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Post by funkyodar on Jul 14, 2013 17:20:21 GMT -5
Ok. Enough of the unimportant things. I have a real problem and need some help.
For about the last two years I've had a full beard. Not like a zz top, duck dynasty kind of thing, but not a lil goat or van d**e either. My avatar is actually pretty accurate though the actual beard has some premature (hopefully) gray.
Mrs Funky thinks I should shave it for the SI. Says it makes me look older and beards are generally frowned upon in professional environs. My father, retired army, agrees but has always hated facial hair. Probably why I grew up hating shaving.
Problem is, without the beard I look about 12 years old. So I initially planned a compromise and a trim to a more commonly seen around my office goatee.
But now my father has me worried that in an agency full of veterans I may come across similar minded interviewers that may be biased against the facially fuzzed.
May seem trivial, but these are the funked up things that keep me up at night. Don't even get me started on the parliament funkadelic neck tattoo. Damn tequila.
Thoughts?
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Post by christina on Jul 14, 2013 17:55:56 GMT -5
You should probably shave it. It "should" not matter on ur SI but I agree with your family; it could hurt u on the appearance and first impressions are important. sorry for the bad news
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jul 14, 2013 17:58:10 GMT -5
I think let it grow wild, they will think you are a troll, and I will be one up on you. LOL! Hey, as long as you are neat, clean, and professionally dressed, I think mannerisms and your skillful thoughts will outweigh any preferences that the interviewers may have. Then again, I do not see many ALJs with "long" beards, just the mustache and very small goatee. Keep in mind, that if you have not shaved for a LONG time....your skin may react in such a way that you will regret not having that beard covering you....so be careful funky! Like any marathon, big changes are not a good idea so keep it in moderation.  |
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Post by christina on Jul 14, 2013 18:01:11 GMT -5
i did think u should probably shave a week or 2 before the interview in case your face objects
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Post by hopefalj on Jul 14, 2013 18:06:35 GMT -5
I've contemplated growing one for the reason you mentioned. Not that I look 12 without a beard or anything, but for the first time since I was 20 years and 364 days old, I feel like looking older would be advantageous. One must decide what could be the more harmful prejudice... ageism or beardism?
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Post by BagLady on Jul 14, 2013 18:10:55 GMT -5
If you haven't shaved it off in some time you may discover you no longer look 12 years old without it. d**n gravity.
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Post by moopigsdad on Jul 14, 2013 18:48:48 GMT -5
Ok. Enough of the unimportant things. I have a real problem and need some help. For about the last two years I've had a full beard. Not like a zz top, duck dynasty kind of thing, but not a lil goat or van d**e either. My avatar is actually pretty accurate though the actual beard has some premature (hopefully) gray. Mrs Funky thinks I should shave it for the SI. Says it makes me look older and beards are generally frowned upon in professional environs. My father, retired army, agrees but has always hated facial hair. Probably why I grew up hating shaving. Problem is, without the beard I look about 12 years old. So I initially planned a compromise and a trim to a more commonly seen around my office goatee. But now my father has me worried that in an agency full of veterans I may come across similar minded interviewers that may be biased against the facially fuzzed. May seem trivial, but these are the funked up things that keep me up at night. Don't even get me started on the parliament funkadelic neck tattoo. d**n tequila. Thoughts? Funky funny you bring up this subject. I have a goatee and mustache and was considering shaving it off too. However, I do know your skin will look grey underneath and somewhat obviously different. If you are going to do it, better do it right now. I think I am going to keep the facial hair. It makes me seem slightly more distinguished than without it. I personally say a neatly trimmed beard or a mustache and goatee would be fine. If you are going to shave some or all you better do it sooner than later. I am sure you will be fine either way and do well my friend. |
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Post by funkyodar on Jul 14, 2013 18:52:14 GMT -5
Good advice all. Thank you. I'm def leaning toward keeping it. Karaoke nite is already difficult since I can't sound like Barry Gibb. At least I can still look like him. Besides, I doubt my SI will require much "jive talkin" as the interviewers will be able to "tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man no time for talk".
Now back to the "tragedy" of the pase 2 cuts. My beard and I are "stayin alive".
Probably. Mrs Funky can be quite persuasive.
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Post by ginger on Jul 14, 2013 19:38:27 GMT -5
Although it seems that this one is settled, my 2 cents worth is that tho I agree with the wife and dad, i think it is also important that you attend feeling comfortable and confident, so of that means keeping the beard, just make sure it is neatly trimmed and pray that they will be tender with your love/fuzz.
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Post by bartleby on Jul 14, 2013 20:48:25 GMT -5
I would shave it. Unfortunately maybe more credibility without the facial hair.. Not many bearded or goateed ALJ's I know, althought there is this female in Region 9..
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Post by mcb on Jul 14, 2013 20:55:30 GMT -5
There are enough ALJs with beards, that I'd do what feels comfortable. You may walk into the interview and the whole panel, ladies included, have facial hair.
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Post by valkyrie on Jul 14, 2013 21:03:31 GMT -5
There are enough ALJs with beards, that I'd do what feels comfortable. You may walk into the interview and the whole panel, ladies included, have facial hair. That is excellent! |
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Post by funkyodar on Jul 14, 2013 21:16:33 GMT -5
There are enough ALJs with beards, that I'd do what feels comfortable. You may walk into the interview and the whole panel, ladies included, have facial hair. That is excellent! Agreed. Didn't even know my mother-in-law was with opm. Kinda explains that experience assessment I had to submit before marrying her daugter though. |
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davef
Full Member
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Post by davef on Jul 15, 2013 1:11:40 GMT -5
I'm in the same boat, but they're going to have to shave mine from my cold dead face! I'm pretty sure the panel would be more concerned with the fact I would look my age (early thirties) without it and I have no chin... I will however keep it at a respectable length. Lets just hope they don't check my Facebook Halloween pictures of it gown out to be a garden gnome or papa smurf... My vote, keep it!
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Post by moopigsdad on Jul 15, 2013 9:10:43 GMT -5
I'm in the same boat, but they're going to have to shave mine from my cold dead face! I'm pretty sure the panel would be more concerned with the fact I would look my age (early thirties) without it and I have no chin... I will however keep it at a respectable length. Lets just hope they don't check my Facebook Halloween pictures of it gown out to be a garden gnome or papa smurf... My vote, keep it! davef do you care to share your gnome(papa smurf) photos? Just kidding. I think if it is neatly trimmed you will be fine. |
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Post by moopigsdad on Jul 15, 2013 9:21:55 GMT -5
I would shave it. Unfortunately maybe more credibility without the facial hair.. Not many bearded or goateed ALJ's I know, although there is this female in Region 9.. I do see a several ALJs with beards and goatees bartleby, none of whom I believe to be female (I'm pretty sure they are not). However, I may know the one female in Region 9 of which you speak. LMAO! I think the facial hair issue depends upon the age of the ALJ and the ODAR office. If the SI interviewers are going to judge you by your facial hair, are they also going to judge you by the length of your hair on your head, it's color, lack thereof, etc.? Do you suggest the Yul Brynner/Telly Savalas bald look? The military brush cut look? The "Jesus" shoulder length look? I think the substance of your answers and your confidence in giving them are much more dispositive of how you do than your facial hair.  |
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Post by funkyodar on Jul 15, 2013 9:26:22 GMT -5
I would shave it. Unfortunately maybe more credibility without the facial hair.. Not many bearded or goateed ALJ's I know, although there is this female in Region 9.. I do see a several ALJs with beards and goatees bartleby, none of whom I believe to be female (I'm pretty sure they are not). However, I may know the one female in Region 9 of which you speak. LMAO! I think the facial hair issue depends upon the age of the ALJ and the ODAR office. If the SI interviewers are going to judge you by your facial hair, are they also going to judge you by the length of your hair on your head, it's color, lack thereof, etc.? Do you suggest the Yul Brynner/Telly Savalas bald look? The military brush cut look? The "Jesus" shoulder length look? I think the substance of your answers and your confidence in giving them are much more dispositive of how you do than your facial hair. I would agree that substance is key, but people have their biases and why play into them or even a possible bias if you dont have too? |
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Post by moopigsdad on Jul 15, 2013 9:37:33 GMT -5
I do see a several ALJs with beards and goatees bartleby, none of whom I believe to be female (I'm pretty sure they are not). However, I may know the one female in Region 9 of which you speak. LMAO! I think the facial hair issue depends upon the age of the ALJ and the ODAR office. If the SI interviewers are going to judge you by your facial hair, are they also going to judge you by the length of your hair on your head, it's color, lack thereof, etc.? Do you suggest the Yul Brynner/Telly Savalas bald look? The military brush cut look? The "Jesus" shoulder length look? I think the substance of your answers and your confidence in giving them are much more dispositive of how you do than your facial hair. I would agree that substance is key, but people have their biases and why play into them or even a possible bias if you dont have too? funky the only issue is what bias do the the SI interviewers have? We will not know that at all. Maybe the SI interviewers don't like someone who is too tall or too short. Maybe they don't like someone who wears a blue suit or a green one. Maybe they like brush cuts over non-brush cuts. Maybe they like thin people over heavy people. So, funky how do you prepare for all those possibilities? Beard or no beard, goatee or no goatee is not a dispositive factor in my humble opinion. I think there are much more important things to think and worry about than whether you cut your beard or not? Unless you have birds living in your beard or you look like Santa Claus, I don't think it would be a factor at all in the SI. |
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Post by Gaidin on Jul 15, 2013 9:52:21 GMT -5
I would agree that substance is key, but people have their biases and why play into them or even a possible bias if you dont have too? While I personally am in favor of going through life letting your freak flag fly and to heck with the "man". BUT I also coach mock trial and I tell those kids to wear (and have made my desires known vocally) the least controversial clothes they can. i.e. White shirts, conservative ties, traditional suits and clean cut looking. I do this not because I think it "matters" about their quality but because i don't want anyone fixating on their appearance and losing the message. I have never required a student to shave but I have required them to clean it up. So as long as it looks clean cut you should hang with what makes you feel confident. You don't want to be sitting there worrying that they are fixating on your youthful appearance. |
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Post by funkyodar on Jul 15, 2013 9:53:03 GMT -5
And you are probably right MPD. It's a trivial matter. most likley. But, impressions are made up of initial judgements and observations. I know of no one who has ever expressed any dislike or distrust of a clean shaven face. "If he doesnt have a beard, he is clearly not trustworthy" is a phrase never uttered. But, my father the retired first sarge, still carries the ,iltary disdain for long haired, fuzzy faced ne'er-do-wells. In an agency and gov populated by veterans with similar backgrounds to my dad, I dont think worrying that an interviewer or two may see my facial hair and have some level of bias as they weigh my answers and "appropriateness" for a job. Maybe its a small bias. maybe its the diff in "rec" and "highly rec." Or maybe its a small diff that pushes me over the cliff from a "rec" to a "no rec".
Why take the risk? Hell, I just talked myself into shaving. Damn.
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