The Right & Wrong Way To Approach Facial Hair In Job Interviews
Jon Hamm poses for a portrait during the Baby Driver premiere at the 2017 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 11, 2017, in Austin, Texas.
— Updated on 15 June 2021

The Right & Wrong Way To Approach Facial Hair In Job Interviews

— Updated on 15 June 2021
Garry Lu
WORDS BY
Garry Lu

When it comes to the job interview, presentation is everything. The person on the other side of the table knows nothing about you, and seldom even pays your CV any meaningful attention. Which is exactly why nailing that split-second visual impression becomes so vital. Believe it or not, facial hair apparently plays a role in all of this. I know – we were surprised too. That was until recent findings from SEEK shed light on some valuable insights as to the right and wrong ways to approach facial hair in job interviews.

To beard, or not to beard?

“Consider what your beard is saying to prospective employers. A scholarly full beard may convey wisdom and a handlebar moustache can point to a creative and whimsical personality. On the flip side, a wizardly beard might suggest you lack pragmatism, while a trendy, stubble beard can express a lack of care if not well maintained.” 

Jon Hamm was practically born to wear stubble. If you look like that, stubble can be forgiven.

It’s a matter of style.

“Whatever manner of beard you’re boasting, it’s important to ensure your whiskers are well-groomed. Do keep your beard trimmed and styled, and pay your barber a visit the day before your interview if you want to feel extra dapper. Cleanliness extends to your facial hair as much as your interview attire, so keep it combed and tidy before announcing yourself at reception.” 

Even Jason Momoa trims the old chin foliage when it’s the right time.

Wear the beard.

“Don’t let the beard wear you. No matter how majestic your beard, you want your skills and experience to be the ultimate focus of your interview. Drawing too much attention to a glorious beard could be distracting to prospective employers. Don’t stroke it during your interview, no matter how intelligent it makes you feel.” 

Jimmy Niggles – an individual synonymous with “beard” (be sure to check out Beard Season). 

Present yourself as already being one of the team.

“Prospective employers want to be able to imagine you slotting nicely into their team, so make it easy for them by assessing the likelihood of your beard’s acceptance. Yes, your splendid beard is destined to stand out, not blend in, but like other aspects of how you present yourself, it’s important to get a feel for the corporate culture of the organisation and decide if your beard will fit in around other beards in the office. It’s easy to check out the photos of current team members online if you need help identifying this.”

Everybody loves George Clooney. But whether his beard has something to do with it is still up for debate.

Now, once you’ve nailed the job interview, start considering what Australian women think are the most attractive grooming styles for men.

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Garry Lu
WORDS by
After stretching his legs with companies such as The Motley Fool and the odd marketing agency, Garry joined Boss Hunting in 2019 as a fully-fledged Content Specialist. In 2021, he was promoted to News Editor. Garry proudly retains a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black bruises from Muay Thai, as well as a black belt in all things pop culture. Drop him a line at [email protected]

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