Last week a client asked me if he should shave every day for work. I answered with Ron’s* Law – “It all depends”.

Why should we be assessed for employment because of our appearance? Why can’t we be hired for our natural charm, ability and output? There are many psychological treatises, but underlying is the requirement to conform if we want to be accepted by the group. It happens in the playground, it happens in the workplace. If you don’t want to conform with this group, find another.

If you’re selling B2B financial products (bad analogy today) you’d better look like someone who knows about these things, and that would normally entail wearing a suit and tie. If you’re a graphic designer, you’d better look hip and funky. Naturally there’s a lot of variation along the poseur-hobo continuum and to succeed, you need to know where your group fits.

Back to the issue of beards -

• evil dudes have dark facial hair – Rasputin, Osama bin Laden, Hitler
• very few guys look good with a three day growth
• take this test, do you look like George Clooney or a rat hiding behind a cactus?

Seriously, if you’re going for a job interview and you’re not sure about the corporate culture, shave.  Having a beard or stubble could go against you in a job interview, as could wearing a bright yellow suit – why risk it if you really want the position?

You mightn’t need to shave if:

• you are in a creative profession
• you are a sportsman
• you are an academic or public servant
• you are Santa
• you are a wizard

But then again if you were a futures trader you wouldn’t get a job if you had a beard, but you might get it if you had no ethics. It’s your call.

Last Word

Men who don’t shave every day enjoy less sex and are 70 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke than daily shavers.

Catherine

* I have no idea who Ron is, but he was very wise.