Designer stubble?

[sevenwithcheese]

Does anyone else like to pair light well shaped stubble with a 5'oclock shadow scalp?
 (I realize I can probably throw away my man card but I honestly think it makes me look a bit younger and growing a decent beard is out of the question while I'm going on multiple job interviews.)

[Quiet_Dan]

I never went for the designer stubble scalp & face, but I used to go a #2 comb over my face and scalp, which was about 2mm

[Rusty Shackleford]

Nope.  In fact I think the phrase is an oxymoron.

Stubble looks unkempt because it is what guys look like who neglect hygiene for days at a time.  The beard is not like the scalp where hairs are fine and generally evenly distributed so even so-called "designer" stubble looks sloppy because the hairs are so short they don't overlap.  Being so short, the "shingle" effect never gets going and the thicker and thinner areas of a beard are painfully obvious.   Even if the beard is incredibly thick, stubble is still too short and results, at best, with a face that looks like it has a beard tattoo. Beards really need to be at least an inch long on most guys in order to get past all of the flaws stubble exposes.  Aside from the look, stubble is the most uncomfortable stage of growing out a beard.

I know I'm in the minority on this, but I think keeping a beard at stubble length is an even bigger mistake than the other common error in edging the neckline halfway up the side of the head.

It is my opinion that the stubble beard is what men settle for when they are intimidated by the reactions a real beard will generate.  I believe someone who is perpetually stubbled feels like they are "getting away" with being bearded without anyone else catching on.  It's basically a mullet where they think others see them as being generically baldfaced, while they see themselves as being with a beard.  Intense pride and satisfaction almost always seems to accompany men who break the safety of a "designer" stubble beard and try a beard out for the first time.

[TheSlyBear]

While not for me, I like the stubble look on some guys.

[DOC_OSMC]

If you're going on job interviews, you shouldn't have stubble to begin with, designed or not.  It shows that you really aren't taking the interview seriously.  You should be going in one of two ways when interviewing, clean shaven or if you already have a fully grown beard or goatee, make sure it's trimmed appropriately with no stray hairs.

I just recently went on some job interviews and made sure my beard looked clean and I shaved in the areas that had stubble, i.e. neckline, cheeks, below the lip, etc.

As stated, a stubble makes you looked unkempt.  As a former hiring manager, I would turn away anyone that didn't present their best when coming in for a job interview.

[TheSlyBear]

I can tell you're not in the software industry. You'd never hire anyone. 

[DOC_OSMC]

Hahaha, Slybear!   Believe it or not I am in the software industry.  I'm on the sales side though and not the programmer or developer side, so maybe that's why.

I've always been in sales, be it software, financial services, fundraising, etc.  So I'm traditional in that sense when it comes to at least the interview, suit and tie, shined shoes and a fresh shave or a groomed beard or goatee. 

Once I've landed the job, and once I know the company culture, then I either maintain the conservative look or relax and go casual.  I ride my Harley to work every day, so I'm always in jeans, boots, leather jacket, etc.  If seeing a client however, then I clean up.

[Hingatao]

I agree with Rusty. I can let my dome go for a day at most without shaving although I prefer not to. If I let my face go without shaving as well I start to look like I'm homeless.

[TheSlyBear]

Hahaha, Slybear!   Believe it or not I am in the software industry.  I'm on the sales side though and not the programmer or developer side, so maybe that's why.

Yes, I was thinking of development where showing up for an interview in a suit would be a kiss of death. No one would take you seriously.

I dress nicely when I go into the office, but never a suit.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Hahaha, Slybear!   Believe it or not I am in the software industry.  I'm on the sales side though and not the programmer or developer side, so maybe that's why.

Yes, I was thinking of development where showing up for an interview in a suit would be a kiss of death. No one would take you seriously.

I dress nicely when I go into the office, but never a suit.

I used to be in the software industry (and am damn glad to be out of that industry) but one time in 1999 I had an interview with EA where I did the typical interview thing and dressed up in that clumsy interview attire and the people interviewing me were very apologetic for failing to let me know I didn't have to get all dressed up.  It's strange how on the one hand the industry takes on this professional attitude of placing substance over the superficial, but then on the other hand amateur kicks in when the industry rushes sloppily coded and poorly thought out product to market and then reactively blames the user for any and every glitch that gets exposed.

[Semi-Sly]

Hahaha, Slybear!   Believe it or not I am in the software industry.  I'm on the sales side though and not the programmer or developer side, so maybe that's why.

Yes, I was thinking of development where showing up for an interview in a suit would be a kiss of death. No one would take you seriously.

I dress nicely when I go into the office, but never a suit.

I used to be in the software industry (and am damn glad to be out of that industry) but one time in 1999 I had an interview with EA where I did the typical interview thing and dressed up in that clumsy interview attire and the people interviewing me were very apologetic for failing to let me know I didn't have to get all dressed up.  It's strange how on the one hand the industry takes on this professional attitude of placing substance over the superficial, but then on the other hand amateur kicks in when the industry rushes sloppily coded and poorly thought out product to market and then reactively blames the user for any and every glitch that gets exposed.

Ha Ha Rusty - I think that there is a very large grain of truth in what you say.

As an anecdote:  Last August I attended Burning Man for the first time.  As you know, BM is famous for many things - including being the highest usage of hallucinogenic drugs on the planet!   (although I don't do drugs, alcohol or tobacco myself).  And EVERYONE from Silicon Valley were there, including the very high rollers!  (Half the people were wearing costumes, half the people were naked and almost all of the people were wiped out on LSD, Ketamine, crystal meth, etc., etc.)  When I asked people who had regained consciousness what they do for a living (i.e. what they do in "default world"), most of them told me that they were software designers, systems designers or code writers.  NO WONDER computer software is so screwed up!!!!!!

[sevenwithcheese]

If you're going on job interviews, you shouldn't have stubble to begin with, designed or not.  It shows that you really aren't taking the interview seriously.  You should be going in one of two ways when interviewing, clean shaven or if you already have a fully grown beard or goatee, make sure it's trimmed appropriately with no stray hairs.

I just recently went on some job interviews and made sure my beard looked clean and I shaved in the areas that had stubble, i.e. neckline, cheeks, below the lip, etc.

As stated, a stubble makes you looked unkempt.  As a former hiring manager, I would turn away anyone that didn't present their best when coming in for a job interview.

I appreciate the tip. I'm pretty young (23) so I haven't gone on too many interviews before so I'm a bit clueless.

[DOC_OSMC]

If you're going on job interviews, you shouldn't have stubble to begin with, designed or not.  It shows that you really aren't taking the interview seriously.  You should be going in one of two ways when interviewing, clean shaven or if you already have a fully grown beard or goatee, make sure it's trimmed appropriately with no stray hairs.

I just recently went on some job interviews and made sure my beard looked clean and I shaved in the areas that had stubble, i.e. neckline, cheeks, below the lip, etc.

As stated, a stubble makes you looked unkempt.  As a former hiring manager, I would turn away anyone that didn't present their best when coming in for a job interview.

I appreciate the tip. I'm pretty young (23) so I haven't gone on too many interviews before so I'm a bit clueless.

We're here to help in more ways than just about being bald, bearded, etc. And being young is the perfect time to start asking questions and getting it right.  Many people your age are just starting out so it can be competitive out there.   You want to stand out and gain that advantage.  Much as we wish that it didn't matter, your appearance and the first impression you make can make or break that opportunity.

[VOT]

Always amazes me how there are different accepted practices in different countries. Here in the UK even in the most conservative industries stubble is fine as long as not a health and safety issue.  In fact it would significantly deplete the pool to choose from if stubble, beards, tattoos and piercings, ruled people out.

[Quiet_Dan]

Hahaha, Slybear!   Believe it or not I am in the software industry.  I'm on the sales side though and not the programmer or developer side, so maybe that's why.

I've always been in sales, be it software, financial services, fundraising, etc.  So I'm traditional in that sense when it comes to at least the interview, suit and tie, shined shoes and a fresh shave or a groomed beard or goatee. 

Once I've landed the job, and once I know the company culture, then I either maintain the conservative look or relax and go casual.  I ride my Harley to work every day, so I'm always in jeans, boots, leather jacket, etc.  If seeing a client however, then I clean up.

I'm a mechanic so the dress code is a bit more relaxed, or the shaving