We can’t say whether it’s the rise of the hipster or Hollywood’s renewed interest in the classically masculine, hirsute male, but the beard is having quite the resurgence in popularity.
And perhaps more interesting why beards have made a comeback is the potential impact. For instance, what can sporting a beard do for a job seeker?
Sociobiologically speaking, beards symbolize maturity, so among young applicants, those sporting beards may be favored over clean-shaven candidates of the same age. Facial hair can also give men a dominant, intimidating, fearless, and even fearsome appearance, so if the candidate in question is pursuing a role that requires initiative and nerve, a beard may give the hiring authority the exact right impression of him.
Unkempt beards, however, can send a message all their own – namely that the candidate is eccentric or over-compensating.
The HR person or hiring manager’s perception depends entirely on the type of candidate they’re seeking and their own personal bias or cultural framework, of course, but since beards are in vogue at the moment, wearing a beard to the interview may be worth a shot.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
