Best Response

There's certainly a fucking mile of difference between some of these awful, untrimmed, disgusting sacks of hair some assholes have hanging off their face, and a nicely trimmed beard that's not distracting. Some people look better with one, some don't. You absolutely cannot make a blanket statement due to all the variables involved.

"When you stop striving for perfection, you might as well be dead."
 

Couldn't agree more. I certainly don't let the hipster trend influence my opinion of beards - I think beards were around way longer than hipsters (I know that sounds hipster). JP Morgan had a badass stache. Vanderbilt had wicked sideburns. Carnegie had a well-kept beard. Times have changed, obviously, but who says facial hair won't make a comeback?

If you can grow a decent beard and keep it maintained, I see no issue with one. As I've said in a previous post, if it looks like the straggly hairs on my nutsack, you need to shave that shit off. As PeterMullersKeyboard said, some people look better with a beard, and I don't see anything wrong with that - probably helps their self esteem and confidence and therefore makes them a happier person.

 

Excluding the religious aspect (e.g., sikhs, muslims, among others) it's dependent on preference. As with anything else related to appearance I don't really see an issue as long as it's well groomed and kept just like one's article of clothing. Some folks look better with a beard and others don't. It certainly isn't binary by any means :)

There's a closer meaning to my user name. Try reading it quickly. Perhaps you will then understand ;P
 

The more client facing the role is the more presentable you should be. It is not because everybody else has been doing it since time immemorial, you should do it too. Do it because everybody has been doing it since time immemorial and doing it because of a reason. Everybody would like save five minutes of their daily schedule and use it to sleep 5 more mins (especially when it comes to ibanking), but you need to do it because if your client is paying you a ton, the last thing he wants is his banker to show up looking like the homeless guy he today forgot to through a penny at (even though you might have been driven the whole way up to his office thinking yourself as Tom Cruise).

 

The general rule is the "growing out" phase is never appropriate in investment banking. Having a beard VP and above is doable, though expect to get some shit, and you need to perform very well. It's kind of like wearing aggressive suits - no problem if you're successful otherwise, you're an out of touch, unfocused jackass if not otherwise killing it.

 
Real Marcus Halberstram:
What do you guys think about facial hair in investment banking or in general FO roles, except Trading where do you have less face to face contact with clients/CEO etc.

Yeah definitely don't have a beard. You're gonna have to go with the neckbeard. You'll be notorious.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

It shouldn't make a difference, it's your face after all, so you should do with it as you please. And for some people, like Sikhs, there's no choice. Their religion requires that they do not shave.

However, whether we like it or not, there are some biases that exist in the workplace (even if some of them seem archaic, illogical, discriminatory). And there are a few employers who are biased against facial hair.

But I doubt there are any employers who are biased against the clean shaven. I would recommend just playing it safe considering what you are hoping to achieve in LinkedIn at this point in your life.

Bear in mind also that the occasional person viewing your profile may associate beards with muslims / Amish / hill billies / whatever. And that could skew their impression of you (depending on which of those they are biased against).

If you're looking to impress employers you want the focus on your qualifications / talents / achievements. You don't want them distracted, however subconsciously, with judgemental issues that could be triggered by your fashion choices.

 
TheKing:
I often keep a beard. For trimming, I use a Phillips Norelco Multigroom.

Honestly, I love having a beard and hate the idea of shaving for any job or anything like that.

I looked at that one, and then I decided to be a cheap ass. Way to go me.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
FinancialNoviceII:
I love keeping a beard and I hate shaving. Have to do it unfortunately for work. I can usually go about 3-4 weeks if not for work and then it starts to itch like crazy.

That's weird, mine stopped itching after about a month. I finally trimmed it down and I swear to god this is the softest my facial hair has been in at least a minute. Maybe a minute and a half.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

I showed up with a tightly trimmed beard my first day and took some crap from the associates and senior analysts for about a week. After that, it hasn't been an issue at all. I make sure to keep it tight and clean, and nobody seems to mind. Still get invited to go to meetings with clients, and the admins in the office have told me i look better with the beard and not to shave it.

All depends on if it works for you. Oddly enough, after coming in with the beard a few others in the office (more senior members of the team) have decided to grow breads as well.

 

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