Teachers: Do employers care about hair color?

Question

Im going to graduate from school in a year, and hopefully I'll be in the schools full time after that.

About the hair: Under a couple of top layers of hair, I have dyed my hair purple, and then the very bottom layers are my natural color. When my hair is down or up in a ponytail, it isnt noticable until I put my hair half up.

My question is: Will my hair color affect the possibility of being hired? Could they ask for a differnt hair color?

Answer 1

I think that your hair color COULD affect the possibility of you being hired.  As much as we all try to pretend that we don't judge each other by our appearances, we do.  It would be nice to believe that you are judged by your presentation/interview but looks are the first impression.  Hair color shouldn't matter, but in our looks driven world unfortunately it might.

Good luck!

Answer 2

If it's underneath shouldnt be too much of a problem just don't have it on show. My sister had bright pink hair on the ends and she's got a job full time as a class teacher in a primary school.

Once you've got the job, let the unconformity begin, there are several teachers in my school with tattoos on show and "unusual" peircings. On of them even has pillar box red hair!

If you LIKE your hair being that colour, don't listen to people who say that you won't get employed because of it, you've said that you're hair isn't noticeable unless it's tied half up. So don't tie it half up and there shouldn't be a problem!

Answer 3

I wouldn't hire you if you had purple hair or multiple piercings.

Answer 4

Most places require employees to have natural hair colors. Even when I worked at the YMCA as a college student at day camp, they required one employee to change her hair from being light brown and a few orange specks to regular brown.

Answer 5

They will never ask you to change your hair color. If it bothers them, they just won't hire you. With any job interview, looking professional is a must, so if you have some doubts about your hair color, I think you should go more natural or professional because it will just make you insecure and less confident during the interview process. I teach and have never seen a fellow teacher with purple hair, but there could be exceptions maybe. I guess if you are OK with putting it up so they can't see it, you always have that option going for you. But, I do think that purple hair could set you back.

Answer 6

Read my answer about finding a job.

I wouldn't do anything to possibly deter me from getting the job.

Answer 7

What student,parent, or administrator is going to take you seriously with purple hair?

please tell me this is a joke. Just change the color back to normal, do yourself a favor.

Answer 8

Depends on the school and the grade level.  In some counties and schools there is such a teacher shortage that it won't matter.  Usually middle and high school principals won't bother you.  If you interview, get hired, and are a good teacher....it probably won't matter!  P.S.  Where you hair down during your interview.

Answer 9

I fully agree with eastacademic.  Your hair won't be an "issue" but then you won't know the real "reason" you didn't get the job.  Was it my hair, or was I just not professional and qualified.  You might go to Jamaica where dredlocks are acceptable.  They might find purple hair "OK" as well.  No, they won't ask you to change your hair color, they would have to hire you first for that.

Answer 10

No one will tell you you have to change your haircolor.  They just won't give you a job.  I've been teaching for over 10 years, and I'm pierced and tatted.  But I didn't walk into an interview displaying any of them!  Most of my co-workers have tattoos, and one of my supervisors has probably 30 to 40% of his body covered.  But you WAIT 'TIL YOU'RE TENURED to let non-conforming stuff show.  And in some districts, you can't show them at all.  You have to wear bandaids or long sleeves or whatever every day.

So, purple hair as an undercolor?  I think it's fine.........once you've been teaching a year or two, and you're pretty confident you're set and staying.  To be even safer, wait 3 years 'til you're tenured.

Answer 11

Keep in mind that the message you have to get across is one of professionalism on the job.  You don't want to broadcast what your off-job lifestyle is while you are at work.  That means that anything unprofessional that can't be covered up is a liability.  If no one can see your hair color, you would be fine, but you will have to pay attention to how you wear it.  It would be the same if you had weird tattoos or piercings all over your face.  If they can't be covered up so that you look like your job is your main focus in life, they will detract.  

Employers are unlikely to ask for another hair color.  They just wouldn't hire you if they saw it as a problem, without necessarily telling you why.  I've seen people fail to get jobs because they failed to wear stockings with their skirts at interviews.

Answer 12

They won't ask you to change - they just wont hire you.

Most administrators are pretty conservative - and I'm in Los Angeles!

Answer 13

Typically there will be a section in the student/teacher handbook that states the rules for hair color.  Usually anything 'unusual' or not natural does not constitute as an appropriate color in the classroom, because it is felt that it distracts from teaching and learning.  

If you want to know specifically how an area feels, you can do some research, but I agree with everyone else that it more than likely will be an issue in your interview.

Answer 14

Well, first impressions are important.

In my case, hair color didn't matter much.

But, I know people who didn't land a job for having quirky dyes.

Depends on the kind of place where you're applying.

If it's a rather conservative workplace, it might cost you the job.

Answer 15

The best thing to consider is are you appropriately dressed and groomed for the job your are trying to get.  In some cases, employers want employees who are more conservative with their hair color and style.  Most employer's won't hire you if the color of your hair is an issue since they have enough people for every position that finding someone without asking you to change your hair color.  So much depends upon where you live and the people who you will serve as an employee. If you a behind the scenes person, you won't need to worry as much but the description of your hair makes me have visions of a bad hair day.  Is purple hair your individual identity and if so, keep it and find a job at a place that is flexible about this type of thing but if you are looking for a waitress position in a high scaled restaurant, you might consider the impression you may make.  It is more important that your hair is neat, clean and that you are dressed appropriately when you drop off your application.  Trust me, there is a little old lady that will see your purple hair and not the skills you have so go looking neat; otherwise, she may toss the application in the trash.  Good luck.

Answer 16

Yes, it could.  You're applying for a professional position, not a clerk at a video store.  You'll be expected to look, dress, and act professionally.  If you are not willing to do that, they likely will not hire you.

Dye your hair a natural color before you start going out on interviews.  It will be very worth it when it comes to getting hired.

Answer 17

The entire layer of my hair underneath is hot pink and I have a streak on the top layer on the right hand side. My other hair is white/blond (I am 50). I interviewed at a college and although the dean was very distracted during the interview, I was hired and am now teaching two classes! I am living proof that it really doesn't matter, of course you may not have an open minded employer as I did. I am also a consultant and oversee teachers at a tutoring center and the owner there had no problem with my hair color. It sounds to me like your hair is discreet and it sounds attractive...I say go for it. My attitude is that you are who you are and if they don't want you for you then you won't be happy there anyway! Good luck.