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I was just wondering,right now I am between jobs,and my hair is about shoulder length.I'm starting to realize how much discrimination longhair men get,and it totally sucks.
I'm job searching now and want to find a job that will allow me to be myself,by letting me grow my hair out,the way I used to have it and the way I want it back.I guess only construction type jobs allow long hair.Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
i hold 2 jobs. i set up and run press machinery full time and custom picture frame part time. the full time people were a bit iffy about the hair at first, but my approach to work made that a non-issue.
The last time someone asked this question we ended up in a p--sing match with Cody.
I'm a law clerk for an insurance company. If people in the company like my hair, they compliment me. If they don't like it, they keep their mouths shut. What I get mostly is "Geez, I wish I had the nerve to do that." Long hair is permitted on men as long is it is kept neat and clean (the same policy applies to short hair, obviously). There are several long-hairs in the firm, including corporate headquarters (mostly the computer guys there). We have a couple of long-haired claims adjusters, and the company keeps giving them raises and telling them how valuable they are.
P.S.: I did not have long hair when I first joined the company 12 years ago. My last haircut was in January of 1997, and my ponytail is now about 1/3 of the way down my back. My wife asked me recently when I plan to at least trim it back a little, and I looked at her like she was from the moon. After years of unsuccesfully trying to get her to grow her hair back to the elbow-length that it was when she was 20, I told her that ONE of us was going to have long hair, and if she wouldn't do it, I would.
I am a high school principal. Keep my hair long in a ponytail, halfway down my back. Some people talk, but have NEVER had a comment from my superiors to do something about it. I LOVE IT LONG!
The last time someone asked this question we ended up in a p--sing match with Cody.
Hi!
I'm a school director too. I have decided to let my hairs grow since last year. After some triming to make them all of equal lenght, they are now little over my shoulder length and I want to let them grow as long as they will do.
I have been waiting for so many years to do so and I'm so please now to have pass over the comment and objection of my supperiors. I wear in a neat pony tail for work and leave them loose when I'm not working. I figure that now that my pony tail is accepted, there is no difirence in between a tail that is actualy 6 inches long and one that will be two feet long.
I appreciate that site as it help me not to feel alone to do so.
Keep on guys...
I am the typical computer technician with long hair. I go out on-site to people's houses and offices, so I hafta look neat. Our boss here has decided that the only way he was gonna get good technicians is if he leaves the hair issue alone. We've been through a couple of short-hair tech's, but us long-hairs have prevailed!
I also hold a part-time job at an old-time movie house as a projectionist. That's more of a fun job on the weekends more than anything. The ushers here wear costumes and stuff from the 1920's, but since I'm out of the public eye, they let me wear and look anything that I want.
i teach part time in several colleges.
UNIX System Administrator... really a good job title to find a longhair.
It's been joked that the only jobs that require a beard are Sysadmin and Mall Santa.
I'm a medical doctor living in Northern Italy close to the Swiss border. My hair in the back is about 30 cm. Till now I had no problem.
However i try to do my job as better as possible.
What problem are you experiencing now?
For the record I'm currently a software developer and have been since the mid eighties. Also for the record I have NOT always had this "pony-tail" hanging off the back of my head. I have had all lengths of hair from BUZZBOY 1/2 inch hair to the official "earn yourself a ponytail T-Shirt," which I just recently received in the mail after patiently waiting 2 freaking years and 13 and 1/2 inches later... BTW the 1/2 length was 2 years ago after a bad relationship and I haven't cut my hair since. Don't blame me, the love of my life, my wife makes me grow it out and beyond. She actually digs it and thinks longhair on men is really sexy, enough said. She claims she would still love me if/or I was bald,...hence the love of my life you see. Growing ones hair is simple just never cut the hairs and shampoo/condition with the best stuff you can afford for what seems like forever or until the hair falls to it death naturally or gets yanked during your sleep by your shoulders or any other fatal tug.
I have worked for a privately own, very conservative, mostly republican company in the Defense Contracting business requiring high security clearances with my shaggy "hungry, please feed me" looking hair and beard to where I now work: a publicly held, commercial, no security clearance, no drug testing either company where some of us wear T-shirts and flip-flops also worn at the previous job from time to time. I have this God forsaken "Grizzly Adams" full beard going to boot. I have actually had members of the opposite sex, whom I knew, tell me I looked "GROSS." I still get the jobs and get awesome raises and money hand over fist.
Don't confuse this next sentence with some other tails of the tape but It's not the length of your hair shafts that matters it how you present them <> and pulled back for me and for beards well I don't know I just don't shave any more>. <<"Dude, this is pretty f***ed up right here!”>> You see Kyle , what I really mean to say is it's how good you are at your job which matters to your work rather than you not cutting your hairs! This long hair stuff is just a means by which your peers can refer to you when they point you out to other people. e.g. "hmmm...I don't know, go ask that tree hugger with the pony-tail, beard and T-shirt wearing them goofy sandals..."
I work in the Information Services field as a Systems/Security Admin, and Database Manager. Get a job in IS, and you can have all the long hair you want, (money too!) Corporate America tollerates the techie longhairs, because, truthfully; Where would they be without us?
kilgore
I'm a surgeon and I've been dreadlocking for the last five years. I take great pride and concern in their healthy devlopment and maintenance.I started locing my first year out of school when I came to this position at an inner city hospital. Sure I got some flak,especially in the beginning when the locs are forming and you look like a wild tribal beast. But I just smiled back at those people and since they were expecting a verbal reply that kind of smug response usually baffled them and shut them up. Every once in a while I get some uptight biggoted patient assume I'm just an aide and after I'm introduced as the doctor, I still see them sneering at my dreadlocks and beard and they say something like: " No, I want the doctor, not his nurse or aide." I'll usually just smile and tell them something to the effect that "I am your doctor and I've got dreadlocks, I'm sorry you don't like them, but I do." I've never had anyone challenge me after I say that.
My dreads are medium to light brown in color and right now, when they are undone they hang down to my naval. When I'm on duty, though I pull them back always and usually will have my head nurse braid them into a kind of paddle before I go into surgery. I always where a hairnet over my beard and I have found that an oversized fishnet stocking with a little effort fits around my locs.
At this point my goal will be reached in a year or two when my dreadlocks have grown long enough to cover my butt. That's about as long as I expect to grow them
Very impressive growth and I'm amused as well. Keep growing!
Anesthesiologist... No hassels from my colleagues or patients so far. Most seem much more interested in my ability to do my job. Have to admit though, that I am usually wearing a surgical cap and its not obvious that I have a ponytail.
I am the CFO of a mid-size company headquartered in the SF Bay Area. We have several offices including NY. My hair is midback length. I have to say that I work in one of the most conservative occupations I think you can find, yet I receive nothing but compliments and numerous job offers from competing firms.
If you are seeking employement, refine your skills and hold out for the job that will allow you to be who you are and to look as you like. Especially in this tight job market it is not how long or short your hair is but how can you add value.
I'm a Journeyman Electrician for Johnson Crontrols. I've not had my hair be an employment issue so far.I live in California.
Me: Director of Materials & Computer Operations for a $100M company in a small Midwest town. (Note that one of these departments is traditionally conservative, while is one of the more liberal areas for longhairs.) Twelve years on the job, but only during the past 1-1/2 years have I let it grow out.
So far, no complaints/negative comments on the, slightly past the shoulders, length. Other than one collar length "mullet cut" on of our engineers, the balance of males in our office have a traditional short or "buzz" cut.
While the company owners do not seem to mind NEATLY STYLED longhair on males, our current HR Manager appears to have some prejudice against male longhairs. Since he has been here 20 years and only has two years to retirement,the owners appear to tolerate his attitude.(This job is a demotion his last position.) However, since I do all of my own departments' hiring, hair length is never an issue unless untidy and dirty. A person's ability and character are most important. Right now I am looking for an RPG and/or Lotus Notes programmer. Trust me to say that job will go to the person who is ambitious, has strong ethics, a positive attitude and a good work record. Unfortunately, the applicants so far have lacked from one to four of these requirements…and they were all "short-haired".
Remember it is your work record and not your hair length that is most important. A company that thinks different may not be the type of organization you want to be associated with.
Best of luck in your job search.
-Jay
I am a sr system consultant. I haven't got any problems with my current or previous employers. I have little problems with my next employer (CNA).
I'm a master's level therapist working in an urgent care psychiatric center. My hair is down to my lower back. I began in drug and alcohol counseling. No big deal in this field. Since I'm 54, it seems to help me connect with younger clients. Even though I never had long hair until I was 50 they just assume I'm an old hippie. Hey I love the hair, whatever they want to think is okay with me. I also volunteer for the fire department as a crisis counselor and they don't have a problem with it. They are more concerned about my beard since it keeps masks from making a good seal.
I used to work in a state prison where the inmates were required to keep their long hair in a pony tail. I wore mine loose. When the inmates or corrections officers would ask me why I didn't tie my hair back I'd just tell them, "because I'm a free man."
Answer # 1
I'm occasionally in the same situation as you brother. Im Eastern Band Cherokee & African American... a mixed breed longhair with red bronze skin. I get compared to Lenny Kravitz a lot. My hair is 18" of sequoia brown spiral crimps. Sometimes I let it grow to 24" then trim it back slightly. I love my hair. I keep it very neat & clean, but in my job searches, I still deal with occasional biggotry from various HR managers... sometimes it is because I'm not Caucasian and many White people have a preconceived notion that minority hair in dirty. In that respect I have 2 strikes egainst me, without even telling them Im openly Gay.
I have a degree in restaurant managemement & I usually run coffee houses. Im a damn good manager. I try to avoid corporate jobs where I will always be held back by "THE MAN" for not selling out my culture or my style. I have too much self respect for that. My work ethic & my skill should speak louder than my hair length or the colour of my skin...this is not easy in a White man's world but I make it happen.
Currently, I work for Arrosto Coffee in Venice Beach, California. My boss used to have hair down to the middle of his back. Then he cut it. He likes my hair & has no problem with it. I am presently looking for night time work at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd, here in Los Angeles. It is a rock&roll setting & longhirs are welcome. Kinko's Copies is also very liberal in it's hiring of Gays, Non-Whites, & longhairs. Corporate America could learn a lot from them.
Answer # 2
Look for small businesses to work for-- local record stores, alternative coffee houses, alternative movie theatres, porn shops, art galleries, movie tech houses, political activist organizations, night clubs, concert halls, or just about anything in the music industry. If you want to work the corporate angle, check the company out first, make sure they are not biggoted ahead of time. There is a lot out there but you've gotta know other longhairs to get in sometimes. We often pull each other into work situation that the mainstream short hairs never hear about. Longhairs are pretty good about that. I wish you well brother. DON'T CUT YOUR HAIR!
I haven't heard that term before. Are your "spiral crimps" dreds or are they like kinky coils. I really like that look . Do you wear them loose like Kravitz(DID) or do you pull them back at work? at home? The color sounds awesome, is it all one shade or does it vary. I especially like the look when the tips are bleached or highlighted.
Great to see that you are keeping your spirits up in the face of such discrimination and have found ways to get around the double discrimination but at the end of the day, scoiety is really unfair to allow you equal opportunities in all jobs, corporate or otherwise.
Furthermore, longhairs helping longhairs get jobs etc is simething longhair must do to help each other in the face of this discrimination.
I write for a newspapers and we have some longhairs there and I have told myself that if I am in a position to hire people, I will give priority to longhairs.
After all, some computer companies and banks I know will first select people based upon qualification and perhaps experience but the final decision (for women) is based on looks.
So we should do the same.
Charles
I am a software engineer working for a company that produces railroad signalling equipment. I have longer than midback hair, I wear always sleeveless shirts and I am barefoot most of the time, but none of these have ever been an issue with my employers.
Nick
I'm a manager of ten editors and writers for a communications firm. When I interviewed for this job, I purposely looked around to see how my long hair would "fly" here, and no one seemed to have a problem. It's actually only about shoulder length, but I'm looking to grow it to just past my shoulder blades. Best of luck in your search.
I work for the federal government in the air safety field. Talk about discrimination! I had to sue the gov to keep my hair because some overbearing anal retentive manager wanted to fire me.
After going to court (the hole thing lasted 15 min) the judge asked if there were females in the same job discription as I, and did the office require them to get a hair cut. Of course the answer was yes there were females doing the same job as myself and no they were not required to cut their hair! He found in my favor and I won a sizable damage award.( bought two new Harleys with the $$$$$$) I still have my hair.
But to this day I still get tons of crap from the airline crews that I do survailance over. All ex military usually. Which is interesting as I am a highly decorated Viet Nam vet. Boy does that blow their gasket when they hear that.
They say that it doesn't look professional. I think that they are jelious.
Let's look at some past long-haired (not just bewigged)and *respected* professionals: Ben Franklin, Copernicus, and the young Isaac Newton just to start. With good styling, we can develop a professional long-haired male image. It just takes a little work.
OM
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I had to sue the gov to keep my hair.. manager wanted to fire me.
Tony,
I have had long hair since Junior High School. I am in the Civil Engineering field pursuing my Professional Licensee in the State of Oregon (hopefully within the next few months I will have it). Anyway, yes, your are correct - particularly in the professional fields about the stereotypes that go with long haired men. I have too, tried going to interviews with long hair - in fact my last job I was hired with it long, but this has not always been the case. What I have done in the past since there is not a lot of positions in this field, is cut my hair about at shoulder length, sometimes near the collar line, and around my ears - just enough to make it look to them as though I just need a hair cut to meet there company image (another stereotype). If I get hired, I'll work for a company for the 6 months probation period, impress them with my work - I do work very hard and my ongoing entergetic upbeat personality, then as you might guess, I let it grow long. I have never had anyone say anything about it to me after I have established myself with a company. Rightly so, do keep it nice and clean - maybe even kid about it once in a while. They will eventually except it and you together. Personally, I grow it long because I really like it and because I can (that's a good one if they ever ask you why you have long hair - ha!), and because it gives me another challenge and a chance to break a stereotype.
Good Luck!
Rather interestingly Ken, you say that its a bit tough for longhairs in the professional fields such as civil engineering but is it different for other fields of engineering such as electronics?
I've gone through almost every post on this topic and see that its usually easy for people in the information technology field.
I'm an electronics engineer by training and did not have longhair when I worked a a customer engineer but I now am a journalist writing about IT and I have longhair now and so do two of my newer colleagues.
Charles