Hopefully be experiencing the world of job interviews soon. Thing is, I've grown a beard that I'm quite partial to and feel like I should shave it off before any interview so I don't look scruffy. Are beards still viewed this way or am I still living in the shadow of my 'have a bloody shave' dad?

Depends. Are you applying for a job as a folk singer, or presenting TV programmes for the Open University?

As long as it looks like a mans beard and not a patchy effort then it should be ok. Trim it around the neck line and cheekbones so it looks neater.

I wouldn't employ someone with a beard. Not because they're scruffy but because I just don't like the look of them.

I'd also ask any condidates to strip and if they've got any body piercings or tats I don't like the look of, they're be going home without a job.

You'll never offend anyone by being clean shaven.. then if you get the job, you can grow it back?

Teeto – yeah thats what I was thinking. But he's my main man, y'know…

If you're female I'd suggest getting rid of it for the interview.

On the flip side, if you start growing it back after you get the job then people will be horrified. Although you could get round this by requesting three weeks' "beard leave" under the European Face Fungus Directive.

You'll never offend anyone by being clean shaven

Au contraire *points at SfB*

😆

Cut if off and get a hair cut while your at it! 😉

33 and eventually getting a job, bravo my dear man, bravo.

P.s. i wouldn't employ a man who has a beard unless they were good looking, but the i wouldn't employ a woman unless she was young, naive and good looking as well

but if you use the beard to hide the results of various ground face events?

which is worse beard or facial scarring?

33 and eventually getting a job, bravo my dear man, bravo.

that would be irresponsible. good job I'm only 32.

jimmy – Member
Teeto – yeah thats what I was thinking. But he's my main man, y'know…

Fair one Bru.. I know where yer coming from ( I kept my goatee for my interview, and I got the job…)

anotherdeadhero – Member

You'll never offend anyone by being clean shaven

Au contraire *points at SfB*

Good point, well presented…

Face like a colapsed lung IIRC… 😆

Beard = man with something to hide. FACT.

Man with recently shaved off beard, as evidenced by light blue colour of bottom half of face and multiple tissue blotters = Desperate for job.

Keep it, and trim it.

Beard = man with something to hide. FACT.

OK OK I'm hiding the fact I have a huge schlong.

Every year we grow beards for the boys ski trip. Last year I had an interview the week before, shaved it off, didn't get the job, and ended up getting loads of hassle for it.

This year, same thing happened, kept the beard and got the job.

Every year we grow beards for the boys ski trip. Last year I had an interview the week before, shaved it off, didn't get the job, and ended up getting loads of hassle for it.

This year, same thing happened, kept the beard and got the jo

Porn Star ??

If you are desperate for job – shave it.

If you are Not desperate for job – keep it but trim it and make sure you look tidy.

Once a foreign guy with "Taliban" like beards and I mean big beards like carpet came for job prospect and all the ladies in the office were immediately put off by his look.

Personally I'd shave (then I've always been clean shaven so don't know the wonders of facial growth) it. As others have said, you can always grow it back.

However, I refer to the lyrics for the first verse of, Men with beards;

Men with beards what are they hiding?
Could I handle the truth if they chose me to confide in?
Or would my dead body be found down a railway siding?
Where I'd been murdered by a man with a beard!
Where I'd been murdered by a man with a beard!

I would post the rest but I understand it wouldn't go down that well here 😀

Man without a beard is just trying to look like a boy.

Probably rides a bike with gears too.

Unemployable. 😀

if it's neat, its not a problem.

if last nights dinner and this mornings breakfast are being hidden in it for elevenses – you're in trouble.

Had a beard since I was 19 – couldn't go without it, personally. besides, I'd look 12 andmy wife would possibly divorce me (she's only seen photos of me without it, never 'in the flesh')

get some scissors, give a neaten up and trim, good to go.

Jimmy…what are you hiding?

I had this dilemma a couple of years back. I went to a couple of interviews clean-shaven, and felt so uncomfortable and 'naked' that it didn't go well. Later interviews I grew the stubble back, but endeavoured to make it look tidy. And the proof's in the pudding – I am now employed! 🙂

Yep … I agree with others … definitely something to hide if you wear a beard. If you wear a beard AND tinted glasses you are probably a serial killer (or at least potentially one) and I'll never take anything you say as the truth.

Only my opinions of course.

Does your CV listed one of your hobbies as bowls? Are you applying for a geography teaching position? Does your best suit have leather elbow patches?

If the answer to any of the three is yes, keep it. Otherwise get is shaved off you scruffy oik.

I wouldn't employ someone with a beard. Not because they're scruffy but because I just don't like the look of them.

I'd also ask any condidates to strip and if they've got any body piercings or tats I don't like the look of, they're be going home without a job.
LOVL.

Don't be a big girl; keep the beard. Real men have beards, fact.

shaving off a beard for an inerview just shows you are not committed to having a beard in the first place, if you aren't yourself in a interview and try to be something you're not you WILL get found out, so comfy with beard? keep it, not comfy shave it and don't grow it back

+1 with miketually (you still got yours from 1/1/09?

men with beards never say anything interesting or true

a beard on a man is like a hat on a man

to conceal an inadequacy or project a false image

Au contraire *points at SfB*

Oi! Why do *I* get singled out ??

But yes, beards ming big style

shaving off a beard for an inerview just shows you are not committed to having a beard in the first place

like being slovenly is a vocation ?

A few points about having have a beard, from my point of view:

a) shaving rash – doesn't matter what I do, shaving more than about twice a week leaves me with a face of raw meat or spots, and I've been shaving for about 32 years, so I don't think it'll 'settle down' anytime soon ! The only razor type I haven't tried is a cutthroat.

b) I'm a metalhead. Which in my book means long hair, decent beard of some style, or both.
I had a short goatee for years before I decided to do the job properly..now it's really quite a long goatee (tho' it got to about it's maximum length after about 6 or 8 months). It does get a trim from above the lower lip, otherwise it's in yer soup, beer etc, not to mention gets a bit wayward. Everything from chin downward can be coaxed kinda where it needs to be.

c) Having shaved off long hair a few times in the very distant past and later regretted it (and indeed, never needed to, as it transpired) I've finally take the view if an interviewer doesn't like it, then they're the sort of narrow-minded individual I wouldn't want to work for anyway.
View it as a dickhead filter, if you like..

IMO if it's a decent beard, trimmed, it shouldn't look scruffy as such.
But then I'm biased 😉

LOL with MrsFlash and ADH and at the "something to hide" crew.

I know where you are coming from as I like my winter face fuzz and work in a conservative profession. Toughcall, if it was me I'd want to keep it but some folk have funny ideas (see above).

i have to shave every day but for a practical reason other than looking smart. after 4 years 2 days with out shaving and im going nuts think i lok like a tramp and have to shave ASAP.

+1 with miketually (you still got yours from 1/1/09?

Yup, though I have trimmed it, not let it grow wild. I trim it very short every 2 or 3 weeks, or before job interviews and the like.