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Original poster

curls & job interviews

52 replies

Icecreamqueen88 · 20/01/2015 17:29

my hair is very similat to this

Have a a few interviews for office/admin jobs coming up. I always wear my hair open. My hair gets noticed (random people comment on it - usually positive Smile).

Just met some friends who said I should collect it/put it up or - shudder - straightenit for a jon interview. Really? This never crossed my mind.

what doea the MN jury say? Please tell me my friends are utterly ridiculous. My last interview was 10 years ago so not too up to date anymore.

OP posts:
museumum · 20/01/2015 20:22

I would never straighten or tie my hair back for a job.
There is a strong feeling in the US that there is a racist element to the issue as black, Jewish (of certain origins) and Latino women are told their hair is less "professional" than WASP hair. I am not of any of those origins but I agree that there should be no reason except prejudice why a professional woman can't have curly hair.
In the army or police I would put it in a bun or cut short but the same applies to straight hair.

FiloFunky · 20/01/2015 20:31

i have curly hair. sometimes up sometimes down. i do worry thag curly hair isnt the norm and is looked at differently by people. thought i was just weird!

FiloFunky · 20/01/2015 20:34

Cant believe im posting my face here but here my "mane" :)

curls & job interviews
Original poster
Icecreamqueen88 · 20/01/2015 21:03

filo - you got lovely curls!!!

thanks for all the replies. feel a lot more confident in showcasing my mane now Grin

OP posts:
FiloFunky · 20/01/2015 21:05

why thank you. up until 2 months ago i straightened it daily. i am started to live my natural hair... needs an awful lot of product though. my fave buy is the olive oil gel. marvellous stuff!

CrispyFern · 20/01/2015 21:09

Leave your beautiful curls alone! Good luck in the interview!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/01/2015 21:56

Don't you dare straighten it! I straightened my hair every day for years up until I had an operation last May and I was too uncomfortable to bother. Going curly was the best thing I could have done!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/01/2015 21:57

Oops sorry, I meant to say good luck with the interview as well!

Floisme · 20/01/2015 21:57

Not only does curly hair look great, it tells an employer that you're an individual who doesn't just follow trends. Well that's if they have half a brain. I need to earn a living, the same as anyone else but I'm not sure I could work for someone who couldn't separate hairstyle from professional competence.

Pico2 · 20/01/2015 22:03

I have somewhat curly hair (nothing like as curly as the photo) and straightened it for interview as it is unreliably curly. When I then turned up to work, they were a bit surprised. I don't think it would have made any difference at interview.

acatcalledjohn · 20/01/2015 23:10

Icecream, don't forget to let us know how it went. Good luck!

ByTheWishingWell · 20/01/2015 23:16

I have been wondering today if I could learn to curl my hair in time for a job interview next week, because it is so boringly flat and poker-straight. I would honestly love big natural curls. Embrace them (and good luck)!

LemonDrizzleTwunt · 20/01/2015 23:25

Shave it all off and buy a toupee. You'll definitely get the job. Grin

DragonfliesDrawFlame · 20/01/2015 23:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Didactylos · 20/01/2015 23:48

Please dont straighten your lovely hair!

why should you alter your genetically natural hair to somehow fit in to an image? - would your friends give the same advice to someone of african ancestry with tight curls? - probably not because it would be seen as intrusive and unacceptable prejudice to criticize their race/genetic heritage by giving this advice. So why is it ok to suggest you change your hair?
its akin to telling a redhead to dye her hair to avoid being teased....

WanderingTrolley1 · 21/01/2015 09:26

You have beautiful hair - leave as is!!

chanie44 · 21/01/2015 09:40

I have curly hair myself, but I also recruit staff. I would consider tying it back if:

  1. your hair gets in your face and makes you feel uncomfortable if you keep having to fix it (I would advise this for anyone, regardless of hair type - you don't want to keep flicking it away in the middle of an interview)

  2. its likely to distract the interviewer - I recently interviewed somebody with long, colourful nails and I could barely keep my mind on what they were saying as the nails were just so... wild.

I think Filo's curls are lovely and wouldn't tie those back.

bleedingheart · 21/01/2015 12:14

I'm a big believer in dressing in a way that looks professional but feels comfortable when going for an interview. If you feel more like 'you' when curly, then stay curly!

My curls are not quite as lovely as Filo's but similar. I was told by a senior colleague that I would never be taken seriously with hair like that and, on another occasion, that people will think I am tempestuous and too passionate for professional work with my hair worn curly. Oh, and that men don't like it. (I was already married so wasn't too fussed).

I never straighten mine, I have tried once but the roots still kinked and it looked dry and frizzy, whereas my curls are glossy and shiny. I had a friend who straightened her hair and it did look lovely and healthy so I'm not saying every curly person who straightens their hair looks bad, to be clear!

Original poster
Icecreamqueen88 · 21/01/2015 13:30

it is amazing that some people think that curlies are not 'professional' and should straighten it. never appeared to me before my friends mentioned it. nobody tells e.g. blonds to go brunette as blond to appear, more
serious/smarter.

I will rock my curls and if the interviewer doesn't like me because of my hair, then sodd it.

OP posts:
FiloFunky · 21/01/2015 13:39

thanks for the compliments.. i did straighten my hair and tie it back for my interview. got the job and a couple of weeks in went in curly. there was an audible gasp!

i will never straighten my hair again. i cant believe how many people think its nice!!

cant wait to hear how your interview went!!

Didactylos · 21/01/2015 23:29

there's a sexual as well as racial undertone to peoples attitudes to curly hair: bleedingheart gets told she appears unprofessional, 'tempestuous' and 'too passionate' - curly hair is described as wild, blowzy, uncontrolled, too emotional, with overtones of being licentious sluttish and slatternly, not

the products you get sold aren't simply to clean and style your hair - they are to tame, control, restrain, correct! unruly, flyaway hair.
Its amazing language and attitude when you think about it

AWholeLottaNosy · 21/01/2015 23:56

Wild hair for wild women!

wickedfairy · 22/01/2015 07:35

That hair is beautiful, I would love hair like that! I have straight hair....

Congrats on the job - glad you are back wearing it curly, bet it looks fab!

Jennifersrabbit · 22/01/2015 07:47

I love manes of curls! My friend who is of mixed heritage has beautiful crazy dark curls. I've never told her but was gutted when she cut it short and straightened. Her daughter has the same but in blond :)

I would tie hair back if it's going to be a nuisance. I have very long wild and wavy hair (no curls :( ) and that does always go up for work. As long as the overall image is smart and professional, why not the curls!

RockMummy · 22/01/2015 08:00

Type 2c curly girl here. Have never straightened mine either.
Strongly believe we should embrace our curls and celebrate them in all their forms. I agree that language around curl products should be changed and replaced with enhancing products which are designed to promote curls not destroy them. A couple of generations ago women sat for hours with the perming curlers in their hair to make it curly. Where did it all go wrong?!