Should He Wear Braided Hairstyle for Interviewing?

Craig writes:

I am a 21 year-old African-American and I am in my senior year of college. This year, I will start interviewing for jobs in the field of electrical engineering. My hair is in a braided fashion, and I am wondering if it would be to my benefit to cut my hair off or leave it as it is? Please respond when you get the chance.

The Career Doctor responds:

First let me tell you this funny anecdote. A clean-cut student walked into my office last month at the beginning of the semester and asked to speak with me. Not recognizing him, I gave him my yes-we-can-talk-but-only-for-a-moment look because I was in the middle of a project. He chuckled and told me his name — one of my advisees since he was a first-year student. But he was one of these guys who had long shaggy surfer hair and often wore a ball cap. I had to do about a triple take before I recognized him. And to his credit, he said he cleaned up because he knew appearance mattered in job-hunting. First impressions are critical.

So, that’s the moral of the story. If your braids are tight and the rest of your appearance is sharp, I would think keeping your hair as is would work. I think braids often look sharp. Of course, I am also a firm believer in erring on the side of conservatism, so not being able to see your hair, I would probably recommend cutting it. You can always grow it back if the company culture allows it.

Better, check with your professors and the career services office and solicit their advice. If you have a mentor or former boss, get those opinions.

Bottom line, never give a reason for an employer to reject you.

Get more “dress for success” resources in this article published on Quintessential Careers: When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success.