Facial hair & interviews

xenodamusxenodamus Member Posts: 758
in IT Jobs / Degrees
I'm curious about everyone's opinion on this. Is it ok as long as it's trimmed and neatly groomed? Is a mustache ok? Goatee? Jawline? Where do you draw the line personally?
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  • Bl8ckr0uterBl8ckr0uter Inactive Imported Users Posts: 5,031 ■■■■■■■■□□
    xenodamus wrote: »
    I'm curious about everyone's opinion this. Is it ok as long as its trimmed and neatly groomed? Is a mustache ok? Goatee? Jawline? Where do you draw the line personally?

    I think it is fine as long as you don't look like captain hook, kimbo slice, or well any of these guys Google Image Result for http://jugsi.com/wp-content/uploads/weird-beard.jpg
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  • veritas_libertasveritas_libertas Member Posts: 5,746 ■■■■■■■■■■
    My facial hair has caused me zero problems.
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  • Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I've worn a beard since I was 18, and its well-groomed. I interface with high-level banking executives on a regular basis and I've never had a problem. I wouldn't roll into an interview with a soul patch or a fu man chu but if facial hair is a standard part of your look go with it. Don't change who you are for a job, that's foolish.
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  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    Personally I keep it clean shaven for an interview. If I were interviewing people I wouldn't have an issue with neatly groomed facial hair though.
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  • laidbackfreaklaidbackfreak Member Posts: 991
    Over the years I've had all sorts of facial hair, goatee's, stripes, tufts, currently full beard that is trimmed n shaped. Its never caused me a problem as yet.



    ps. OT but coincidently my new beard trimmer just arrived lol
    if I say something that can be taken one of two ways and one of them offends, I usually mean the other one :-)
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  • BradleyHUBradleyHU Member Posts: 918 ■■■■□□□□□□
    as long as it is neat, you're good money. i know i shave once a week because, i dont need to shave everyday cuz my facial doesnt grow THAT fast, and also i'm not trying to have irritated skin, razor bumps, and ingrowns all the time.
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  • chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    It is a bad poll, IMO. I personally shave before an interview, but nearly trimmed facial hair that is beneficial to one demeanor is in no way a bad thing.
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  • jamesleecolemanjamesleecoleman Member Posts: 1,899 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Having facial hair has never caused me problems. I just had to make sure it wasn't all crazy like. I've seen some jobs that required no facial hair like in the food industry (GFS).
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  • AldurAldur Member Posts: 1,460
    I've always had facial hair and I've never had a problem with it. I have to agree with Paul in regards to doing what you normally do. If I were cleaned shaved before an interview I would feel really awkward.
    "Bribe is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool."

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  • xenodamusxenodamus Member Posts: 758
    chmorin wrote: »
    It is a bad poll, IMO.

    How so? Either you feel that neatly groomed facial hair is acceptable, or you don't. I ask the question because I ran across more than one website that suggested you shave any facial hair before an interview, with the exception of maybe a mustache, and grow it back later.

    I personally have facial hair that I groom and trim on a regular basis, so I found the suggestion odd. I don't feel that facial hair should be a strike against you in an interview and wondered how many others feel the same.
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  • Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Aldur wrote: »
    I've always had facial hair and I've never had a problem with it. I have to agree with Paul in regards to doing what you normally do. If I were cleaned shaved before an interview I would feel really awkward.

    You'd also look like a damn slob when you tried to grow your facial hair back icon_lol.gif
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  • Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    xenodamus wrote: »
    How so? Either you feel that neatly groomed facial hair is acceptable, or you don't. I ask the question because I ran across more than one website that suggested you shave any facial hair before an interview, with the exception of maybe a mustache, and grow it back later.

    I personally have facial hair that I groom and trim on a regular basis, so I found the suggestion odd. I don't feel that facial hair should be a strike against you in an interview and wondered how many others feel the same.

    I'd say that that article you read is more the exception than the norm. Perhaps if you're looking into a medical field or food service, but I can't think of any reason why well-groomed facial hair would be unacceptable. Perhaps its a mental image thing? If someone walks into an interview and they're middle-aged with a beard its going to age that person visually. On the other hand, I'm 25 and its difficult for someone my age to get support or confidence from executives. Facial hair is used to positively visually age myself.
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  • chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    xenodamus wrote: »
    How so? Either you feel that neatly groomed facial hair is acceptable, or you don't. I ask the question because I ran across more than one website that suggested you shave any facial hair before an interview, with the exception of maybe a mustache, and grow it back later.

    I personally have facial hair that I groom and trim on a regular basis, so I found the suggestion odd. I don't feel that facial hair should be a strike against you in an interview and wondered how many others feel the same.

    One option is if I shave, not if I think everyone should shave. That is why it is a bad poll. It could be:

    You should have no facial hair.
    You can have neatly trimmed facial hair.

    But people get the point. I have met many a-people who look worse without facial hair than with.
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  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    chmorin wrote: »
    One option is if I shave, not if I think everyone should shave. That is why it is a bad poll. It could be:

    You should have no facial hair.
    You can have neatly trimmed facial hair.

    But people get the point. I have met many a-people who look worse without facial hair than with.


    I was thinking the same thing. I picked the "shave" option because that's what I do, not that I think everyone should.
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  • chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    networker050184 wrote: »
    I was thinking the same thing. I picked the "shave" option because that's what I do, not that I think everyone should.

    See i did the exact opposite haha.
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  • jahsouljahsoul Member Posts: 453
    I went into my last interview with a nice trim, but I have freeform locks so I doubt they were looking at my chin hair. icon_lol.gif
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  • xenodamusxenodamus Member Posts: 758
    chmorin wrote: »
    One option is if I shave, not if I think everyone should shave.

    I see. The latter is what I was going for - whether everyone views facial hair as acceptable or not.
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  • chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    xenodamus wrote: »
    I see. The latter is what I was going for - whether everyone views facial hair as acceptable or not.

    Regardless people's replies tell you their opinion. So it does not really matter =) I think each individual should be dressed and groomed in a professional demeanor that is unique to themselves. As long as that is accomplished, who cares what is on their face?
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  • luckybobluckybob Member Posts: 65 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I personally don't see an issue with groomed facial hair. I have about a 6" goatee that I have had since I was 17. Granted, my wife does take about 3" off if I do go for an interview, but I try to avoid letting her chop it off.

    As long as you are presentable, professionally, I think it is OK.
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  • ZartanasaurusZartanasaurus Member Posts: 2,008 ■■■■■■■■■□
    I shave normally. I wish male pattern baldness affected the face and not the scalp.
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  • Hyper-MeHyper-Me Banned Posts: 2,059
    Zartanasaurus wrote: »
    I shave normally. I wish male pattern baldness affected the face and not the scalp.


    Its almost like this for me. I can not shave for 3 days and all I have is what looks like highschoolers stubble. My dad started going bald pretty young but I havnt yet, so I don't *think* I ended up with that gene, lol.
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  • Paul BozPaul Boz Member Posts: 2,620 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I started going bald when I was 16 which may have lead to my beard. Compensating possibly?
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  • ZartanasaurusZartanasaurus Member Posts: 2,008 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Hyper-Me wrote: »
    Its almost like this for me. I can not shave for 3 days and all I have is what looks like highschoolers stubble. My dad started going bald pretty young but I havnt yet, so I don't *think* I ended up with that gene, lol.

    Is your mom's dad (or your mom) bald? Your dad has nothing to do with it.
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  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Paul Boz wrote: »
    On the other hand, I'm 25

    Looking over at your list of certs, I suddenly feel like a serious slacker. icon_redface.gif
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  • ColbyGColbyG Member Posts: 1,264
    I've got a beard, I don't shave it off before an interview. I do make sure to Nair the rest of my face though.
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  • AldurAldur Member Posts: 1,460
    Paul Boz wrote: »
    You'd also look like a damn slob when you tried to grow your facial hair back icon_lol.gif

    lol, that's so very true. Facial hair tends never to grow back at the same rate all at once.
    "Bribe is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool."

    -Bender
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  • AldurAldur Member Posts: 1,460
    ColbyG wrote: »
    I've got a beard, I don't shave it off before an interview. I do make sure to Nair the rest of my face though.

    haha, when I first read this I thought it read "I do make sure to Nair the rest of my body". Although not a bad idea ;)
    "Bribe is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool."

    -Bender
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  • ColbyGColbyG Member Posts: 1,264
    Aldur wrote: »
    haha, when I first read this I thought it read "I do make sure to Nair the rest of my body". Although not a bad idea ;)

    I thought about that actually. Didn't know if it would get laughs or weird stares.
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  • earweedearweed Member Posts: 5,192 ■■■■■■■■■□
    ColbyG wrote: »
    I've got a beard, I don't shave it off before an interview. I do make sure to Nair the rest of my face though.
    So you go with no eyebrows? That might get some stares.
    No longer work in IT. Play around with stuff sometimes still and fix stuff for friends and relatives.
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  • chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    ColbyG wrote: »
    I thought about that actually. Didn't know if it would get laughs or weird stares.

    Thank god I wasn't the only one who was about to ask about that haha
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