| Topic Name: |
African-American women's hair styles.... |
| Message Name: |
Cut it |
| Date Posted: |
03/07/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
I have an interview with a major consulting firm soon and am wondering if my hair will be 'a problem.' I'm a Black woman and I don't straighten my hair. It's not a full blown afro, but it's long enough for me to twist up into little coils, etc (think Lenny Kravtiz current style, but half the length and neater looking). I've always read and been told that non-straightened Black hair is seen as 'militant,' etc. For those of you who work in consulting or hr fields, does it really matter that much.. |
| Message: |
This topic really caught my attention. Even though most, if not all, of the responses were from women, I can relate to a similar situation.
I'm a Native American man, who went through the dilemna of whether to cut my long hair to be "more corporate".
As a senior, at an Ivy League institution, I began interviewing in the fall and received no job offers. My hair was long, and I vowed to not compromise my "traditional" appearance for anyone. Not knowing the reason for the rejections (I had a 3.5 GPA and other credentials), I reluctantly cut my hair (hey, I needed a job!). I then received (6) job offers!
After accepting the position, I decided to grow my hair long again. Management became resistant to my long, "unprofessional" hairstyle, although it was neatly combed, and pulled under my collar (during business hours). I then sued for discrimination and am now living comfortaby while pursuing my MBA (heft settlement).
My advice is to cut your hair to fit into the "corporate mold". (Why give them another reason to disqualify you?) And once you get your foot in the door, be yourself. I realize this sounds like you're sacrificing your integrity, but hey, jobs are tough to get nowadays. And if they don't like it, sue them!
Good luck!
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