Do women with shorter hair make more money and get more respect in professional jobs?

[snarla]

I am a long time lurker here with my own long henna-colored hair (which I love). I would be interested in your opinions on this topic.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/community/message/thread.asp?board=YourMoney&threadid=1727392&boardname=Hide&header=SearchOnly&footer=Show&linktarget=_parent&pagestyle=money1

[missmandy]

I agree that long hair does make one younger. (which is why it confuses me so much when people say it makes one look older... /shrug) That might make someone less likely to be taken seriously, and therefore less likely to get a job. Not all the time, but since short hair is the norm on an older woman, I can see why that might be true. Now, I'm definitely not saying she should cut it off, definitely not!!! But I do think she should put it up, at least on interviews. To me, it looks more sophisticated, makes someone look older. All this is based on the subconcious opinions of society today.

[myrrhmaiden]

I think if you dressed professionally and wore it up in a "business up-do" (french twist, bun, etc.) each day, no one would be the wiser.

[bumblebums]

That link doesn't work for me, but here's my 2 cents anyway.

I think there are many ways to look unprofessional, and you can certainly accomplish an unprofessional look with short hair. The current professional standard seems to be shoulder-length hair, give or take a few inches--certainly not butt-length. A buzz cut might not serve you well in the business world, especially if you aim for a male-dominated field such as banking/finance. Likewise, really long hair that looks "out of the norm" might draw unnecessary attention.

Women walk a very fine line between being stereotyped as bitchy harpies and wimpy weaklings. It's extremely unfair, but it's something to be aware of. So if you want to be safe, conform to be baseline. And put that hair up if you're not sure--it's hard to tell how long it is when it's up, unless it is really really thick...

I am lucky to be in a professional field that allows quite a bit of freedom in appearance. I had a very short pixie cut for several years, and I'm currently rocking a bun or a braid on a daily basis. As far as I've noticed, nobody treats me any different as a result of what my hair style looks like. Men in my field also have hair ranging from "none" to waist length, but it's okay as long as they are brilliant. Same for women :)

[ETA] Afterthought: It occurs to me that you can use hair to counterbalance your career personality. I tend to come across as... forceful. For me, therefore, long girly hair is a plus, since it softens the impression somewhat. For someone with a milder personality, a tougher image might correct the image in a different direction.

[florenonite]

wearing it up every day is not practical

Riiight.

I think that some employers will be prejudiced against longer hair, but at the same time if you wear long hair up in a sophisticated updo they'll be more concerned with your quals and skills to care about the length of your hair. And if they're actually not going to hire you because of your hair length (assuming you otherwise look presentable), or your youthful appearance, they'd probably make a horrendous employer.

ETA: I look younger with short hair. When my hair's shoulder-length, I can wear it down, a ponytail, or if I'm lucky a French braid. At waist, I can do buns that make me look more mature.

[Stormphoenix]

Yes, my experience is that professional women (medical doctors, CPAs, Lawyers) with more styled coiffures such as hair that is about 3 inches long all the way around, spend an hour with a curling iron every morning are seen as professional in their dress. and hygiene They have reached the level of success when they can afford the money and the TIME to have their hair cut, colored ad styled every other week.

It is a status symbol to have "heavily made up" hair that requires constant maintenance. Generally, women with a child's hair cut - which is to say long in the length - are viewed as being childish, immature, possibly incompetent and are therefore not taken seriously.

It is not one I subscribe to myself. I actually DO want to have the hair of a Disney princess or a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader because I think it looks beautiful and romantic and that is what I want for myself. But, I do acknowledge it creates a hurdle for me to overcome that I could avoid by having a Jodie Foster "Silence of the Lambs" FBI Agent Clarice Starling bob. (Or FBI Agent Dana Scully from X-Files.)

[Canarygirl]

My answer is No. The women who make more money are the women with the most experience, education, and job skills. A good personality is also helpful, as is general pleasant appearance. Being well-groomed in relation to the the specific workplace is of course, necessary, and someone who isn't viewed as well groomed may miss out on some opportunities. So for long haired people that may mean wearing it in a bun.

[enfys]

Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between someone at APL with a French twist and someone with kneelength hair and the same style.

A bob won't get you a pay rise in itself.

It's interesting that at the end of the post on that forum she says it's not practical for her hair to be worn up every day. Why? My colleagues only see my hair down when we go out for Christmas or sometimes birthdays.

[gmdiaz]

It won't make any difference if you ARE a professional in looks and actions. . .

P.S. You do have to ask for the salary you think you deserve.

[farewell_nancy]

I like that most of the answers there told the mentor that hair length had nothing to do with professionalism. It would seem that most people don't have an issue with long hair so long as it is coiffed in a manner appropriate to the work setting.

I suppose you might still be out of luck with dreds though. They really ought to loosen physical expectations of people I little. So long as they clean up well it shouldn't matter if their hair is long or dredded (for men too!) or if they have some inoffensive tattoos or piercings. Dress the part certainly, but dressing the part shouldn't prevent you from looking like you want when you're off the clock.

[Tangles]

I think APL-BSL styled hair is considered acceptable albeit perhaps still too "sexy" for say a corporate meeting. The key is "styled", which usually means straightened or smooth curls.

This being said, I know women with waist+ hair that have been VP's of companies, even one who sometimes wears it down, albeit she's in a country where standards of professional attire are different.

[HairColoredHair]

I think if you wear your long hair as professionally as your short hair, you should be treated the same.

In fact, if you're wearing it up people would likely be none the wiser that it's long or short. :)

And wearing it up everyday is very practical... I do so. :D

[akka naeda]

I've said before on here that I know a woman who works in the City (ie she works in banking) who has kneelength S&P hair. So hair length and whether or not you dye it as it goes white has nothing to do with your success in your career.

[TXbarbie]

It probably depends on where you work.

I used to work at Bikini's Sports Bar & Grill. Our uniform was - you guessed it - a padded-to-the-max bikini top, denim booty shorts, and boots. I had never waitressed before, and I sometimes made as much as the bartenders! My boyfriend visited with friends occasionally and he said that my long blonde hair always made me stand out.

[GoddesJourney]

I think wearing it up every day is very practical for most people. It's a lot lower maintenance than having short hair with layers that must be styled. I've had such a cut, and it was irritating. Clean and professional is pretty good, whatever the hair length. On the other hand, I've heard that it's actually more attractive people that get the most advancements. People are inclined to like attractive people more, and therefore treat them better and help them more. I'm not saying that everyone does this. I'm pretty sure that people do this without even knowing it.

If it were up to me, I would tell this girl that she should wear her hair up at work because it looks more professional, and by up I don't mean in a messy, college girl updo. Cutting it is irrelevant. I work with a physical therapist who is 30 who looks like he's 25. Sometimes people don't take him seriously when they first meet him, but he is very professional and very knowledgeable. Incidently, he has solid shoulder length beautiful curly hair. Both his situation and the aforementioned girl's seem to me to be more age discrimination than hair length.

ETA: ...Age discrimination over perceived age.

[Periwinkle]

I think it's more how you wear it. If you have long hair that looks like something is nesting in it, then yeah, you'd probably get more respect if it were shorter - at least it would be less obvious, even if it were still terrible. If you look after it well and wear it in professional styles, though, then I don't see that it's an issue.

I guess a big part of looking professional is not standing out massively in the way you look (not that that's how it should be especially) and any 'abnormal' hairstyle is obviously going against that. Long hair does have the advantage that it's easier to hide than say, dreadlocks or a mohican or a crazy dye job.

[princessp]

I think if you dressed professionally and wore it up in a "business up-do" (french twist, bun, etc.) each day, no one would be the wiser.

I agree, and even though I couldn't get the link to work, I think this is generally true. I get treated vastly different when my hair is up to when it is down. I think for the most part this has to do with stereotyping, I kind of do look like a brownie-eating hippie with my hair down--stereotypically, thought of as a more "casual personality". I have never worn my hair fully down at work.

ETA: I think this is a great topic because it forced me to think about this issue. All of us here may love long hair, but many people just plain old don't like it, don't think it is flattering, or professional. I know people like this and although I don't think we should cut our hair for them, this is something we need to be a little aware of. That said, I've found success has more to do with work ethic and performance than anything else (so as long as your looks are not a distraction or an embarrassment to your organization).

[heidihug]

I work in a corporate office, and we are expected to wear business casual clothing, and to present a neat and clean appearance. My hair is floaty and tangly - just much much too unruly and long to wear down in a professional manner at my work. In fact, I rarely wear my hair down in a braid at work, either. No one I work with has an iota of how long my hair is. Sure, they women who sit next to me have seen me redo a bun, but that's usually when my hair is already partly up, and they just see a long rope of hair being twisted. Yes, long hair, as others have said, is very easy to "hide".

Regarding the posted link, I think it is extremely unprofessional for anyone to tell someone that they must cut their hair for a job (even men, though that's not the topic in the message board being discussed). However, I have no problem with someone who is "in the know" - a potential boss or co-worker, or an HR professional working with a candidate through the interview process - to recommend that someone with long hair wear their hair up should they get the job. There are certainly safety concerns - even in an office - related to long hair. Even the directors and VPs have to use copiers and office chairs with moving parts. Take it from someone who knows from experience - you do NOT want to get your hair caught in the wheel of your office chair - ouch! But if they recommend that someone wear their hair up because of superficial concerns, that's discrimination and it's wrong.

Appearance-wise, I am quite sure that qualifications such as education and experience matter much more to any reputable corporation than how long your hair is and what style you wear it in.

[Bethie]

I agree with everyone here, short hair does not mean you get paid more. The professional appearance is what will lead to the larger paycheck. If your hair looks like you just rolled out of bed, regardless of how long it is, you don't look like a professional. If your hair is always styled and you look like you know what you are doing, then people will take you as a professional.

[Sisko]

They really ought to loosen physical expectations of people I little.

Why should they, when we so readily subscribe to them? Many people who are told to cut or dye do so without questioning such a request, often because there is too much at stake. Say nothing and you're essentially supporting the system.

Just look at the response in this thread - coif it this way, coif it that way. I am not disagreeing with the practicality of wearing hair up, but if longhairs themselves are enforcing such stereotypes (i.e. hair worn up being more professional), how would others feel about it? Yes, protective styling benefits long hair, but one shouldn't need to put their hair up to be deemed professional.

Needless to say, there are situations where certain hairstyles are more suitable, particularly when it could be deadly to have hair get in the way; I agree that it can be a safety concern.

'Professional' is related to merit and competence, not hair length. That doesn't quite answer the thread question, however.

[Bucatini]

I am in private practice (law) and 99% of the time I wear my almost-waist-length hair down in its natural airdried waves.

To the best of my knowledge I am respected and compensated for my talent and my hard work, not for the package that product comes in.

[RavennaNight]

I was at a corporate meeting the other day and noticed the following:

1. My hair was by far the longest, between hip & TB.
2. There was long hair in the room, BSL~Waist.
3. The people with long hair wore it down, I wore a sleek ponytail.
4. I think I was the only one who cared to notice.

:shrug:

[HintOfMint]

I think it's just a correlation =/= causation thing. Younger women tend to have longer hair, and probably leave it down more. As they grow older and climb up the ranks, they cut it. This is for many reasons. Perhaps they feel the length is age inappropriate. Or they view hair as being more professional, so as they behave in a more mature manner and step up their game, they cut their hair to match that vision of themselves.

Basically, their hair only matches the decisions they make but do not necessarily cause their outcomes.

[Raponsje]

Main reason for the advice to cut her hair was that she looks to youthful. So, if she chooses a hairstyle that is mostly seen on 30+ woman she may appear older. But I think it has much more to do with features and she is in danger of looking like a twenty year old with soccer mum ambition. Better make a beautiful french roll. That will make her look much more professional than a bob. Any way, it's only important for the first impression. In the long run they tend to notice the quality of your work. The long hair, hating or loving it, will become less important.

[Igor]

No matter your job, having any length of hair that you don’t ”do” anything with seems unprofessional

Is it short? Add some product to shape it

Is it long? Put it up


This aside, I have a feeling we are being trolled

[Arctic_Mama]

My troll-dar must be off, I didn't sense one on here at all :lol:

This, as with most other stereotypes, I find to be highly suspect. I think clean, well-maintained, safety-appropriate hair is great, regardless of length. In a professional setting I don't think long hair makes a lick of difference, it's all what you do with it. I find updos to look more polished but I don't think I've ever seen a woman (personally, anyway) be undervalued because of a hairstyle!

I agree with a previous poster that correlation doesn't equal causation, especially in a case like this. Younger women tend to wear longer hair, younger women have less experience and tend to be less assertive for raises. I think the age is the bigger issue than the hair.

[Keildra]

I do agree that in a work Environment all hair should be out of your way and out of your work, I don't think anything would irk coworkers more than having to unclog your hairs from the copy machine, or printer, or get a file folder covered in them. But that goes for shoulder length and boy cuts too because I feel that shoulder length worn down would shed more hairs than knee length up.
Also I think respect and advancement comes from work ethics and such, not how long your hair is. I pretty sure there are some higher ups somewhere with calf length hair but they wear it in a professional manner.
That being said, when someone says something like that I think about the women that keep their hair long for religious reasons. That can be considered discrimination and workplaces are not aloud to do that, it's the law:patrol:

[CrisDee]

The article states that the young woman in question has an MBA and is looking for a job in the corporate world, presumably for a medium sized or large corporation. There is a certain "uniform" that is expected, almost required, in this environment, particularly in job interviews - dark, conservative suit, coordinating pumps with moderate heels (no higher than 3"), light or white shirt, understated makeup, muted (if any) nail polish. One would not wear an ankle bracelet or peasant skirt as part of such an outfit, these would look out of place. Similarly, I believe the common perception is that long, loose hair also looks out of place with such an outfit, it would coordinate much better with this "uniform" if it were put up. That being said, however, I believe cutting it is completely unnecessary.

[jivete]

At least most of the comments are of about the same opinion here. As long as the hair is neat, it doesn't really matter.

Of course, they seem to call long hair anything past shoulder.

[adiapalic]

I have almost classic length hair and I just got a job. No one has seen my hair down loose at work, and I doubt they ever will--while I'm working anyway. I keep it up in various buns or in a nice clean braid for practical reasons, and it just tends to look more professional.

Does my hair length affect how much I get paid personally? I doubt it. To be all-inclusive though, appearance, including hairstyle, does have an affect on what job you'll get and how much you get paid.

Gender discrimination in pay is everywhere though--even at my job. But that is another story. :)

[dropinthebucket]

Just saw Drop Dead Gorgeous again - i forgot what a great and funny movie this is!! (and all poking fun at the beauty industry!:) And at the end of the film, Amber Atkins (Kirsten Dunst) trades her BSL, "teen princess" hair for a short, coloured, sleek "professional" style when she gets a job as a TV anchorwoman!

[Nightshade]

Going from personal experience, no. I have Classic hair that's always worn up and I am just as (and in most cases more) respected as the many people I work with who have the standard-issue ear-to-shoulder-length bob (with option of sideswept bangs).

I think it has a LOT more to do with how you dress, how you carry yourself, and how valuable you make yourself.

I'm seen as offbeat but professional, creative as hell, with a great grasp of scope, detail and the big picture all at once. I've been pulled into CEO level meetings to help brainstorm ideas (and in the company I'm 6 tiers down on the food chain from the CEO, so not nearly in a position where this would be the norm).

I know, anecdotal evidence is anecdotal, but I know I'm held in more esteem and am paid more than people I work with that are my age, have similar experience, and happen to have short hair.

[bumblebums]

Ooh, ooh, this is exciting! I did a little bit of digging into the sociological research on this, and there is apparently a TON of it out there on the subject of this thread. A couple of choice quotes, with links and citations:

Heilman and Stopeck (1985) "Attractiveness and Corporate Success: Different Causal Attributions for Males and Females," 70 Journal of Applied Psychology 379-380. (http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/apl/70/2/379/)

"The more an individual is viewed as having masculine attributes, the better the perceived fit between the individual's characteristics and the job requirements and the more favorable is the prognosis for on-the-job success."

Rosette and Dumas (2007) The Hair Dilemma: Conform to Mainstream Expectations or Emphasize Racial Identity, Duke Journal of Gender Law and Policy 14, pp. 407-408 (https://students.law.duke.edu/shell/cite.pl?14+Duke+J.+Gender+L.+&+Pol'y+407#H2N2).

"On the one hand, the most valued characteristics in corporate settings--competitiveness, ambition, aggressiveness, and competence--are typically associated with men. As a result, women may not want to groom themselves in a manner that would highlight their femininity or attractiveness. On the other hand, conventionally attractive women tend to make more money and receive more job offers and promotions."

The latter article goes on to discuss the many complicated factors that play into hair styling decisions of minority women--quite interesting!

If the links above do not work for you, you might have to try them on a computer in a public library or (even better) a university library.