Discussions About Being Bald > Advantages and Disadvantages to being Bald
Bald influence on Career
KeeperOfTheBeard:
I am fortunate in that for the last 10 years I have been employed at two different organizations - both of which are complete opposites.
The first organization was a non-profit organization that coordinated adoptions and did parent education for prevention of child abuse and neglect. I was high up in the IT department and I was allowed to wear my beard full and long and have a bald head - I was not allowed to have my sleeves (tattoos) show so it was long sleeves year round - which I fully considered before getting the ink done.
The organization I work at now is much more corporate - I am also high up on the corporate ladder but I am very laid back and refuse to get sucked into job related stress - so I get along with just about everyone - and because of that I have never been questioned over my beard, head or even ink. I go business casual most days and in the oppressive summer heat and humidity it is always short sleeves.
I think it all depends on the luck of the draw as to what you will find in people's attitudes - I do not think being sly during a job interview would go against you in any way - matter of fact, one of the people I manage recently had two candidates for a position - he wanted HR's input so HR interviewed both of them as well - and the HR director chose the sly candidate even though their skillsets were nearly identical - she said she thought "he would fit better with the team on a personal level".
D.A.L.U.I.:
This is truly a non-issue these days. If it's just a shaved head, nobody cares--the balding might comment but not in an interview if they have any brains under their dying mops! I've just made the switch from an attorney government to the corporate world, no problem at all and a major boost in the income level. There are sly guys in the company, there were sly guys in the local government, the company and the government both work with sly guys on the outside--it just isn't an issue any more. It might even be said that in times past a shaved head was a "statement" but now considering the number and variety of guys doing it, its a "chorus" but not one that defines your capabilities. Except for my wife, this isn't an issue. Kind of nice too, because I still get compliments and I just reallized eight (8) months today since I let the blade do what comes naturally. I also just got back from a very nice, white table cloth restaurant w/ another lawyer (yeh, there are a lot of us) and the maitre d' was sly, our waiter was sly, and at least two other customers were sly--all in one upscale restaurant in the City that Care Forgot O0--too bad FEMA did too. And a final comment, I can't remember seeing one sly FEMA guy and considering the few of them w/ any electricity between their ears it doesn't surprise me. Lots of FEMA types have combovers--that says something too :*)) :*))!
marshd1000:
I applied at my current job while being sly. I have grown it back once. When I shaved it back off, my boss said that it looked better that way. My boss may be prejudiced toward the sly look. He is not sly, but his brother is! :)
skinhead002:
Speaking as an old crusty soldier and cop, one reason bald is so popular in law enforcment is that so many military come into it, particularly from the combat arms. It's pretty natural for a young military guy to leave the service and go into police work. Im glad to see military haircuts and slick heads have made a big comeback in lew enforcement. It adds a lot to the professional image of a department.(Believe me, there is a LOT of debate in the "intellectual" circles of law enforcement over appearance, uniforms, etc). A lot of police academies have gone back to a very structured, regimented military training standard and all the hair comes off(Thank God) and produce good basic officers.
Anyway, my department has eight of us that are total baldies(one of the lieutenants even calls us the "Baldies") and a lot that wear flat tops, hight and tights and also just the basic once-a-week trip to the barber for a no guard clipper buzz peel. We actually have a number of those that just get it down to stubble once a week. Here in TX with the heat, its the only way to go. There are a few of the older officers(from the 70s) that wear longer hair but not many. Most of the those have switched over.
BALDANDRE:
--- Quote from: skinhead002 on June 19, 2008, 09:38:06 AM ---Speaking as an old crusty soldier and cop, one reason bald is so popular in law enforcment is that so many military come into it, particularly from the combat arms. It's pretty natural for a young military guy to leave the service and go into police work. Im glad to see military haircuts and slick heads have made a big comeback in lew enforcement. It adds a lot to the professional image of a department.(Believe me, there is a LOT of debate in the "intellectual" circles of law enforcement over appearance, uniforms, etc). A lot of police academies have gone back to a very structured, regimented military training standard and all the hair comes off(Thank God) and produce good basic officers.
Anyway, my department has eight of us that are total baldies(one of the lieutenants even calls us the "Baldies") and a lot that wear flat tops, hight and tights and also just the basic once-a-week trip to the barber for a no guard clipper buzz peel. We actually have a number of those that just get it down to stubble once a week. Here in TX with the heat, its the only way to go. There are a few of the older officers(from the 70s) that wear longer hair but not many. Most of the those have switched over.
--- End quote ---
Yea...I've seen a special on police training a while back and the recruits HAD to shave their heads slick bald BEFORE the entered bootcamp...they kept their heads shaved smooth through the whole training..
talk about having one up on Marine training regs...they are hippies in comparison with their buzzed bald standards!
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