Men: Professional Facial Hair?

[leadchipmunk]

I took the Men's Fashion for Dummies thread as inspiration for me to finally change my appearance for the better and I think I'm ready for changing up my facial hair too. It doesn't hurt that I'm looking for a new job, so professional appearance is in order. So that leads to... I have a few questions to ask.

• First one is a 2 part. Is facial hair considered professional?
  
  I believe it can be, but it depends on the style.

  
  

• If that is true, what styles are more acceptable?
  

I've had a beard since 10th grade and sideburns since 8th, and very rarely actually shaved my whole face. I haven't been fully shaven for around a year. Usually I switch between a VanDyke and a full beard I shave the edges once a week and trim the beard once every 2 or 3 months. And I believe that certain facial shapes decide whether or not a certain beard will work. Here are 2 pictures of what I have now and my current face shape. Which leads to my second (third?) question.

• What kind of professional beard would look alright on me? I doubt I'd be able to pull off a chin strap or certain other ones.
  

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On a side note, the part below my lip and my mustache do not grow in any thicker than what I have here. If the moustache did, then I would have handlebars.

Ladies, I have a question for you too. Do you like beards on your men, and what styles?

Bonus: My favorite beard I've sported. I had it for close to 6 months without shaving it.

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The picture does no justice. It was much brighter and more pink.

[RaeVynn]

I think professional facial hair works better than amateur facial hair...

Seriously, I think it really depends upon the culture of where your work/are looking to work. Find out what most of the successful people there do about it, and go with it, UNLESS you are in IT.

IT guys always just seem to have facial hair. Even the women. (Just kidding!!)

[BeckyBuckeye]

First of all, congratulations on taking the initiative, especially looking for a job! I'm in the middle of that right now too, so good luck. As a lady, I know very little about men's facial hair shapes and what would look good on you, but what I can tell you is this: facial hair can be considered professional as long as it is kept clean and well-groomed (and natural colored, sorry but I think the pink is out). Trim what is there, shave what is not, basically keep it tidy. My dad for one has sported a full beard and mustache almost as long as I can remember through several jobs, some of which required business casual dress.

As for me, I personally prefer my men clean-shaven, but that varies woman to woman. I say do what you want (within professional boundaries) and wear it with pride. The confidence and good grooming are way more important than the specific shape of your beard/mustache.

[wildross]

It depends on the profession, and the company. The company I'm currently at, in the particular office I'm in...is very anti beard, though there are some mustaches. In particular the IT bosses (an Australian and an Englishman) don't like it. Only one guy was accepted, and he could grow a full beard in an afternoon (seriously, he looked like a Viking).

[Lachy]

I've been rocking my beard for a few months now, I keep the full face beard, and shave the neck. I just trim it once a month and keep it a pretty uniform length. I think too long or wild doesn't look that professional, especially for interviews.

[jjhatch]

I've been wearing a full beard since... Probably about 6-7 years? I trim the cheeks and the neck every week and I trim the entire beard probably once a month. I've been thinking about changing my beard style too though. Nothing to do with the company I work for, I see all different kinds of facial hair, but just because I feel like it. I hate being clean shaven because I look like i'm about 17-18 (I'm 23), whereas with a beard I look like I'm 26-27 (one person at work thought I was 30, I think I scared her I laughed so hard)..

[leadchipmunk]

Find out what most of the successful people there do about it, and go with it, UNLESS you are in IT.

IT guys always just seem to have facial hair. Even the women. (Just kidding!!)

I am in IT, which in most places gives me a bit of leeway, not just with the beard but with uniforms too. IT guys and gals usually get away with a lot more than the drones. It might be because we have access to everyone's everything. Haha

Only one guy was accepted, and he could grow a full beard in an afternoon (seriously, he looked like a Viking).

I wish I grew like that... I'd give up finding a job and start pillaging. I remember my dad telling me a story about a guy he used to work with that grew so quick that he had to shave on lunch so he wouldn't get fired.

I've been wearing a full beard since... Probably about 6-7 years? I trim the cheeks and the neck every week and I trim the entire beard probably once a month. I've been thinking about changing my beard style too though. Nothing to do with the company I work for, I see all different kinds of facial hair, but just because I feel like it. I hate being clean shaven because I look like i'm about 17-18 (I'm 23), whereas with a beard I look like I'm 26-27 (one person at work thought I was 30, I think I scared her I laughed so hard)..

That is exactly why I don't shave. I am 22, shaven I look 15 and full bearded I'll get 30 easy. I figured close trimmed keeps me around my age.

First of all, congratulations on taking the initiative, especially looking for a job! I'm in the middle of that right now too, so good luck. As a lady, I know very little about men's facial hair shapes and what would look good on you, but what I can tell you is this: facial hair can be considered professional as long as it is kept clean and well-groomed (and natural colored, sorry but I think the pink is out). Trim what is there, shave what is not, basically keep it tidy. My dad for one has sported a full beard and mustache almost as long as I can remember through several jobs, some of which required business casual dress.

As for me, I personally prefer my men clean-shaven, but that varies woman to woman. I say do what you want (within professional boundaries) and wear it with pride. The confidence and good grooming are way more important than the specific shape of your beard/mustache.

The pink was back in 2009, just after I got out of high school. Not going back to it ever again. But it was pretty sweet when I had it.

I guess what I'm looking for is something different enough from what I normally do, but that wouldn't cause me to be passed over for a possible job. Especially with how few there are in the area. But I may just stick with a trimmed full beard. I haven't quite decided yet.

Good luck on your job hunt too. Us Ohiofolk gotta stick together. What kind of job are you looking for?

Also the question about what women prefer, I mainly just threw that in to see what answers I would get. I know it depends from woman to woman, but around here the general consensus is they like it, but being in the area that I am, they prefer the more red-neck styles that I cannot stand. Like the chin strap attached to the goatee, muttonchops grown into the moustache and other stuff like that. All of the ladies I've dated have liked the beard, though one was upset when I went from beard to VanDyke.

[BeckyBuckeye]

Good luck on your job hunt too. Us Ohiofolk gotta stick together. What kind of job are you looking for?

I'm just about to graduate from college with a degree in civil engineering. Entry-level jobs are somewhat hard to find and even harder to get hired. Go Ohioans though, my roommate is actually from around your area. Small world!

[leadchipmunk]

Tell me about it, I've only found 1 entry level IT job posted here in the past year or so. The one I have is only because I went to school with my boss, but I can't do it any more.

Civil engineering jobs are a little more abundant around here, but that's because of the sudden influx of gas wells lately.

Small state it is! Haha

[CowboyMisterIndependent]

I am of the opinion that being clean shaven is always the more professional option. But. They're both options. I dig how I look with a beard, I just choose not to wear one.

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[Luthorcrow]

I think this sums it up...Profession, As Determined By Beard Length.

Seriously though I would keep your neck more clean shaven and just keep it well trimmed and I think you are gold. Look at it this way, how wants to work for an employer that is tight@ssed about your beard. Next they are going to want your Facebook credentials and copies of your W-2 (which should be illegal by the way.).

[leadchipmunk]

I think this sums it up...Profession, As Determined By Beard Length.

Seriously though I would keep your neck more clean shaven and just keep it well trimmed and I think you are gold. Look at it this way, how wants to work for an employer that is tight@ssed about your beard. Next they are going to want your Facebook credentials and copies of your W-2 (which should be illegal by the way.).

Super Wizard, here I come!

I normally keep my neck more shaven, but I didn't this week, and it is Sunday so I'm gonna fix it before work tomorrow. And I can't say anything about W-2, but some do ask for Facebook passwords.

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-03-26/news/31238819_1_facebook-passwords-facebook-profile-employers

[VorJoshigan]

I say do a beard if you want to do a beard, but always keep it well trimmed.

The way I think about it is (other than food service) would I really be happy working at a place that didn't allow beards? What a bunch of stuffy bastards.

[leadchipmunk]

I would not take a job that didn't let me have a beard, either that or I would not shave it and threaten to sue based on discrimination. I know half a dozen reasons that I could win that case, then I would not need to have a job for a while and can work on my handlebar full time.

[KillerGriller]

I've never had a problem with facial hair styles anyplace I've worked, so I can't really speak to that part of it however I did get some funny looks from senior management when I was sporting the Lemmy a few years ago. The one thing that probably goes further than anything else is keeping it maintained. If you show that you take care then people are more likely to cut you some slack. Good luck!

[Tom Kenobi]

I hate the fact that companies will accept the mustache rather than a beard. "We prefer our men clean shaven, but if you like facial hair, we do accept the porn star or child molester mustache. Thanks for applying." Seriously tho, I work at a large national company and I was hired with my goatee/beard hybrid...thingy. I REALLY think it has alot to do with how well maintained it is kept. I trim wild hairs, keep the rest of my cheeks/neck shaven and also use a comb to keep things looking good. It works. I'm in sales, and I've heard alot in the past of how people don't trust a person in sales with facial hair, well, given my performance over the last 5 years, I would say: mythbusted. Although my avatar shows a bit of it, the pics in the link for my fitness progression in my signature can give you a glimpse of what it looks like better than the avatar.

[jjhatch]

I would not take a job that didn't let me have a beard, either that or I would not shave it and threaten to sue based on discrimination. I know half a dozen reasons that I could win that case, then I would not need to have a job for a while and can work on my handlebar full time.

Well, if that was the case, every company would hire guys with all types of facial hair.

When I was first looking for a job right after high school, my mom told me to apply to one of the grocery store chains... But then I learned that beards were not okay, but mustaches and soul patches were okay. Said no thanks, partially because I look goofy with only a mustache, also my facial hair grows so fast that I would have to shave every day to be completely clean-shaven, and I don't want to spend that much time in the bathroom every morning.

However recently they seem to have relaxed their requirements because I'm seeing more guys with facial hair there.

[andygates]

IT for the Santa-bearded, mutton-chopped, peroxide win.

For interviews, I'd have to say nothing too primpy (no waxed handlebars, hipsters!) and a tidy neat trim. Maybe a bit shorter than your usual, if it gets straggly.

People may just take irrational exception to your beard if they don't like beards, and you'll just have to put on your big girl panties and deal with it, because it's a choice that is off-norm.

...I only shaved it all once, for an Uncle Fester costume. I shaved *everything* and ... well, I ended up stealing Morticia from Gomez, so that worked out pretty well. But I did look like a chinless sphere.

[Waldo]

I'm just about to graduate from college with a degree in civil engineering. Entry-level jobs are somewhat hard to find and even harder to get hired. Go Ohioans though, my roommate is actually from around your area. Small world!

LOL, I'm a Civil Engineer and rock a beard. Many coworkers do. Really the whole whole "looking professional" thing is really lax with us, some do it, some don't, they pay us for our ideas. But where I work pretty much every single one of us had to spend time as a field engineer on active construction sites (and trips to contruction sites are still a normal occurance), and most of our interactions are with people that revolve around construction (except for money people, who always need to do the looking professional thing).

Engineers in general are noted as an eccentric bunch, noone really cares about a strict dress code. Some dress up though, but not because they have to. We all kinda take pride in being weird.

[leadchipmunk]

Well, if that was the case, every company would hire guys with all types of facial hair.

That was more of a joke. I only know 1 case I could give (and a few theoretical ones), and that would take a pretty good fight for me to even come close to winning.

...I only shaved it all once, for an Uncle Fester costume. I shaved *everything* and ... well, I ended up stealing Morticia from Gomez, so that worked out pretty well. But I did look like a chinless sphere.

That's what I'm scared of when/if I shave again.

[KAllen]

My department won't let you have beards, you can have a mustache. That being said, I had a van dyke for like 20 yrs before I joined my dept. and had to shave it. I could have the 'power-stache' as my Sgt. calls it. But, to me, unless your Tom Sellek or Gerald McRaney, ya don't need a stache. I tried it and looked like Ron Jeremy

[AuroraNorth]

Two of my coworkers have beards, and they haven't had any problems. Just keep it neat and well trimmed and do not take Gandalf as your role model. That's too much beard.

[jeramieb]

I'm in IT (Network Administration for the National Space Science and Technology Center) and I rock the soul patch.

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Oh, and a bald head to boot.

[dshale]

Well maintained is key. Mustache + goatee aka Van Dyke is my choice. I'm a software developer and have worked for a wide array of businesses and it has been accepted everywhere. I would argue the case that if you really want a beard then grow it. If you don't get hired because of that then you would probably be miserable working there anyway. My current job has executives with facial hair so I'm guessing it is not holding me back.

[aj_rock]

If you aren't sure, just shave for now, and then when you have a job... let the beard slowly creep back. That's what I did at least.