn't the most long hair friendly place to be honest with you. I used to be a personal trainer at a gym about 10 or 11 years ago. I was hired with long hair and they never said a word about it but one day I showed up for work with my shoulder length locks down instead of in my usual ponytail (mainly because several of my attractive female clients had been asking to see my hair down for a change) and was promptly told by management that I either had to pull it back in a ponytail RIGHT THIS SECOND or else I would be written up and sent home for the day without pay. And I was told NEVER to wear my hair down EVER again OR ELSE. Needless to say, I switched gyms not too long after that.
This is so true but it really depends on the company you're working for and the geography you're in. Where I am in Queens, NY, nobody says "boo" about male long hair in terms of getting most employment, however in the social and dating world that is a very different situation here with many but not all. Having long hair and getting dates is the most difficult to overcome (but I did it). What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
I tried getting a job years ago working at the Safeway in Dillon, Montana, and remember them telling me about their male dress code policy regarding hair after I had been hired. If I had been more worldly when I was 19 I might have filed a gender discrimination suit if they didn't correct the problem (assuming there was a case based on the law). Imagine I was only applying to get an entry-level job at a supermarket! Of course I told them to go shove their job and I got another one instead! I wonder if I was to move back there how I would fare in terms of the workforce? I wouldn't work for Safeway since I can tell by their symbolism that they are Masonicly connected.
I have driven 1.5 million miles in 48 states and canada and i will not explain my feeling towards safeway except to say i would never take employed from these snakes, as for the masonic connection i can agree, but i will leave it at that, that's what goodgle and reading is for. your friend James / Tampa,Fl
If you cut your hair for a job, you still may not get the job, but your long hair will be gone. Life is too short.
If it helps, I work in a law firm. There aren't very many long haired men in this environment, but it isn't a problem.