I'm going on to my senior year in high school so I need to start looking for a good career. Ofcourse I'm looking to go into a field that accepts longhaired guys w/out much fuss. I also want something that pays pretty good. I have pretty much narrowed it down to psychology or some type of computer animation career (i'm not sure what's what in this field yet) I like them equally and I'm not sure what I will go for. How are these two when it comes to accepting longhairs?
I haven't really seen any longhaired guys in Psychology, but, anything computer-related is likely to have longhairs working. Therefore, I am studying to become a network administrator. Get to work alone some of the time, which'd be nice.
-J
If I'm not mistaken, most psychologists have their own practice, which means no boss. Your clients' opinions would be what mattered, but it seems to me that this is one of those few fields where long hair is fairly accepted.
well, im doing pschology... personally i would imagine its fairly acceptable on the hair front. If you got the qualifications you could always go private...
Computers is where it's at. Lots of longhairs in IT, including myself and the webmaster of this site.
I believe that one's hair does not matter if one is the best (or at least one of the best) at some occupation. Certainly, many employers won't hire you, and you may have to work for less money (at least initially), but someone will hire you based on merit if you have the skills. Living in a large urban area helps, too. Do what makes you happy, be the best at it, and you'll find a job.
For the record, I am a longhaired attorney.
I have been teaching or working with young adults for the last 20 years. This is the best that I have to offer on this question: answer the question--what do you love--and then find a career that allows you to pursue what you love. Forget whether long hair is accepted or what the salary is. If you choose for those reasons and not because it is something that you love, you will be selling yourself out to something that--when you are old--you will see, regretably, that was not worth it. What you do, the length of your hair, the money you make or don't make is all about who you are. If you are not daily working on understanding who you are, developing some integrity (from Latin = wholeness), then, it really doesn't matter what you do--you won't be happy.
What do you love?
Robert
I agree with P Bu. Do your best and the rest is secondary. I have this nasty trait of being an over-acheiver (and yes, it can be nasty when one gets down because one isn't achieving lofty goals). Even gets to me when growing my hair or riding my sport mortorcycle.
My occupation: automotive (mechanical) engineer with one of the 'Big 3').
I agree with John and Reflective. There are many men with long hair in computer and technical fields. I'm a computer and electronics technician -- my hair goes halfway down my back. I usually wear it in a ponytail -- to keep from burning it with a soldering iron, etc. The technical places I've worked at don't seem to care, as my hair isn't the longest compared to other guys that work there. In my opinion, the computer job is the way to go. Good luck.
I plan on being a tattooist, this is a good job for having longhair :-)
This is not why I chose this job, it's just a nice bonus :-0
I recommend you do what Robert said and do what you love
Employer acceptance of your long hair depends upon the job you take and what company you work for.
For example, the Walt Disney company forbids most rank and file male employees (those who deal with the customers) from wearing long hair. However, I have seen pictures and inteviews, on cable TV, of Disney's creative staff, where many men have long hair, one even had waist-length hair!
I guess that Disney does not mind long hair on their male employees, as long as they stay out of sight from the general public.
Note: Asking a potential comapany about their hair-style policy is a good idea.
I hope this helps you get and great job and grow your hair longer.
Multi HMX-12
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As long as your hair is clean, and tidy - i.e., tied in a ponytail, then it shouldn't matter. If you look at a guy with short hair from the front, and a guy with a ponytail from the front, there is hardly any difference. I guess a ponytail that is too long may be a problem but just past shoulder length (like I have mine) hadn't ought to be a problem. I have a book entitled 'getting the right job' and from that book it appears that polished shoes and clean fingernails are the most important. Nothing is explicitly mentioned about male longhairs. Another important thing in my view is to be clean shaven - beards and moustaches don't go well with long hair (although siders are fine).
At the moment I am a full time MSc computing student (so from some of the posts I've seen it looks like my hair should be safe), but I am also a part-time retail employee. I went to the interview while I was in the problem stage of growing my hair and it was plastered in place with spritz gel. One of my colleagues has longer hair than me, plans to go into law as a barrister and has said that he won't get his hair cut for the world - good for him!
At the end of the day, I believe that skills come first. I am also a keyboard player so if I don't get a 'formal' job I will do this as a final occupation anyway.