Long bearded and employed

[Vogi_the_bald]

BACK STORY. I work at a hotel. In the hospitality business, you need to look "business professional".  My supervisor knows that I have a handlebar mustache (I will post a picture soon. I promise) and posted "epic facial hair" on my facebook. Most of them are silly, but one got me thinking. I really wish I could grow out a LONG braided goatee. Think ZZ top but a goatee version that they put two braids in.

What career would allow this? Fellow sly men that have a similar look. What do you do for work?  And no I am not choosing my career based on my beard, I am just interested to see what careers allow it. I can dream... cant i?

[slybeard]

I am an engineer and can get away with "most" any hair or beard style, but if I had a long braided goatee I suspect I would get some negative feedback and strong suggestions to change my style.  But from other bearded guys I talk to, jobs in IT, arts, or at universities tend to be the most beard friendly.  Most likely any position that is not customer facing will be somewhat beard friendly.  Companies generally want their employees that are face to face with customers to have an appearance that is not unusual and does not stand out.

[MikeM]

I'm in IT, and I don't think any of the styles you mention would raise an eyebrow at my work.

About half of the male cashiers at the local Whole Foods grocery store have handlebar mustaches (and several have long hair tied in topknots). I don't think long braided beards would stand out there. So anything in the crunchy/granola industrial complex.

[Sir Harry]

I work at a grain elevator (inside and outside depending on the task at hand). I see guys with beards, and I'm in the process of regrowing mine, but the general rule is as long as you can get your dust mask, and/or respirator to fit, it's a non issue. As far as the Duck Dynasty/ZZ Top type of beards, we have a guy who just simply rolls it up a la Rusty Shackleford for fear of getting the edge of the beard (or worse) caught in a roller or conveyor belt. This is generally a blue collar job, so as long as it isn't extreme, hairstyles and facial hair styles are pretty much permitted across the board.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Look for my posts in the "Show us your beard" thread because I have a long goatee that I can braid and it is easy to hide it.

FYI: It's one thing for an employer to be a bit skeptical about some unusual attention-drawing beard style, but it is totally unacceptable for an employer to deny you the right to have a beard.  That shows your employer is not focused on the task of running a business because they are wasting too much time playing mommy at a time when the economy stinks and a professional focus on the business is needed more than ever.  It's even irritating when you hear that an employer allows beards because it implies that this is a decision that is theirs to make and take away at will. 

[slymyke]

...a sore subject for me right now...

[DoberDaddy]

I have a pretty long beard, but I am on the "other" end of the hospitality industry, in the software side.

I am a manager....

No policy here at all.

Not that this helps you at all.

Steve

[TheSlyBear]

Nice face fur!

[slymyke]

I started a new job last week that allows beards.  (I had to shave mine to take the last job I had).  I started growing my beard back two weeks ago.  The original question of this thread asked about long beards at work, but I am happy to just be able to have mine back.  I didn't feel right without it.... just wasn't myself.

 

[AJ Q-Ball]

I started a new job last week that allows beards.  (I had to shave mine to take the last job I had).  I started growing my beard back two weeks ago.  The original question of this thread asked about long beards at work, but I am happy to just be able to have mine back.  I didn't feel right without it.... just wasn't myself.

 

I couldn't imagine you without your beard Myke. It just fits you!

[Mike E. P.]

I started a new job last week that allows beards.  (I had to shave mine to take the last job I had).  I started growing my beard back two weeks ago.  The original question of this thread asked about long beards at work, but I am happy to just be able to have mine back.  I didn't feel right without it.... just wasn't myself.

 

Awesome, Mike! I'm really happy for you and hope this job is all that you want.

[BBCESQ]

I work in a legal office for the government and plan on testing the waters as to length.  I doubt I will get any negative comments.

I was floored the other day to see an LPN at our local hospital with a very long 10" beard, and it was like nothing.

I think the moral is, unless your company has a written policy that officially denotes an approved length, its all in what you are comfortable with. 

[Mike E. P.]

I would hope that hard work and a strong performance on the job would be what employers are looking for rather than aesthetics and appearances. A neat and clean professional appearance should be what matters, not hairstyle or facial hair.

[slymyke]

I started a new job last week that allows beards.  (I had to shave mine to take the last job I had).  I started growing my beard back two weeks ago.  The original question of this thread asked about long beards at work, but I am happy to just be able to have mine back.  I didn't feel right without it.... just wasn't myself.

 

I couldn't imagine you without your beard Myke. It just fits you!

Thanks, AJ.  Notice, I didn't post any pics of myself on here w/o the beard...lol.

[slymyke]

I started a new job last week that allows beards.  (I had to shave mine to take the last job I had).  I started growing my beard back two weeks ago.  The original question of this thread asked about long beards at work, but I am happy to just be able to have mine back.  I didn't feel right without it.... just wasn't myself.

 

Awesome, Mike! I'm really happy for you and hope this job is all that you want.

Thanks. Mike.  I attended the company's US and Canada sales meeting this week and there were plenty of bald heads, beards and a few others with the combo. That last job was a much smaller company and so old fashioned.