Facial hair/beard in Commercial Real Estate

Just curious if anyone has facial hair/beard in CRE. Typically our business is a very old school and from what I have seen, everyone is clean shaven. I've maybe met a handful of brokers who have facial hair. Do you think its acceptable (obviously kept up and trimmed nicely) in our business? Thoughts?

24 Comments
 

In the south if it matters, but I'd bet 30-40% of people have either a beard or purpose-grown stubble. This is universal too - developers, lenders, equity guys, brokers, etc. Beards have been pretty common the last, what - 5-10 years?

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

At a major brokerage shop in Texas. There are a couple people in our office that have beards but none of them are client facing.

 

Really think it depends on your confidence and how well put together you look. Again, I do not work at an institutional shop so it may be different. I have facial hair and have never run into any problems over it. Met with many, many, many people at a wide variety of companies out West and it's not uncommon.

I have facial hair too. I trim it daily so it never looks out of place.

“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” - Nassim Taleb
 

I'd shave. It's like the other thread that asked "should I wear a tie to an interview?" There's 0 upside from not shaving, and all the downside, in case someone thinks you should have.

Array
 

I worked in a PE CRE shop on the west coast and I'd say a third of the guys had facial hair, but I had a friend who did the same thing on the east coast in NY and he said everyone was clean shaven in his office. I think that it is different from place to place and you kinda have to feel it out when you go in. Some firms are more relaxed and some are more old school. I believe that it is becoming more of a norm to have facial hair and most places are relaxing their policy/view on it.

Love, abigreguy
 

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