[wakeboarder109]

I have a few interviews coming up at the end of this week and need some advice from some of the older more professional crowd. How unprofessional is it if you show up to an interview with a cleaning trimmed goatee (cut short) as opposed to no facial hair? FWIW, one is with a DOD consulting firm and the other is a quality engineering position with Michelin.

[BMW F22]

Interesting question. I would say that the safest bet is to shave it unless you know that they're cool with it (like if you've visited the facility to apply for the position and noticed that facial hair is okay). For the consulting job I would think that they want it clean. For the Michelin job they probably wouldn't care. Either way shaving it is the safest and most professional way to go IMO.

[TTexan]

Just depends, I've always done clean shaven, nice suit, etc.

Hopefully the content/conversation is what pulls you through, but I know how it can be these days.

Goodluck sir.

[Feyd]

This thread is full of fail.

Just shave it. It's not even worth the risk no matter how stupid the thought of a potential prejudice might be against it. If you think it might be a problem, then its a problem.

How long will it take to grow it back? A week? Do you really need to keep it for an important reason? Does the old lady like it because it tickles when you go south?

[JayKay335i]

Unless you plan on tickling some ass with it, shave it.

[Freakazoid]

unless cutting the hair makes you lose 10 years (i.e. me) shave that shit, it's not worth the prejudice/risk

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by Feyd

This thread is full of fail.

Please explain to me (and everyone else) how this thread is full of fail??!?? Nothing against you but I'm so fucking tired of people going into thread and say shit like "this thread is full of fail" or "ban!!" or similar shit. It's like one person starts saying it and the next thing you know there are a bunch of nut lickers following them saying the same shit thinking it's cool or what not. If it's "full of the fail" then just don't read it or participate in it. If you must just read it and move the hell on. It's phrases like those that are full of fail!

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by Feyd

Just shave it. It's not even worth the risk no matter how stupid the thought of a potential prejudice might be against it. If you think it might be a problem, then its a problem.

Good advice. My thoughts exactly.

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

Unless you plan on tickling some ass with it, shave it.

[c0nstant]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

Please explain to me (and everyone else) how this thread is full of fail??!?? Nothing against you but I'm so fucking tired of people going into thread and say shit like "this thread is full of fail" or "ban!!" or similar shit. It's like one person starts saying it and the next thing you know there are a bunch of nut lickers following them saying the same shit. If it's "full of the fail" then just don't read it or participate in it. If you must just read it and move the hell on. It's phrases like those that are full of fail!

.

[wakeboarder109]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

Please explain to me (and everyone else) how this thread is full of fail??!?? Nothing against you but I'm so fucking tired of people going into thread and say shit like "this thread is full of fail" or "ban!!" or similar shit. It's like one person starts saying it and the next thing you know there are a bunch of nut lickers following them saying the same shit. If it's "full of the fail" then just don't read it or participate in it. If you must just read it and move the hell on. It's phrases like those that are full of fail!

, stop sippin' that haterade! I look at least 5 years younger and definitely prefer to have facial hair. Obviously it shouldn't be a deciding factor I was just curious as to how unprofessional it looked.

[wakeboarder109]

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

Unless you plan on tickling some ass with it, shave it.

haha, thats one way to look at it

[JayKay335i]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

Please explain to me (and everyone else) how this thread is full of fail??!?? Nothing against you but I'm so fucking tired of people going into thread and say shit like "this thread is full of fail" or "ban!!" or similar shit. It's like one person starts saying it and the next thing you know there are a bunch of nut lickers following them saying the same shit thinking it's cool or what not. If it's "full of the fail" then just don't read it or participate in it. If you must just read it and move the hell on. It's phrases like those that are full of fail!

This threads OK. No fail involved.




Oh yeah, and impress them with your words, skills, and knowledge. Facial hair wont matter at that point.

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

This threads OK. No fail involved.




Oh yeah, and impress them with your words, skills, and knowledge. Facial hair wont matter at that point.

[Feyd]

If it were me I'd shave it 100% of the time for interviews, no exceptions.

I said what I said, because the OP obviously has some reservations about leaving it for his interviews. The question isn't weather its professional or not, the question is why is he feeling the way he is. He should be going with his gut on this, not asking a bunch of people on a car forum at 10pm. Does he think it looks professional enough to leave it? Does he see a ton of people wearing suits/ties/uniforms at the Department of Defense rocking goatees?

And I'm sorry, but the naïvety is really killing me on this one. I've been in rooms and participated in conversations where people DON'T get hired specifically for little things like having facial hair, or needing a haircut, or the color of their tie. I know it sounds stupid and petty, but one of the first rules of interviewing is that you don't ever really know who is going to be critiquing you during interviews. Even people you don't speak to directly (like the boss's assistant) could be asked point blank what they "thought" of you... and those opinions my friends will be made solely on your appearance. And who knows, maybe the goatee reminds them of a creepy uncle they used to have... or that green tie reminds them of their abusive father. *shrug*

Also, its a competitive world out there. When you meet the "team" members on interview day they are going to instantaneously feel a bit competitive to a prospective employee. When this happens I have literally seen some people get so defensive they will start ragging on people's physical appearance later around the water cooler, etc. This happens a LOT more often than you think.

The bottom line is that while you can't control the opinions some people might have of you, one of the things you can control is your physical appearance. You need to let your experience/resume/personal interview stand out, and not anything else. With the economy the way it is, you don't need to give ANYONE any ammunition to keep you from getting hired... even if all that amounts to is having a goatee.

And since you might already have a tiny phobia about keeping it, if you don't shave it you have to weigh the potential likelihood of getting freaked about weather you made the right decision to keep it. And something seemingly insignificant like that has the potential to lessen your confidence and make you not interview as well.

[GreenPlease]

I lol'd

[Alexander]

God I love Step Brothers!

[duk]

always shave and cut hair before an interview

clean cut is way to go

[windowsM]

Shave it. If I was a hiring manager, I would be very judgemental about appearance.

Originally Posted by BMW E90

Please explain to me (and everyone else) how this thread is full of fail??!?? Nothing against you but I'm so fucking tired of people going into thread and say shit like "this thread is full of fail" or "ban!!" or similar shit. It's like one person starts saying it and the next thing you know there are a bunch of nut lickers following them saying the same shit thinking it's cool or what not. If it's "full of the fail" then just don't read it or participate in it. If you must just read it and move the hell on. It's phrases like those that are full of fail!

[fnckr]

Shave it for your own personal confidence. That makes one less thing to be concerned about in the interview. You already have enough to worry about. No sense in stressing yourself more.

[ililillilillilil]

i say shave it and keep it that way.
no goat

[wakeboarder109]

Originally Posted by Feyd

If it were me I'd shave it 100% of the time for interviews, no exceptions.

I said what I said, because the OP obviously has some reservations about leaving it for his interviews. The question isn't weather its professional or not, the question is why is he feeling the way he is. He should be going with his gut on this, not asking a bunch of people on a car forum at 10pm. Does he think it looks professional enough to leave it? Does he see a ton of people wearing suits/ties/uniforms at the Department of Defense rocking goatees?

And I'm sorry, but the naïvety is really killing me on this one. I've been in rooms and participated in conversations where people DON'T get hired specifically for little things like having facial hair, or needing a haircut, or the color of their tie. I know it sounds stupid and petty, but one of the first rules of interviewing is that you don't ever really know who is going to be critiquing you during interviews. Even people you don't speak to directly (like the boss's assistant) could be asked point blank what they "thought" of you... and those opinions my friends will be made solely on your appearance. And who knows, maybe the goatee reminds them of a creepy uncle they used to have... or that green tie reminds them of their abusive father. *shrug*

Also, its a competitive world out there. When you meet the "team" members on interview day they are going to instantaneously feel a bit competitive to a prospective employee. When this happens I have literally seen some people get so defensive they will start ragging on people's physical appearance later around the water cooler, etc. This happens a LOT more often than you think.

The bottom line is that while you can't control the opinions some people might have of you, one of the things you can control is your physical appearance. You need to let your experience/resume/personal interview stand out, and not anything else. With the economy the way it is, you don't need to give ANYONE any ammunition to keep you from getting hired... even if all that amounts to is having a goatee.

And since you might already have a tiny phobia about keeping it, if you don't shave it you have to weigh the potential likelihood of getting freaked about weather you made the right decision to keep it. And something seemingly insignificant like that has the potential to lessen your confidence and make you not interview as well.

haha, damn. Well put. Thanks for all the insight, this is my first "professional" job since graduating and that's what I was looking for.

[10M3MAN]

Shave it and grow it back after you settle in........They cant fire you for have a goatee