Hairstyle for Interviewing

[DonStracci]

Odd question but I'll ask it anyways:

So let's say you are a female with wavy/curly hair, that is a bit unruly but generally looks nice. However, you can spend an hour in the morning to straighten it and make it look very professional, albeit quite different from the usual.

Would you straighten it for the pre-interview dinner and and again in the morning for the interview, to look more professional? Or let it be curly?

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[RTrain]

I've got curly hair that, like yours, can be nuts but looks pretty good. I straightened it for residency interviews, and it was a big headache but it looked classy. For fellowship interviews I didn't want to get up that early, so I left it curly and pulled the front up in a big barrette so it wouldn't hang in my face, and it looked great. I was happier with the curly because I felt more like myself, and had gotten to sleep in.

 

[Long Dong]

I like faux hawks myself.

 

[buckley]

I have always envied women with curly hair. I think it looks very classy pulled back in a simple ponytail🙂

 

[roja]

There is nothing 'unprofessional' about curly hair. I have very unruly curly hair that is very hit-or-miss on looking good (at least in my mind).

Just pull it back in a simple style. There is no need to torture yourself with straightening it.

that said, you should do what will make you feel at your best. Your being comfortable with how you look is most important.

 

[fuzzyerin]

I straightened mine for my residency interviews - but as a fourth year med student, I learned to put on makeup and had a nice haircut at the time, and was routinely straightening. Now, it's back in a ponytail/bun under a scrub cap and when I wear it down, I still hear, "your hair is curly?"

Though when I do fellowship applications next year, I'll probably straighten it again. I agree, I think it looks better. But I wouldn't hold it against anyone on the interview trail - we know that some of us are just stuck with curls.

 

[medicinesux]

Personally I would recommend the GI Jane cut. Would definitely be looked favorably upon by the residency directors as someone who is ready for combat.

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[dragonfly99]

Agree with either pulling it back or straightening it if you have curly hair.
Any long hair you should consider pulling it back, since you don't want to distract anyone and people can be incredibly superficial at times, particularly when it comes to women and how we look.

 

[soulofmpatel]

Odd question but I'll ask it anyways:

So let's say you are a female with wavy/curly hair, that is a bit unruly but generally looks nice. However, you can spend an hour in the morning to straighten it and make it look very professional, albeit quite different from the usual.

Would you straighten it for the pre-interview dinner and and again in the morning for the interview, to look more professional? Or let it be curly?

Hahahahaha. Women seriously spned an hour modifying one aspect of their physical appearance that will only last one day? Really? That's wild. For me, showering is 50/50.

 

[DonStracci]

Hahahahaha. Women seriously spned an hour modifying one aspect of their physical appearance that will only last one day? Really? That's wild. For me, showering is 50/50.

Yes, kind of ridiculous, isn't it? I don't obsess about appearance but I am very conscious of the advantages that an attractive, well-put-together appearance has over a sloppy one. I like taking pride in myself, but my morning routine bit easier if appearances didn't matter at all...

 

[Llenroc]

I don't pay that much attention to women's hairstyles, but I do enjoy the fragrant scent of nice shampoos.

 

[RangerD]

Personally I would recommend the GI Jane cut. Would definitely be looked favorably upon by the residency directors as someone who is ready for combat.

I agree. High speed, low drag. It'll show you are serious.

 

[Acherona]

Agree with either pulling it back or straightening it if you have curly hair.
Any long hair you should consider pulling it back, since you don't want to distract anyone and people can be incredibly superficial at times, particularly when it comes to women and how we look.

I am attending every single one of my interviews with my curly hair au natural, as I always wear it. I have no idea how the excessively-coiffed, fakely straight hair look came into style in the US, or become associated with a "professional" appearance, but it is a huge waste of time and resources IMO, and I simply can't relate to women caring that much about having straight hair that they are willing to expose it to destructively hot irons and chemicals. I let someone straighten my hair once and you know how long it took, about 2 hours. That's just ridiculous. I did not look any better btw, just way more jappy.

 

[Samoa]

My hair is wavy/curly on days that I wash it, but it straightens out when I sleep on it. So I've been washing it for the night-before dinners (if I have time) and shower-capping it while I get ready the next morning for the interviews.

I have very dry hair, so I generally go 2-3 days between shampoos. It takes at least a week to actually look like it needs washing.

The other option was to cut it short, but that would actually be higher maintenance.

 

[medicienne]

I wonder if this has happened to anyone but in one of my interviews, my barrett snapped and my hair came tumling down 🙁 Pretty embarassing

 

[FemmeDentale]

Odd question but I'll ask it anyways:

So let's say you are a female with wavy/curly hair, that is a bit unruly but generally looks nice. However, you can spend an hour in the morning to straighten it and make it look very professional, albeit quite different from the usual.

Would you straighten it for the pre-interview dinner and and again in the morning for the interview, to look more professional? Or let it be curly?

I have curly hair myself, and I agree that straight hair looks more sleek and professional. I straightened my hair before the dinner and left it for the interview day as well. Do you have to wash it again? It's all within 24 hours. Good luck on the interviews