Native American with Long Hair, Is It Okay?

Okay so I'm going to be a Sophomore at a target school. I hope to be interviewing for IB analyst positions this fall when they come to campus. However, I have hair that is long enough to be tied back into a bun--which is how I currently wear it.

I know that normally this is taboo in finance but I feel my situation may be different since I'm Native American. I was wondering if my hair would put me at a disadvantage in interviews or, possibly, even an advantage since everybody is so afraid of being discriminatory nowadays. Would they like my hair to be kind of a poster-child for diversity?

31 Comments
 
Best Response

Yes, but as someone else said here, be sure to mention your tribe experience in your resume (unless your name makes it clear) so that they know you're Native American and not a Pakistani trying to look cool with a man bun or something. You never want to let someone assume the worst.

Edit: Thanks for the monkey shit. If you don't think there are ignorant ass interviewers out there, you're probably still in highschool.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

guaranteed this guy is getting so many 'views' on Linkedin and will never understand why.

"It is better to have a friendship based on business, than a business based on friendship." - Rockefeller. "Live fast, die hard. Leave a good looking body." - Navy SEAL
 

You are fine. Your average nerdy interviewer won't care as long as you are well put together otherwise and have your hair cleanly tied and put up. If anyone asks, just mention it is religious and everyone will definitely shut up. Seriously, make sure to reference something about your tribe experience in your "about me" section of the interview, and it will remove all doubt.

 

Your status as a Native American will likely have a positive effect on your ability to be recruited given the extent to which Native Americans are considered a minority (less that 1% of most college communities). Furthermore, if you incorporate into your interview how your life experiences as a Native American will allow you to thrive in banking it will only be to your benefit.

 

As long as you wash your hair regularly, you'll be fine. The last thing they want is a multi million dollar lawsuit and negative media coverage for discriminating a Native American.

Never discuss with idiots, first they drag you at their level, then they beat you with experience.
 

I disagree, it's not like a client is going to refuse to work with someone who has his hair in a bun. As long as you have the proper credentials and a solid work ethic you'll be fine.

 
"354231"

I disagree, it's not like a client is going to refuse to work with someone who has his hair in a bun. As long as you have the proper credentials and a solid work ethic you'll be fine.

It's about not sticking your thumb in people's eye. Long hair is cool for hippies or baristas. Keep it short. And religious beliefs are a clown excuse anyway. The sky monkey isn't going to car about your long hair.

 

Unless it's for religious purposes I would err on the side of safety and get a more conservative haircut. Just because you are one race or another it doesn't afford you special treatment...

"Well, you know, I was a human being before I became a businessman." -- George Soros
 

I'm reading In the Spirit of Crazy Horse right now. Fascinating

Well kept, neatly bunned long hair would be preferable to some of the greasy, poorly styled short cuts I've interviewed in my day

 

Unless there is a religious, tribal, or some other reason to maintain long hair, why not just cut it? Is it worth losing an interview over? I would err on the side of caution and chop it off and clean it up...If I were interviewing you, I may be thinking the same thing, it's such a small price to pay to ensure it wont create any sort of bias.

I never understand why people go to interviews looking anything less than clean cut. It's all extremely important non-verbal communication. Again - in the event your long hair is just a personal preference - cut it. Why risk anything. Good luck.

 

If you have long hair, there is a reasonable chance that some older interviewer may dislike it. If you have short hair, you reduce your risk. It is very doubtful that someone would prefer that you have long hair. The smart thing to do would be to just cut your hair.

 

I'm doing a summer internship at MBB out of business school and have a beard (short and well trimmed, not a mountain man beard). Before my interview I asked a friend in consulting if I should shave it. He gave the answer many here did: don't take the risk, shave it.

I decided that if they didn't want me because I had facial hair I wasn't interested. It's not a part of my identity but I'm laid back and not interested in people who care more about appearances than ability.

You may feel differently but that's my perspective and it worked out well. I should note this was a southern office, not New York. If I wanted to work in NYC or Boston I probably would have shaved it because I feel like there is more emphasis on appearances/tradition there.

 

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