My hair is dyed.. Job interview

[mallerina87]

I have been an Outpatient Obstetrics nurse for 2 years, and neither tattoo nor hair color has never been a strict policy at any place that I have worked. However, I am applying to a new position at a hospital, and the ends of my hair has been recently dyed a fuschia color. My natural hair color is black/deep brown. This fuschia color will likely fade considerably in about 4 weeks, but I was curious to see what everyone's opinion is on whether this could effect my chances of getting the job. I haven't yet landed an in-person interview, but my phone interview is next week.

Some things I was considering... I might tie/pin my hair up in a way where the pink/fuschia part is mostly hidden. I might also be truthful about the color that my workplace has no such policy and that I plan on washing it out in a few weeks. Or I may just dye it back, although this was professionally colored, so that would really suck to have wasted that money. Should I just bite the bullet and dye it back? What do you think?

[Extra Pickles]

I say... if you're confident and good as well as you are backed up by strong recommendations/references. You have nothing to worry about. I think your hair and body ink shouldn't matter.

And I'd say you have a very idealistic view of the employment process. It's idealistic to say that hair and body ink shouldn't matter, and I happen to agree with you. But reality is that it does frequently matter and you don't know to whom. Maybe the hiring manager will not care about the pink and will go only off of glowing recommendations. Maybe the hiring manager is on the fence about it but knows that some others DO NOT like it and then the decision is made to skip the problem and hire someone else. And maybe the hiring manager doesn't like it and it colors her view of the applicant (pun unintended). Why throw a monkey wrench into the mix that does not need to be there? Why potentially antagonize when it is completely unnecessary?

If anyone is going through the interview process who doesn't much care if he gets the job then I say by all means use yourself as a social experiment and see if you get hired or not. For most people who get an interview, they want the job and should plan accordingly.

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

Personal opinions aside (I think someone can have dyed hair and tattoos and be more professional than someone without), the reality is that this is completely dependent on each facility. I have worked in hospitals where tattoos, piercings, and unnatural hair colors were an absolute no, and I have worked in hospitals where it is written in the policy that it is okay as long as it is not offensive in regards to the tattoos.

That being said, unless you know the policy and culture of the facility you are interviewing for then you should definitely play it safe. Don't just try to hide as much pink hair as you can - hide all of it. Even for a hospital that allows it, all it takes is the wrong impression during your interview for you not to get the job so I would minimize my risks as much as possible.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I say... if you're confident and good as well as you are backed up by strong recommendations/references. You have nothing to worry about. I think your hair and body ink shouldn't matter.

Perhaps YOU think it should not matter; but it doesn't matter what YOU think unless you're in the position of actually hiring her. It DOES matter to many of the people who are doing the hiring, therefore it should matter to the OP.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Perhaps YOU think it should not matter; but it doesn't matter what YOU think unless you're in the position of actually hiring her. It DOES matter to many of the people who are doing the hiring, therefore it should matter to the OP.

Agreed. There's the common saying: "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." With rare exception, unnatural hair colors, tattoos and other body modifications are things in their potential hires that don't necessarily impress during hospital interviews...even if the interviewing manager is sporting burgundy hair, nose rings and/or visible ink themselves. As OP is the one seeking the job, OP needs to carefully consider how she wants to proceed.

And I'm sure someone out there will bring up the D-word so let me say it now: it wouldn't be discrimination if OP didn't get the job because of her pink hair color, as hair color isn't a protected job class :)

[Libby1987]

I never really care for the whole "lives I've saved" spiel but I wish it was my opinion the cashier had asked for about the girl with the rainbow hair. It's not my style either but how fun and cheery it is on those it is. One day it will be a non issue and we'll be onto another thing to be offended by.

Not sure why the link changed to "comments" but click on it.

Comments

OP, I wouldn't interview with brightly colored hair due to the reality we currently live in.

[desertace]

Its more of a hospital policy thing, at a hospital in Reno named Renown thier color is purple, I'vs seen nurses with purple hair and it was fine. It depends on the hospital, ask HR.

[AJJKRN]

Not everyone has the luxury of approaching their career with such casualness. The best chances of getting the job will go to people with reasonably normal colored hair - whether you like that reality or not. You get the job first and worry about your hair color second, thats how adults live.

This train of thought is what leads to ageism and younger people thinking that we older people won't be able to "get with the program" because we'll be too slow or won't be able to deal with change. I'm not saying to show up in sweatpants, tank top, and flip flops. I must have thought we were in the twenty first century when I wrote this...and that we are all entitled to our opinions. My bad

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

This train of thought is what leads to ageism and younger people thinking that we older people won't be able to "get with the program" because we'll be too slow or won't be able to deal with change. I'm not saying to show up in sweatpants, tank top, and flip flops. I must have thought we were in the twenty first century when I wrote this...and that we are all entitled to our opinions. My bad

I've read this through several times and I'm not getting how giving advice about what employers look at while interviewing is ageism. (I even went and looked it up to see what I was missing)

Are you assuming that only mature (older) managers would dislike colored hair... or that anyone with colored hair is young??

If it's the facilities policy, then the age of the employee/employer manager does not matter.

[AJJKRN]

I've read this through several times and I'm not getting how giving advice about what employers look at while interviewing is ageism. (I even went and looked it up to see what I was missing)

Are you assuming that only mature (older) managers would dislike colored hair... or that anyone with colored hair is young??

If it's the facilities policy, then the age of the employee/employer manager does not matter.

I was just using the term loosely in response to how old school but also how narrow minded that the responding poster was being towards my response. They just seemed (to me) to come out of left field with no appreciation of how our world has evolved. We don't live in the same world that we lived in even ten years ago as far as hair color and tattoos in the workplace are concerned.

I think it really depends on where the OP lives as to whether or not the hair will be a big deal. Areas of California may be less reserved than say Deep South Arkansas.

Sheesh, I just suggested to call HR and find out how conservative the workplace is. Putting the OP's hair up in a bun is an awesome idea.

[Extra Pickles]

hey mallerina, have you had your interview yet? What did you do and how did it go?

[topazann]

I just googled Fuchsia and found that it last trend 2017 http://newaylook.com/best-purple-and-blue-hair-ideas/ By the way my sister has navy blue hair for a while last summer. She also has an asymmetrical cut, and the sides of her head shaved, with a little design shaved in, and no one at her job has said anything, other that a remark each time a new design is shaved in, about how awesome it is. She is in government, in a generally conservative field, but I've noticed lately things have been loosening in terms of hair and tattoos, especially with younger employees. (She is in her late 30s, so roughly her age and down)

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

My facility has banned any hair color that is not found naturally... be sure this one is not one of them!!!