Ultimatum at work: Don't be a hippie

[rudder]

This is easy.
1) find another place to work or
2) cut your damn hair and make more money.

If number 1 is not feasible in this economy... then you better buck up and visit the barber.

 

[crashtestdummy]

As someone who spiked his hair in high school, I can say I understand your bosses' position. People base their initial opinion on your appearance. That initial impression usually goes away after a few minutes of talking to you but for clients, sometimes you only get a few minutes.

I have a full beard (close-cropped and well trimmed), and am considering shaving it when I apply for jobs in a couple years (I'm in grad school now).

 

[seepy83]

To each their own. If you like your hair long, then keep it long but keep yourself groomed well.

On the other hand, there is a lot of subliminal psychology at work in offices. It may be obvious to a lot of people, but others have have no clue about it. When I was in college, I had a professor in the business school that was very adamant about the notion that you should make yourself look and behave like the people in the positions that you want to be in. Basically, you need to be able to act the part. If you want to end up with the title of manager, director, VP, etc. and all of those people have short hair, and wear a nicely pressed shirt and a tie every day, then you should do the same.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

tie it in a ponytail. call your lawyer.

I laugh whenever I go into a vendor meeting and a member of the vendor's team shows up in a suit and has a long ponytail. It may not be right, but I can't take that person seriously.

It's hair after all, not a limb the guy is asking you to cut off. I'd cut my hair and then find another job because I agree that success there may not be possible in the long run.

 

[Turin39789]

There is also a mustache and goatee in the picture, but they weren't mentioned. I know we have one C level gray hair with a gray mustache, so that should be fine.

 

[Soundmanred]

Even Metallica realized long hair wasn't cool anymore.
That should tell you something.

 

[CRXican]

cut it dammit

 

[SandEagle]

What the fuck is a lawyer going to do except perhaps take his money for nothing?

There's no law that protects hair length...especially in "at-will" states.

maybe OP wil get lucky and get an out-of-court settlement to avoid lawsuit? suing is the American dream

 

[mmntech]

So wait, if bad/longish hair means an unprofessional looking individual who will be less successful dealing with clients, thus less successful in the long run, how do you explain this?


That sure is a pretty old way of thinking. I think being well groomed and not looking like a slob is way more important. Some men suit longer hair, especially if you have a receding/high hairline.

 

[Texashiker]

Great point!

Sorry, I did not see the part about your daughter. As a parent, it is your responsibility to provide for your family as well as you can.

You gave up the right not to cut your hair when you had children.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Even Metallica realized long hair wasn't cool anymore.
That should tell you something.

Actually, I think Metallica realized Metallica wasn't cool any more because they were playing garbage....

 

[mmntech]

Actually, I think Metallica realized Metallica wasn't cool any more because they were playing garbage....

Was that before or after everyone discovered Metallica's songs weren't worth paying for?

 

[CPA]

Look, I had hair down the middle of my back until my senior year in college. I was smart enough to realize that for most companies and managers, it was not a professional look. So, I cut it. I would love to have long hair again, but it's not worth the fight. Cut it.

 

[Meghan54]

So wait, if bad/longish hair means an unprofessional looking individual who will be less successful dealing with clients, thus less successful in the long run, how do you explain this?

Horrible comb over with lots and lots of gel, hairspray, and concrete.

 

[alien42]

cut hair now
get promoted
grow hair back
profit

 

[KidNiki1]

Does your company have a dress code policy? My last job had a policy specifically stating mens hair could not be longer than their shirt collar. If it isn't stated in the policy, or you don't have one, at least you can complain about it if you wish to make a point.

Sad fact is appearance in office job type settings is important, so your probably better off cutting it. even if you move to another job/office, you will most likely run into the same sort of prejudice. be glad it's something easily changed like hair and not tattoos or the like.

 

[HendrixFan]

Why do guys have long hair anyways....just looks retarded on them 99% of the time.

True, but only because most guys with long hair don't take care of it or wash it regularly. Long hair can work, but not if it is going down the back.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Those are not the comments I get. At work it is usually pulled back into a ponytail. I decided to wear it down on what will likely be its last day of existence and have gotten several compliments on it.

Probably still looks terrible, despite any "compliments" you are getting.

 

[Schfifty Five]

It really doesn't look that bad if its longish and above the ears. Of course, it really depends on the person.

Perhaps I'm not picturing it right, but a haircut/style that's above the ear wouldn't be considered long hair to me.

Something you can tie into a pony tail would be long hair.

 

[ultimatebob]

This is easy.
1) find another place to work or
2) cut your damn hair and make more money.

If number 1 is not feasible in this economy... then you better buck up and visit the barber.

That depends on what he does for a living. If he has a really valuable skills like server virtualization or smartphone application development, he could get a new job in weeks that would probably pay better AND let him have whatever hairstyle he wants.

 

[slag]

We had a contractor here at work for awhile. He was, in general, a very hairy guy, with hair coming out around his shirt, dark bushy hair on his arms, 5 oclock shadow at 8 am, that kind of guy. Anyway, he had long hair and normally wore it in a pony tail. When he would get deep in thought, he would subconciously pull it out of his pony tail holder and start stroking it. Totally grossed all of us out and he probably didn't know what he was doing, but yuck.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Tell them to go fuck themselves.

Funny how having long hair working on many places somehow makes you look "unprofessional" but being bald doesn't.

 

[LordMorpheus]

I had long hair in high school. It was terrible.

I have an old ID that has a picture of me with long hair on it. I show it to people and everybody laughs really hard.

Now I have a clipper and whenever it gets longer than 3/4 of an inch or so I buzz it. So much better this way.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Tell them to go fuck themselves.

Funny how having long hair working on many places somehow makes you look "unprofessional" but being bald doesn't.

You generally can't help being bald. That's the difference. People who are completely bald generally have lost much/most of their hair and shave their heads because it looks better than having patches of hair. Even in the 24th century, they apparently don't have a cure for baldness:

 

[etrigan420]

The answer here is simple...

Cut the hair, and commence with the mother fucking mutton chops. :sneaky: