Long hair to interviews

[Tycon69]

I am a guy and I don't cut my hair very often. It's fairly long, I can pull it down to my nose but it stays up above my eyes. Not crazy long in the back or anything. Do you think that kind of appearance might give some old fashioned professors a negative impression of me? Before I got it cut last, one of my professors had told my girlfriend to make me cut it haha. That's really what got me thinking about maybe needing to cut it. I thought academia was very liberal about that sort of thing especially in 2013. I just wanted some other opinions on the matter.

Haven't actually gotten an interview yet though. I Still have five outstanding admissions and one reject letter. It's so nerve racking! I am Applying to medicinal chemistry programs.

[katerific]

Well, in my field, any sort of crazy hair seems to be okay. Not sure how much it varies between fields.... but a cleaner look is always good for a first impression, at least.

One option, perhaps, may be to slick it back? I feel like most of the guys in Mad Men actually have the same length (i.e. above the eyes), and that's what they do. But I really know nothing about short hair (<10 inches) and about dude hair, because I am female and have always had long hair, haha.

If you do cut it for the interview... it will grow back, fortunately.

[iowaguy]

Do you think that kind of appearance might give some old fashioned professors a negative impression of me?

 

Yes, absolutely long hair on a guy can give some people (professors) a negative impression.  Although, as I'm sure you've seen from faculty pages, some male professors themselves have long hair.  But, if you're not attached to your hair (and you shouldn't be from a philosophical perspective) I would cut it shorter for your interview, it certainly couldn't hurt.  First impressions can be very powerful...

[zabius]

I think it's not so much the length but the way that you style it that will leave an impression. If your hair's shaggy/messy, that will definitely reflect poorly on you. In that case, you may want to have it cut. But if it's nicely combed and looks neat, I don't see longer hair being a problem. Especially in a science department where (in my experience) just about anything goes.

[St Andrews Lynx]

It depends on the institution you're interviewing at, as well. Professors on the West Coast are likely to have more liberal attitudes to those at Ivies on the East, etc...

[uromastyx]

I'd cut it. Their impression of you is important, and you have to understand the system.

I'm a bodybuilder and have to dress myself very carefully for interviews,conferences, etc - any first-time professional environment. I dress to wash out my physique. I'm very big, but unfortunately it's better to simply look huge than actually muscular. It puts a lot of academics off. I'm not ashamed and it's who I am, but there are rules here.

Save the disheveled prof look for when you're a prof (at least until you're in)!

Just my 2 cents.

Best of luck.

[spacezeppelin]

Honestly I would cut it as well. I'm a girl, but I actually do like / accept long hair on guys. That being said, its just hard to look "professional" in the interview sense with long shaggy hair. It will grow back really fast, and cutting it is actually good for the hair anyway.

 

If I were you, i'd try to cut it a few weeks before the interview. I know that seems like a silly suggestion, but I've noticed guys haircuts always look better a few weeks after they were cut, rather than the next day. Just a suggestion, you still want to like how you look. I think confidence is more important than short hair.

[selecttext]

it takes all types. as long as your hair is clean and well presented, your hair is unlikely to make a negative impact. in my department (ON THE EAST COAST) there is even a professor with hair down his butt and somehow he got tenure. many professors look like hobos.

[Eigen]

Long and shaggy is harder than long in the back. Looking shaggy isn't great- but long hair by itself shouldn't be an issue, I wouldn't think.

 

I grow my hair out and donate it to Locks of Love every couple of years, so I go through all of the phases.

 

The head of my department (deep south) from undergrad had a long pony tail, so I never really thought anything of it.

 

A lot of it depends where you're interviewing, I guess, but you also have to ask yourself: If they're going to judge you based on the length of your hair, are you going to feel OK working there for the next 5-7 years?

[ak48]

Just play it safe and cut it, what's the big deal? Unless it's a religious think like the Sikh , but then you wouldn't even be considering it, right?

 

While your professor MAY not care, there is the possibility that it will. It's mostly downside with no real upside.

[_kita]

Cutting your hair would probably be the safest bet. You can always look at the department as a standard for their personal tastes to see if it may be more lenient or not. In either case, if you are seriously against having it cut, due to religious, personal reasons, or maybe you donate your hair to locks of love (though it sounds more personal tastes), it can be managed in a way that is professional and clean. I would suggest pulling it back/slicking it back if you keep it long.