new thread
I am in school now, and am a little too busy to get a job--and aditionally too short-haired to be considered a longhair at the moment. Fortunately, I'm well known for planning ahead; now I'm thinking about a future time when I have longer hair and am looking for a job.
I hear all kinds of horror stories about longhaired men having difficulties finding jobs and cunducting business in their chosen careers (except stereotypical rock stars, but even that's not working as well as it used to).
Well, OK, here's my question for you all. What kinds of unskilled manual labor jobs, technical jobs, entry-level jobs, lifelong careers, or whatnot have you all been able to get into, particularly if you began these with long hair? I'm particularly interested in jobs catagorized by the first two, but heck, why not let this topic be a resource for everyone?!
Thanks in advance,
Jesse
A friend of mine has hair to the middle of his scapulae and wears it to work in a ponytail. He is an anesthesia resident. Granted, he wears his surgical cap in the operating rooms all day, so many don't know about his hair length. However, he will often remove the cap during lectures, etc. I haven't heard many comments about his hair, but those I have heard have been positive.
I know tons of physicians and can only think of a handful who have long hair, but they seem to be accepted for who they are and not what they look like.
Hope this helps.
ToddB
I am a patent agent. I was able to get a job in a big law firm with long hair, although I was laid off and am now self employed. I measured my hair for the recent poll on here and it was 21 inches. It's been about that length for years, and I don't think it is capable of growing much longer than that.
It's important to be self confident in interviews. Don't go in thinking that they will reject you because you have long hair. The only jobs really closed to long hairs are ones where you wear a uniform. I have never had a burning urge to be a soldier or policeman, though!
I'm a UK registered and European Patent Attorney, working in a large London firm.
When I first started work in 1992 my hair was just about long enough to put into a ponytail (or perhaps more of a pigtail). I put it into a ponytail, just for work, because I thought it would be tidier that way. After about two days, though, I was told to lose the ponytail. Funnily, there didn't seem to be any objection to the hair itself, just the ponytail. I discovered that a colleague had joined with a ponytail a few years before, but now had short hair after being pressured to cut it.
I carried on with long hair for a couple of years, then my boyfriend persuaded me to cut. At the time I did agree that my new shorter (but not really short) hair (sort of Hugh Grant-ish) looked better with a suit.
A few years on, my colleague re-grew his ponytail and became an equity partner in the firm. I carried on with shortish hair, but I kept thinking that really I would like to have it long.
I stopped having haircuts in May 2002, and my hair is now the longest it's ever been (at three inches past my chin, and shoulder length at the back). No one at work seems to be bothered, although I haven't dared to go to work with a ponytail yet!
I wanted to become a patent agent in the UK, but I couldn't get anyone there to hire me as a TA. Hair, maybe? Only having a pass degree? Perhaps more likely.
I was with a patent search firm, and was offered a transfer to the US. That all ultimately turned pear-shaped. First, I was promised a management position that I didn't get. Then they stopped giving pay rises, ostensibly because of a new bonus scheme. Unfortunately, they also cut prices, which reduced bonus pay.
In any event, I eventually became a patent agent here in the US. I would like to return to the UK eventually, but can't work out how I could readily qualify.
I think that having a ponytail can signify to others that you don't really want long hair. This encourages efforts to persuade you to cut it, as they think you are more likely to cave in. At any rate, I have seen this happen to others, so I have always worn my hair down at work.
I also think that when ponytails first became trendy a lot of people seemed to object to them as a 'feminine' style. Silly, really.
I know someone who is an equity partner in a US patent law firm who has longish hair. Mind you, he also has a penchant for hawaian shirts, and I doubt that you could get away with the latter in any law firm in London.
Keep up the good work!
Teaching. I have been teaching for 15 years, and grew my hair out while interviewing for a new position. Have since had two new positions, with long hair. No problems at all.
Robert
Since letting my hair grow long, I've been very aware of those around me with long hair: some of the occupations I've notices are:
Geologist, Meteorologist, Nuclear Scientist, Miner, Driller, Farmer, Lawyer, Food Service, Managment, Real Estate Agent, Pilot, Stock Broker, Retail, Gardener, Teacher, Zookeeper.....not to mention Pirate, Klingon Warrior or Professor at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry !!
Work on the skills of your trade and communication……..anyone serious about hiring you should be looking at your credentials, not judging your appearance. Good Luck !
In my experience its not about the length of your hair, but more about your general appearance, if you look scruffy or badly dressed, then the employer will percieve that you take no pride in your appearance and it will imply that you take no pride in your work.
Reading the posts on this board, I've realised that most people here are actually very concerned about their appearance, (you have to be if your a longhair.) Dress smart, look tidy and sound confident. You'll do fine.
I'm a student at a very conservative Christian college, and I am working as a mathematics tutor to other students. The college is the one that pays me to work certain hours in the library when students come for help. I've had certain members of the faculty make snide comments about the hair, but for the most part, there's no problem.
I also work skilled labor at a door-assembly plant. The management there couldn't care less, although they do insist on me wearing some type of hat (to keep hair from getting caught in machinery). I've decided to by a dreadlock "tam" for whenever my hair "really" gets long.
I'm a Science teacher....