Should DP cut his hair off to get a job?/Related to orange thread

[LaFataTurchina]

The 'orange person' thread has got me thinking...

Basically, my lovely DP is busy job hunting at the moment for the last two years. He gets lots of interviews but no luck so far. We're starting to think part of the problem might be his ponytail.

Now obviously, the solution would be to get a short back and sides or other sensible man-cut. However, DP has alopecia and the only reason his hair is so long is so that it can be brushed to almost hide the bald bits.

In essence, it's a choice of shave it all off or neat ponytail. What do you guys reckon looks more professional?

I think it depends on the job. I couldn't care less if any of my male colleagues had a pony tail, shaved head, short back and sides, a mohican or long loose flowing locks, but sometimes I think a hairstyle that is a little less than conventional can give the wrong message to the interviewer.

I agree that a ponytail could give the wrong impression to an interviewer but so called a completely shaved head. Could you not go half way house and have a short, short back and sides.

What kind of jobs is he going for?

I dont personally like pony tails on men. DH used to have one and I always say if he had it when we met he wouldnt be DH now.

If he cut it short would the alopecia make it patchy though?

Depends on the man and the ponytail e.g. Robbie Savage or Michael Bolton.

DH had a lovely pony tail, which after 8 months of job hunting he cut off in frustration. It is just more more thing for people to dislike about you. 5 weeks later he had a job offer. He has decided mot to grow it back, more hassle than it is worth at work, and more opportunities for people to make incorrect snap judgements about hi8m.

I miss his pony tail, I miss my Sampson.

Depends on the job really

people do make assumptions on first meeting and they probably apply long haired stereotypes to him (although I'm struggling to think of one!)

Robbie Savage always looks greasy and Michael Bolton looks like he's just stepped out of the '80's

Ew ew ew VILE VILE. Cut it off.

Depends on the job. Will he look more or less like everyone else? If not, then it's gotta go.

I don't see any problem with a number one cut in any profession. There is with a ponytail.

Obviously if you have a number one cut with "love" and "hate" tattooed on your knuckles there may be an issue.

Short hair all over always looks better than a comb over.

Sugarspice - unfortunately not. DP's alopecia would mean with a short cut all you would see would be random bald patches.

Fluffycloud - Yup. very patchy. Hence the whole either long or bald dilemma.
He is going for lots of different things, but they tend to have finance/business development or customer service in the titles.

could he write in his application that his hair style is for medical reasons, and then they could not discriminate against it?

Ooh Chubfuddler - I completely forgot about really really short but not quite bald (i.e. number one or two) - maybe you wouldn't notice the patchiness then? May suggest that actually...

I am watching this with interest. DH has the most beautiful, long, curly, reddish-brown hair, right down to his bum! He only wears it in a ponytail for work because he handles food, the rest of the time he wears it down. He washes it every day and it's very well taken care of. Not scruffy at all. Old ladies like to stop him and tell him how beautiful it is .

He has just finished uni (yesturday!) so will be hunting for jobs. It seems crazy to me that he may be judged for having long hair. It's the 21st century! But I am worrying that other small minded people may not want him working for them.

His degree is in business, do you think he'll need to cut it?

Finance is very straightlaced.

But then patchy would look bad too, is he dark or blonde? less noticeable with blonde hair.

What he needs is a very expierienced barber/hairdresser who will give you a free consultation.

No. 1 all over or completely bald looks far more professional than a ponytail.

I would say very short....hiding patches is stressful...he must worry about it getting messy and revealing patches...my friend had alopecia and it did go away...he began yoga and his stress really fell.

Not having a job is probably making it worse isnt it?

I'm sorry, ponytails on men are just unforgivable. It has to go!

fluffycloud - His hair is almost black, but he is Asian so his scalp isn't completely pasty white.

Yup TheHouse - He does get really down about it, whenever we go out he takes far longer doing his hair that I do mine. I might suggest yoga, he tried homeopathy which i convinced him would work due to the placebo effect but alas.

My dh works in finance and has long hair. Sometimes in pony tail, he was hired despite this but since has had pressure from his boss to cut it off. He told his boss he did not think the hair aversely afected the quality of his work and refused.

I really think it is so silly, who cares about long hair or orange skin, too much make up, piercings?! Is it some weird need for conformism? What is so good about being a conformist? But then, I think school uniforms are silly.

He has a job, but its just FT in the coffee shop he's been working at since first year of uni - he graduated 2 years ago now. But yes, literally all his course mates now have jobs in 'the city' and it really gets him down.

Chandon I'm with you on this one! Would cutting his hair off magically make him better at his job? Probably not.....

He has now grown a beard too, and everyone now calls him Jezus

Sandals next?! OMG!

My DP has long hair (two thirds of back length) and has had a job since he left uni. I think it depends what he wants to do. My DP works for a "fashionable/arty" events company so he fits in. If he wanted to be an accountant then maybe another tack may be necessary.