Did that when I retired from the army. Went almost a year without a haircut, got long enough that I could put it in a pony tail. My then 10-year old daughter loved to sit behind me and "style" it, usually like a clown. Got to be a pain since I have straight hair and have sides at that, very little on top. Long hair bald guys look funny so I cut it. For some reason I got a job right after that. Left the full beard for over a year. Shaved it off, left a Fu Manchu Mustache and got a better job. Still have the fu manchu but it's getting a little shorter since the ends aren't brown anymore. I did let the beard grow for a couple days kinda recently and it's not all brown anymore either. I keep the long mustache to look non-military in a military environment. I work for the army as a civilian now.
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March 14, 2010 8:03 p.m. wlkelley3 HalfDork
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March 14, 2010 8:41 p.m. Jensenman MegaDork
I have had a mustache since high school and grew a goatee a few years ago, the secret is to not let it get ragged looking. Beards come in unevenly and need a bit of help. I plopped down $20 for one of those beard trimmers with the adjustable 'rake', I started with a 1 and just kept it neat till I could let it grow to the 2 adjustment which is plenty long for me.
Hair: I had hair 6" past my shoulders when I graduated from high school. It was an absolute pain in the ass to take care of, so once I was away from all the peer pressure I got it cut to where it was just over the shoulders. Still a PITA and hard to get hired so I got it cut over the ears and have been fine with that ever since. We will leave out the time a GF convinced me she could do a perm.
Gawd, that was AWFUL.
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March 14, 2010 8:44 p.m. slantvaliant HalfDork
It's not always a matter of the employers' preferences. Long hair and/or facial hair are safety issues in many jobs.
I'm not allowed to wear a beard or much of a mustache (I don't want either, personally). I have to be able to wear SCBA at some customer sites just in case of, say, an H2S release. Really long hair could be a problem around rotating equipment, as well.
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March 14, 2010 9:27 p.m. JFX001 Dork
I read this and "Urban Cowboy" keeps coming to mind.
On the visiting National Parks/seeing America thing, take a look at Peter Jenkin's "Walk Across America" books. I liked the first one better, but they both talk about getting out and discovering America.
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March 14, 2010 9:40 p.m. Lesley SuperDork
When it's really cold, I don't shave my legs. Rustic maybe, warm too.
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March 14, 2010 10:05 p.m. SVreX PowerDork
I don't shave my legs either when it's really cold.
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March 14, 2010 10:05 p.m. Mental UberDork
Just so you ex-mil guys remember, it is the most dreaded (by spouses)Mustache March. Creepy porn push brooms all around my wing.
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March 14, 2010 10:13 p.m. VanillaSky Reader
I do the long hair thing. I'm 24 and still pre-college because I had to wait until the man no longer considered my parents' income for financial aide. In my chosen field, it seems to be expected that males have long hair and a scruffy face. I plan on being a history teacher. I'm currently a substitute teacher, and it doesn't affect me getting called. It's all in the ability to handle children.
I do have to say that in the past, I've kept short hair. Working on computers, I liked my hair short because static was a far lesser issue than with long hair.
Right now, I need my hair trimmed in a BAD way. It was layered when I had it cut last, so I need it evened up. Right now, I'm just at shoulder length, maybe plus an inch.
I love having my hair touched. My wife doesn't get jealous when other people play with my hair. You don't have people playing with your hair when it's high and tight.
BTW, I'm watching a documentary on "Hair" right now. Hippie born in the wrong generation.
PS: if you live around NYC, you need to do lottery for "Hair." THAT'S the way to do it.
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March 14, 2010 10:16 p.m. DoctorBlade Reader
I've had mustache for 20+ years now, and Beard for 15. My wife is in love with both, and threatens me when I think about trimming to recall what I look like under it. Yeah, I did look funny being the only kid in High School with serious facial hair talent.
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March 15, 2010 6:02 a.m. 914Driver UltraDork
Plus 10 points for the manly Jesus do and beard.
Minus 90 points for the man bag.
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March 15, 2010 7:31 a.m. pete240z Dork
I have had them all.
People get aggravated when you grow a beard.
"WHY are you growing that beard?" "You need to shave" "WHEN are you going to shave?"
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March 15, 2010 9:45 a.m. Jensenman MegaDork
Lesley wrote:
When it's really cold, I don't shave my legs. Rustic maybe, warm too.
Warm? That's got to be a lotta hair.
I had a customer who came in wearing a skirt and white hose. Turned out she didn't shave her legs so hair was sticking through the hose. Ewww.
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March 15, 2010 9:56 a.m. John Brown MegaDork
We have a young "lady" in right now with hairy legs, back and an adams apple. I think Charlottes birthname was Charles.
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March 15, 2010 10:13 a.m. 16vCorey UltraDork
Mental wrote:
Just so you ex-mil guys remember, it is the most dreaded (by spouses)Mustache March. Creepy porn push brooms all around my wing.
A friend of mine it doing "mustache march" right now, and looks mega-pervy.
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March 15, 2010 10:20 a.m. Lesley SuperDork
Jensenman wrote:
Lesley wrote:
When it's really cold, I don't shave my legs. Rustic maybe, warm too.
Warm? That's got to be a lotta hair.
I had a customer who came in wearing a skirt and white hose. Turned out she didn't shave her legs so hair was sticking through the hose. Ewww.
Ewwww is right! Nahhhhh, I'm blonde so it's not exactly the Bristle Forest, more a light coat of down. :-)
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March 15, 2010 10:45 a.m. knb13 New Reader
just let it go man... then cut if before potential job interviews. You need to look professional for certain fields... at least my field. Then once you get hired, let it go again. Take my sexy ass for example. ha ha
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March 15, 2010 1:01 p.m. mad_machine PowerDork
I have had long hair.. very long, like lower back long. I remember visiting my mom at her place of work (a nursing home) and having a lady there start screaming at me to cut my hair and get a job.
I didn't have the heart to tell her what I made a year...
As for beards and mustaches.. could never stand them. The only think I hate more than shaving, is facial hair.. so it is the lessor of two evils for me
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March 15, 2010 1:12 p.m. GameboyRMH UltraDork
pigeon wrote:
There are some people who will make a negative snap judgment about long hair, I don't know anyone who makes a snap negative judgment about short hair.
HURR DURR CONSERVATIVE BUZZKILL HURR DURR
Just as dumb as stereotypes about long hair but it can happen.
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March 15, 2010 3:07 p.m. skruffy Dork
I tend to go weeks without shaving (hence my nickname). It never looks very good, I just don't like shaving. I've been self-employed for a while, so it doesn't really matter. I usually shave before going to a new client for my PC work. Customers at my auto shop seem to expect me to look a little odd.
I rarely look professional, but my work stands on it's own without me being pretty.
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March 15, 2010 4:00 p.m. spitfirebill Dork
pigeon wrote:
Grow it out while you explore, then when you decide you want a job it's time to cut it off. First impressions are everything. There are some people who will make a negative snap judgment about long hair, I don't know anyone who makes a snap negative judgment about short hair. Once you get the job then you can grow it back out.
+1
My mother worked in HR years ago and told me their policy (unwritten) was to not hire people with facial hair, not even a moustache. You can always grow it out afterward.
I also suggest shaving a beard a couple of weeks before an interview. BTDT
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March 15, 2010 6:23 p.m. GameboyRMH UltraDork
spitfirebill wrote:
+1
My mother worked in HR years ago and told me their policy (unwritten) was to not hire people with facial hair, not even a moustache. You can always grow it out afterward.
I also suggest shaving a beard a couple of weeks before an interview. BTDT
WHAAAT
Now that's just wrong. What about people who keep their facial hair for religious reasons, like Sikhs and fundamentalist Muslims?
(Maybe not the best example there, but people hire fundamentalist Christians)
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March 15, 2010 6:36 p.m. 93celicaGT2 UltraDork
I usually shave everything neck up before an interview. Well... i leave my eyebrows.
I figure anyone with a sense of humor enough to hire someone with a tan face and a dome so white it's almost blue has gotta be decent to work for.
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March 15, 2010 7:05 p.m. Josh Dork
GameboyRMH wrote:
spitfirebill wrote:
+1
My mother worked in HR years ago and told me their policy (unwritten) was to not hire people with facial hair, not even a moustache. You can always grow it out afterward.
I also suggest shaving a beard a couple of weeks before an interview. BTDT
WHAAAT
Now that's just wrong. What about people who keep their facial hair for religious reasons, like Sikhs and fundamentalist Muslims?
(Maybe not the best example there, but people hire fundamentalist Christians)
Seriously, she is probably doing folks a favor. Can you imagine what it would be like to actually WORK at a place with a policy like that?
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March 15, 2010 7:40 p.m. spitfirebill Dork
In reply to 914Driver:
Its a European shoulder bag.
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March 15, 2010 7:43 p.m. spitfirebill Dork
Josh wrote:
GameboyRMH wrote:
spitfirebill wrote:
+1
My mother worked in HR years ago and told me their policy (unwritten) was to not hire people with facial hair, not even a moustache. You can always grow it out afterward.
I also suggest shaving a beard a couple of weeks before an interview. BTDT
WHAAAT
Now that's just wrong. What about people who keep their facial hair for religious reasons, like Sikhs and fundamentalist Muslims?
(Maybe not the best example there, but people hire fundamentalist Christians)
Seriously, she is probably doing folks a favor. Can you imagine what it would be like to actually WORK at a place with a policy like that?
Like I said, this was quite a while ago. But I know they did not hire one guy until he shaved his moustache.
BTW, it was textile finishing plant.
