Will my natural hair prevent me from getting a job in the future?

[cinderfloof]

I'm currently a nursing student, but I've been thinking about the future and my prospects. Right now, I have a naturally curly afro. I love it! I refuse to add extensions, flat-iron, or perm again. Of course I may place it in low buns for work and interviews or twist it into styles. In most jobs people appreciate it because they like the "ethnic" look (yes, people have told me that).

However, I come from a family of nurses and they maintain that I won't be able to get a job unless I straighten my hair. My curls are getting to be a bit too much work, too. I thought about getting dreads. I personally think they'd be beautiful and cost effective in my hair. I don't think they're unprofessional either, but I understand that I still live in white-collar America. It's honestly either that, or cutting my hair off completely.

What do you all think? Should I keep my natural hair, dread it, or cut it all off? Is natural hair a huge factor in job seeking?

[jujubee318]

I am LPN in Mississippi. I graduated from a program in La. In school my natural hair was and is dyed blonde and it was a problem for my teacher to the point where I had to file suit against the school for discrimination. From being told I would not be allowed at clinical with my blonde hair. There were no rules on AA having blonde hair. And she was also AA.

I now reside in Mississippi, I have witness DNP,RN, APRN with hair color, styles that were natural and unnatural colors(reds,Burgundy, etc).

Here, no one cares about your hair color or style,as long as its clean,doesn't interfere with your work. And that isn't just nursing homes, its hospitals and all.

So I guess unfortunately, from MY OWN personal experience, its where you live and work.

20 years ago, when my mom became a RN, braids were considered to "ethnic" at the hospital she worked at in North La where we are from. Now, its perfectly fine.

Rock your fro, Mine was TWA then,now its a real fro, and I love it. Also, crochets styles are in and a very good protective, quick and inexpensive styles to maintain.

Best of luck in school!

[Wannabenurseneko]

I myself am black female and have natural hair. Unlike you I have loose curly hair,which would probably let me fly under the radar, but I have seen in some black nurses and CNAS with Afros and they looked very beautiful . It really depends on where you are going to work,because there are some nursing homes, that don't want their black female workers to have Afros . I think the dread locks might be a big iffy,and I would just ask them ahead of time just to be safe . I also know a black nurse in the hospital that wears a wig over her natural hair, and weaves ,but for her I think it's a choice ,because I've seen many black women with their natural hair . I say wear it natural , just check with the job ahead of time, that way you won't waste your time.

Although what your family said has some truth in it, (depending on place or state) I think they told you that to scare you into straightening your hair again. When I first went natural my mother had tried to scare me so I would go back to getting relaxers .

[needlesmcgeeRN, ASN, RN]

Any hiring manager who would pass someone over for a position based upon their absolutely perfectly natural hair being "ethnic" should NOT be a hiring manager.

[TruvyNurse]

I wish more African American women would rock their beautiful natural hair! As long as its tidy and clean (I'm sure it is!) an employer should not have an issue with it. I had a girl in my nursing class who wore her hair natural and never had an issue during school or landing a job.

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

One of my favorite trauma chiefs has a glorious and beautifully styled 'fro; one of our senior neurology residents also sports an impressive 'fro but more freestyle. A few of our nurses, both XX and XY, have evolving 'fros.

Being a PPP (pasty pale person) with loose, loopy ringlets of thin, wispy hair, I am very envious of my colleagues of African descent. I sported an impressive mushroom 'fro back in the 70's which, even with youth on my side, was gravitationally challenged. If I could sprout a head of Dr. J's ABA 'do, I'd rock that in a heartbeat.

[Wiggly Litchi]

One of my favorite trauma chiefs has a glorious and beautifully styled 'fro; one of our senior neurology residents also sports an impressive 'fro but more freestyle. A few of our nurses, both XX and XY, have evolving 'fros.

Being a PPP (pasty pale person) with loose, loopy ringlets of thin, wispy hair, I am very envious of my colleagues of African descent. I sported an impressive mushroom 'fro back in the 70's which, even with youth on my side, was gravitationally challenged. If I could sprout a head of Dr. J's ABA 'do, I'd rock that in a heartbeat.

Me too!! I've got some awesome African American colleagues and friends who have amazing hairstyles, and I'm like... oh it's ponytail day for me *again* haha. I can't even clip it up because it's so fine that the clips just fall out, and if I put product on it, it frizzes (and not in the cool way!)

[sushiiphile]

How badly do you want to get hired?

Hiring managers do not know you, so first impressions are important. Some may not care how your hair looks. But what if you are interviewed by a hiring manager who is conservative? To play it safe, go for a look that is not distracting. You want them to focus on you and what you're saying, not your outfit or hair. I am Asian and if I went to a job interview with my "ethnic" look, which means leaving my long, straight hair down, it would look unprofessional. That's why I put it up on those occasions.

I notice that some of the people who responded said they have colleagues (LVNs, RNs and MDs alike) who are sporting large afros in the workplace. They can do that because they already have the job. They have proven themselves to be good at their job and so how they put up their hair is not important, as long as it does not interfere with patient care. I wonder if they sported the same appearance at the job interview, before they got the job. I think someone else on this thread said that they used to flat-iron their hair but stopped after a few weeks into the job. So why don't you do that. Wait until you have the job and then let your hair down, or up.

So, to play it SAFE, I recommend going for a look that can be generalized to both (conservative or non-conservative) types of interviewers. Then go crazy afterwards.

Also, I classify job interviews as special occasions. And people normally dress up (shave, fix their hair, etc.) for special occasions, don't they? Dressing up and fixing your hair for a special occasion does not necessarily mean you are concealing your ethnicity or hiding your true self.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Dressing up and fixing your hair for a special occasion does not necessarily mean you are concealing your ethnicity or hiding your true self.[/Quote]

It also doesn't mean she has to alter what God gave her. Any tidy hairstyle will suffice -- no need to use chemicals until she's "proven herself."

[Swellz]

Your relatives might know from experience that there's discrimination during the hiring process in your area, hence their advice. I've worked with black women with various natural hairstyles, including dreads. I'd like to tell you to do whatever you like to your hair, and that as long as it's groomed nicely during an interview you won't have a problem. But, if your gut is telling you one particular hairstyle is going to cause you problems vs another, you have to weight the pros/cons. Maybe if you are near graduating and the whole hiring process, just wait a few months before changing styles? I'm sorry you even have to think this way.

[ToFNPandBeyond]

As a nurse who, too, has rocked a fro, braids, and now locs, while nursing, it's not the hairstyle so much that will prevent you from getting employed, it's your confidence/ professionalism/their own bias/professionalism, and last, your skills, that matters.

Clearly, some of this is within your control and some is not. But you must ask yourself, if you are willing to change yourself to fit into the mold of a "white collar" society, where does changing who your are end? You may very well get lost in trying to fit a mold that has told many of us that we inherently are not good enough just the way we are, That we become confused and lost on who are identity really is.

If you love your fro, then keep it. You got into nursing school with it, which by your definition, has already defied the belief that your family has about acceptance and your natural hair. Please learn to create internal boundaries within yourself that you will not allow anyone, including those close to you, to violate, just for acceptance. You will always be on the losing end of the stick.

[ToFNPandBeyond]

How badly do you want to get hired?

Hiring managers do not know you, so first impressions are important. Some may not care how your hair looks. But what if you are interviewed by a hiring manager who is conservative? To play it safe, go for a look that is not distracting. You want them to focus on you and what you're saying, not your outfit or hair. I am Asian and if I went to a job interview with my "ethnic" look, which means leaving my long, straight hair down, it would look unprofessional. That's why I put it up on those occasions.

I notice that some of the people who responded said they have colleagues (LVNs, RNs and MDs alike) who are sporting large afros in the workplace. They can do that because they already have the job. They have proven themselves to be good at their job and so how they put up their hair is not important, as long as it does not interfere with patient care. I wonder if they sported the same appearance at the job interview, before they got the job. I think someone else on this thread said that they used to flat-iron their hair but stopped after a few weeks into the job. So why don't you do that. Wait until you have the job and then let your hair down, or up.

So, to play it SAFE, I recommend going for a look that can be generalized to both (conservative or non-conservative) types of interviewers. Then go crazy afterwards.

Also, I classify job interviews as special occasions. And people normally dress up (shave, fix their hair, etc.) for special occasions, don't they? Dressing up and fixing your hair for a special occasion does not necessarily mean you are concealing your ethnicity or hiding your true self.

I find it interesting that you are giving an opinion regarding how she should "play it safe" and "conservative" in styling her hair in a way that is not "distracting". Although there are many troubling things I could dissect by your post, what I will say is it not as easy as straightening or putting it in a ponytail if one has very coorifice hair that will 1. Either not go in a ponytail easily or 2. Will get damanaged by drastic manipulation such as straightening. AA hair is different from Asian hair, so you're really not in a position to tell her what she should do with her hair.

Finally, she shouldn't be made to feel she needs to assimilate to be accepted. She's already gotten this far going into nursing school alone with her fro. There are other ways she could modify her hairstyle if she so chooses while still maintain a fro (which, like any other persons hair that values cleanliness, is always clean). Some examples are headbands, braids, etc.

And yes, I am proof that a fro will get you a job.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I find it interesting that you are giving an opinion regarding how she should "play it safe" and "conservative" in styling her hair in a way that is not "distracting". Although there are many troubling things I could dissect by your post, what I will say is it not as easy as straightening or putting it in a ponytail if one has very coorifice hair that will 1. Either not go in a ponytail easily or 2. Will get damanaged by drastic manipulation such as straightening. AA hair is different from Asian hair, so you're really not in a position to tell her what she should do with her hair.

Finally, she shouldn't be made to feel she needs to assimilate to be accepted. She's already gotten this far going into nursing school alone with her fro. There are other ways she could modify her hairstyle if she so chooses while still maintain a fro (which, like any other persons hair that values cleanliness, is always clean). Some examples are headbands, braids, etc.

And yes, I am proof that a fro will get you a job.

Right?? She's not talking about letting her hair be a home for the fleas, a hive for the buzzin' bees/here mama there mama everywhere daddy daddy haaaaaaaaaaiiiiir....

My Scandinavian self even cringed at that advice.