Male with Long Hair

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Will it be hell for me to get a job because of this? Everyone says it's more difficult and I believe that, but I've still seen plenty of long haired men employed at places. I've only ever had one job interview in my life (with long hair then too, tied back) and I think it went well, but I didn't get a call back.

I feel really paranoid and I have been considering getting it cut, but I feel most like myself and most comfortable with long hair so despite these weeks upon weeks of debating with myself recently, I still haven't so much as lifted a pair of scissors. My hair is my best inanimate friend.

I guess I'm just stuck here wondering what I should do...

I too am a male that likes his hair to be long. Every time I grow it out there eventually comes a time where for some reason I start dwelling on if I should cut it or not. It can really start consuming your time and thoughts. You gotta stop thinking about it and just do it. Say to yourself you are going to keep your hair cut while you are looking for a job and will reward yourself by letting yourself grow it back once you do find a job.

Some interviewers will judge you for having long hair because people are like that. It's your decision how to have your hair and this will be influenced by how badly you need to get a job. I would ask myself do I really want to work for someone who will be judgemental about someone's hair? I'm job hunting too and ideally would like to work for someone who will accept me for who I am but I understand this probably isn't going to be possible.

^ that line about "is this who I want to be working for?" is very true. I remember after my half year internship I got denied the job, and the director who denied me it in a private discussion couldn't even be honest about why I wasn't getting it... Long controversial story, but believe me when I say that I know she was denying my employment with guise, and it's not just mere suspicion on my part. What is suspicion is why I was really being denied the job...

But then there could be regret. And what if even with my short hair I still couldn't land a job? I'd be shattered.


Not bad advice, apparently while it's largely okay to deny employment based on hair/tattoos/piercings, if you obtain these feats once you're in then if they deny you based on it there's some sort of injustice. Pretty funny (and by funny I mean idiotic) how that works.

But this advice also doesn't really suit me, as my hair is curly and grows slowly.. takes two years to get to shoulder length / into a state where I can tie it back. I guess I really would just rather have slimmer chances of getting employed with my hair secure... It's just a shame that these chances are so slim that they're none!

If I was in your position, I would just cut my hair off. Employment is too important to me than my physical appearance. I can appreciate the importance of employment as I have been unemployed and trying to maintain accommodation on my own and it is not easy.

FYI, this is from the perspective of a female with a males haircut (undercut). I would totally be prepared to grow my hair out to suit the gender norm if it meant I secured employment. I got my current job with shoulder length hair then cut it back once I got the job. I had my lip piercings in at the time too. I've gone through recruitment (internal recruitment so still gainfully employed by the same organisation, just applying for a different job) with my typically male haircut and piercings and have had no problems securing the role. But I put that down to having many other qualities that sell me in addition to my otherwise professional appearance.

How long is your hair ? Like neck length our shoulders?

If it is neck lenght I actualy dont see a problem there becouse there are a lot of people with that hair working ... ( i dont have a problem with long hair in guys i think everyone should have a style that they feel confortable with, just saying XD )

And it depends on what tipe of jobs you want to work too.

Twice in the last 15 years, I had mid-back long hair. I preferred to keep it tied. I held a job as a vice president with one of the largest financial institutions in my state. I suppose that my qualifications overwhelmed any apprehension which the president had about my presentability to the world. Years later, I ended up (twice) cutting my hair (it gets soo hot in Utah in the summers) and now wear it buzzed. I guess what I am saying is that long hair on men is probably an issue for a few employers, and cutting it would increase your chances. But, my own experience suggests that long hair alone (especially with good qualifications) probably won't doom your chances in most cases.

Good luck!

Thanks Utah. And it's shoulder length Danixia

hmmm i see why it is complicated sometimes, well, you can allways have your hair in a pony tail like Utah said , our you could , i know this might be dificult , but consider to cut it a litle bit, so you can have long hair but at the same time short.

yeah i was doing a pony tail but even then no dice. I just cut it less than an hour ago, ha... one less thing to be paranoid about.

Okay, I'm still gonna chime in anyway.

As a matter of principle, we can all agree that it's indecent to hire someone based on what they look like instead of their job skills (saw some disturbing studies in a uni management class about it... white vs non-white, tall vs short, fat vs thin, makeup vs no makeup, male vs female that prove how often it can happen and what a big difference it makes).

BUT, principles don't pay the bills.

I'm female. Almost always have my hair pulled back. Glasses. No makeup. Limited wardrobe. Workboots.
BUT, you'd better believe, when I was job searching, I put my hair down, put on makeup and contacts and wear high heels to interviews.
Statistics don't lie, I'm hedging my bets.

NOW, I love my husband. He's a good man and a hard worker... but, he is stubborn and ignorant when it comes to matters of 'principle'.
When I was pregnant, he was job searching and I had a job. If I'd found a job while I was pregnant, he'd work and I'd stay home. If not, he'd stay home.
BUT, he finally gets interviews and goes in with his hair down and wearing carharts instead of slacks.
Yes, he had a nice shirt and yes he had nice shoes, but, the pants and disheveled hair did NOT go with it.

He was applying for support and consulting positions. Sorry, but, first impressions count. These companise aren't going to want someone that looks like that doing presentations for rich clients.
Is he smart? Yes. Does he know his stuff? Definitely.
BUT, that doesn't matter, there were other guys out there that did, too.

My husband has long, curly hair, too. I think it looks nice when he pulls it back, but, sorry, it looks unkempt flying free (he hasn't had it trimmed in donkey's years).
This was like 7 years ago, and, yeah, in case you can't tell, I'm still ticked about it. I was working two jobs to make ends meet for us and our kids and he couldn't be bothered to buy a pair of khakis or black slacks and get out a ponytail holder? All for his 'principles'?

Anyway, I see both sides, but, I live on the realistic side.

Once, I asked him what he'd do if he woke up one morning and found I'd cut off his hair at night. He replied that that is the one thing I could do that would make him divorce me.

I think it's terrible people have to lose their identity to have an "employable image" - it would be sad if you have to lose a part of yourself I have seen on youtube videos that involve making long hair look short by ponytail and twisting etc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iu2Ma-DL_U maybe you could do that for the interview?

I also want to say that my father works for a fancy global HR firm, and one of his managers has a pink mohawk so there CAN be exceptions! I felt I need to share that because I think that's inspiring for all of us who look "unconventional"

Curious, did the pink mohawk man have that hairstyle and colour when he was going through recruitment for the role?

I have long hair, and I strongly prefer this. I'll cut it when I decide to, until then, I won't. It helps that I am a minimalist, and have survival skills, so I am not as dependent on a job as most people. I can make a dollar go a long way. This gives me flexibility in interviews, because I honestly don't care if I get hired or not, so I can not be nervous and be myself. I have had long hair since I got out of the Army 10 years ago, and never had a problem finding work. I live on GI Bill and student loans now, so I don't have to work, haven't had a job in 2 years, and it's nice.

I don't wear suits or dress up, frankly I find the clothing to be a "clown suit" and very impractical, so I don't wear it. At best, I'd wear a tucked in button up shirt and slacks, and tie my hair back and use mousse or something so it's not frizzy. That would be the most "dressed up" I'd ever get.

If someone cut my hair off without my consent, I would probably severely maim or kill them. Being forced to do something is not something I take easily. I consider it the same as having body parts chopped off. It's mainly the force and lack of consent issue, though. Having my personal space invaded and my wishes disregarded is probably one of the few things that makes me severely angry.

You're right, and this is why cutting someone's hair without their consent is considered a felony (battery)... Though, maiming or killing them might not do you as well in court

I did succumb to pressure with cutting my own but I'm not regretting it much. I was sure to cut it (i cut it myself) to a length I'm content with, and it's always a fun journey growing it out, which I'm doing now yet again.