Hey Guys,
I interned all summer in PE. I received an offer, but didn't take it because it was FoF and I'm pretty set on doing IBD. Anyways, that was about a month ago and since then I have grown a sick beard. I have been getting laid more, which leads me to believe that girls like my beard. Personally I really like my beard - it is well trimmed and fits very well with my leather jacket.
Anyways, full time recruiting has started and I have some first round interviews around the corner. Will I automatically be dinged if I keep my beard? I was thinking of sharing my passion of having a beard with recruiters and explaining how I would be willing to shave it for a full time offer. I've met a few BSDs on Wall Street that had beards - I'm pretty sure one of the founders of Parella Weinberg has a beard.
Seriously - how bad is having a beard? Its like a well trimmed beard - think four weeks of growth time approximately. Also, my suit and tie game is very on point - can that compensate for having a beard? I know some people will post: Do you want a job in banking or do you want a beard? In all honesty, I want both.
Also, if any of you guys are recruiters or VP level + at any bank and share my passion of having a beard - feel free to PM me. I would gladly take the time to connect and talk about how awesome having a beard is. Oh and if your firm supports beards please hire me - I have mad formatting skills.
That being said, this post was way too long for nothing and I apologize.
TLDR: Can you interview with a beard or not?
Nope. I do know some guys in a boutique who have them.
Otherwise shave the beard and then buy yourself a new one later. My contact would probably tear me a new one if I showed up to meet with him wearing a beard.
You're not going to get a job BECAUSE you have a beard, but you can certainly NOT get a job by walking into an interview with a beard.
Play it safe. Shave it for recruiting season but regrow it and make it even more epic once you actually get an offer and start your employment.
SB - I like the way you think
If you have to ask your beard isn't good enough to keep
I don't see a problem with having a beard. If anything it will make your interviewers remember you. Maybe don't bring up your passion for beards, unless asked. If you think you look good with it, I'd keep it. Also get a good haircut then and make sure you dress sharp.
In terms of my reaction to interview candidates and junior people at work who sport beards, it's a question of whether they have the personality, self-confidence and delivery to pull it off.
The first and last part is the most important. If you're mainly relying on self-confidence, likely you'll come across as an arrogant guy who thinks way too much of himself.
If the kid can interact with me and others in a way that makes us think that he's got a decent mixture of charm, self-assurance, humility and a whole host of other variable factors, then overall the guy likely comes out of it better than if he had not heard. It's more than OK, it's part of the package that makes us like him.
But predicting what sort of combination of traits can pull of a beard well is pretty much impossible. Two different beardos can present completely different personalities and still score well.
Similar story for kids with pocket squares or other quirky stuff (well, quirky at a junior level). If you can do it in one of the many right ways and take the ribbing that others will give you in the right way, then it's a plus.
However, I've also seen people who've done it badly.
Facial hair in Private Equity? (Originally Posted: 04/30/2014)
Lame but unfortunately a very important question for me right now. How are beards perceived in the PE world in the US? I work in Asia and I have a pretty neat beard (a very well maintained one at that) but will now be heading to the US and wanted to understand how the average guy in the PE industry regards it.
I am aware that there were discussions in this forum on this subject 5-6 years back, wanted to check in if anything has changed now
What would have changed? .... None of my Asian friends can grow beards, props to you!
Thanks, but was hoping that given how big boys like Icahn and Bankfien have started sporting beards, they wouldn't be taboo anymore.
Also it has worked wonders in boosting my overall sex appeal so would hate to lose my mojo in the states!
If it looks good, its fine. If it looks like shit, cut it off.
If he thought it looked like shit why would he have kept it for this long/thought about keeping it going forward anyway?
IMO, in the US... no. No beard. Shave it off. I can count the people I've met in the industry with facial hair on one hand.
You can totally rock a beard in private equity if you want to end up doing corp development for groupon in t+2 years
I think in HF it's fine but in PE the partners will daydream of cutting your face off.
Shave it off if you're not going in at a high level. Unless you work at a tech focused fund in the Bay Area or maybe an infrastructure fund where there will be engineers, younger guys won't have beards and while conformity stinks some times, you don't need to stand out for something like a beard when you're younger. You can regrow it once you're older and make Principal/MD. Blanfein or Icahn can get away with it because they're the top dogs. Hell, they could come in with a mohawk and no one would say anything (well, I doubt Blankfein could...).
I have a beard but keep it well trimmed. I'm planning on shaving once I get into a larger firm. Not looking forward to it, as the beard keeps me from looking like a child and also keeps my face from getting oily.
haha i think it's fine
Can you picture Randy Orton structuring PE deals? Is yes, grow a similar beard. If no, shave.
I work with a post-MBA associate at a US megafund. He has neatly groomed facial hair and it has never been a topic of discussion.
Thanks all, I guess it's all over for my awesome whiskers given the all important need to conform. Damn, I wish there were some real men in US PE.
Beard or no Beard for PE interview (Originally Posted: 10/30/2014)
I am going to PE interview. Do I remove my beard or is good enough to have it well trimmed.? does this even amtter
I would go no beard just to be conservative, you never know
It matters. Some people think anything other than a scorched earth, razor-burn inducing shave is unacceptable. Don't risk it, the beard will grow back.
Shave the beard, Al Borland. You can grow it back when you are in the PE club.
Shave the beard, Al Borland. You can grow it back when you are in the PE club.
@"Dingdong08"
It's safer to just shave it. Personally I like to wear a beard but I don't because it's simply not super accepted in PE. I'll usually grow one over vacations and shave it when I have an important meeting upon return. It doesn't mean you can't have one, but I'd definitely shave it for interviews. If/when you start, get a lay of the land culture wise and ask yourself if it's cool to grow a beard. It won't be an issue at all at some places and it will be among the senior guys at others. Personally I wouldn't care if a younger had one or grew one but I know other guys around my level who would have an issue.
Hey, Keeping a beard is not wrong at all. I don not think there would be any problem with your beard if it properly trimmed. There are various professional beard styles like French beard, Full closure and many more. One of my friends is a businessman and he looks stunning with his beard which he has maintained by using products of Beardilizer, Honest Amish, Mountaineer Brand etc. So, I think you do not need to bother about your beard.
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