Do companies think it’s unprofessional to have a long beard?

Bubba Stacy
4 minute read

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Are you asking yourself or someone else, “Do companies think it’s unprofessional to have a long beard?” If so, you’ll be glad to hear that the answer is “No.” Or that’s the short answer at least.

While there has long been the notion that long beards don’t belong in the workplace, there are in fact professional beard styles that look great within the bounds of corporate America. And since there are plenty of options when it comes to professional beard styles, you can feel confident that your beard won’t hold your career back.

What can be particularly intimidating about having a beard is when going through the interview process.

“Is my beard okay?”

“Will I look like less of a professional?”

“Should I forfeit all of my hard work and shave it?”

However, there’s no need to be afraid of having a long beard when interviewing. That is — if you keep your beard clean and tidy.

Do Companies Think It Is Unprofessional To Have a Beard

Nevertheless, even if you’re a beard aficionado who keeps his beard pristine, it’s natural to have reservations about whether or not your beard falls into the realm of professional beard styles. Because after all, even though having a beard shouldn’t make or break your ability to secure that awesome new job you’re after, we all know that the corporate world can be unforgiving. Get a grumpy HR manager or an interviewer who hates beards and all of a sudden you went from hero to zero. And you don’t want that — but more importantly, you don’t deserve that.

Luckily, we can help you understand exactly what a corporate beard looks — and feels! — like. That way, you can walk into that interview with a professional beard — and the confidence that your preference in facial hair won’t hold you back.

Before we totally dive into the world of professional beard styles, though, we have to address another common question.

“Will my job be mad if I start growing a long beard?”

Once again, the short answer is “No.” If you take your career seriously — and we’re damn sure that you do — you don’t want to sabotage your status at your current company.

As a result, you may be clamoring to grow a long and luscious beard, but simultaneously terrified that it’ll make you look less professional within your corporate workplace. But just as was the case with finding a new job, keeping your current job shouldn’t be a problem as long as your beard doesn’t have that homeless and unkempt aesthetic that doesn’t look good on anyone.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s address the third question.

“What exactly counts as a professional beard?

Well, here are three important criteria to ensure that your beard fits the mold of a so-called “corporate beard.”

  1. Your beard is well-kept. We may sound like a broken record, but it really is that important to keep your beard well-groomed. (And you’ll be happy to hear that you’re in just the right place, since here at Wild Willies we live and breathe the art of the beard.)
  2. You’re rocking one of the sharpest professional beard styles. When we talk about professional beard styles, we mean nothing kooky or out of the ordinary. If you’re working in the corporate world, it’s not the place for a super edgy beard style that would do better within the walls of a hipster Silicon Valley startup. Keep it simple. Keep it trimmed. And keep it semi-traditional. While long beards are increasingly common in the workplace, it’s still important to — as with anything else you do at work — maintain on the safe side of things.
  3. Your beard is clean. Sure, well-kept may seem inclusive of cleanliness, but sometimes people see them as mutually exclusive. It doesn’t matter how often you trim and maintain your beard if it’s dirty and gross. And it doesn’t matter how clean your beard is if it looks like you don’t give a crap about your appearance.

There you have it! The basics of having a professional beard.

So, when deciding “beard or no beard,” the answer is simple.

Grow your beard!

A well-kept, corporate beard is more than welcome in professional workplaces. Join us and embrace the Wild Willies lifestyle! Just make sure your beard looks damn good. (And like we said, you’re in the right place for that.)

Live free and stay wild, gentleman.

Professional Beard Styles For The Workplace

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