Fellow women, I love experimenting with my hair as much as the rest of you. Since I was sixteen, my hair has been approximately four different colors and three different styles. I’m currently in the midst of figuring out what my next hair venture will be. But, as with everything, there’s a time and place, and let me tell you a job interview is not the time or the place to be experimenting with your hair. Just like there’s job interview appropriate clothing, there’s also job interview appropriate hair. On the bright side, this doesn’t have to be boring! You can shake it up a bit with these fifteen stunning job interview hairstyles.
Keeping It Out of Your Face
According to Helen Fisher, PhD, “hair in your eyes could indicate that you have something to hide.”
1. French Braid
- Brush out your hair to ensure there’s no knots
- Gather your hair at the top of your head
- Divide this hair into three sections
- Start crossing the sections
- Add hair to a section
- Add hair to the other section
- Keep doing this until you reach the end of your hair
Watch a tutorial on how to French braid hair, courtesy of Luxy Hair.
2. Regular Braid
- Brush out your hair to ensure there’s no knots
- Divide hair into three sections
- Cross one section with the middle section
- Cross the other section with the middle
- Keep doing this until you read the end of your hair
3. Side Braid
Same steps as a regular braid (above), however pull your hair to the side of your preference before you start braiding.
4. Ponytail
- Use a brush to smooth hair to ensure there are no flyaways and no bumps
- Hold hair tight while wrapping a hair tie that matches your hair color
5. Half-Up
- Gather half of your hair at the top of your head. Use the pick of a comb to ensure a straight division between this half of your hair and the other half of your hair
- Use a brush to smooth this hair to ensure everything is smooth
- Hold hair tight while wrapping a hair tie that matches your hair color
6. One-Side Clipped Back
- On a side of your choice, take a piece of your hair on the top of your head
- Braid or twist the piece your holding until it’s about two inches back
- Secure with bobby pins.
7. Sock Bun
- Make sure you have a sock with the toes cut out, or a foam bun doughnut
- Pull your hair into a ponytail on top of your head; the above ponytail instructions apply
- Start at the end of your ponytail and start rolling the bun
- Set the bun on the top of your head. Secure with bobby pins.
Watch a tutorial on how to make a sock bun, courtesy of defrumpmeamber.
8. Side Bun
- Create a deep part in your hair on the opposite side you want your bun to be
- Gather your hair to the side you want your bun to be on
- Form the bun; you may use a bun shaper, make a braid, or simply twist the hair around your finger to make a spiral you can wrap around
9. Low Knot Bun
- Create a middle part in the back of your hair
- Knot your hair as you would shoelaces; do this twice
Hide your ends underneath the knot you created - Tame any flyaways with bobby pins
Letting Your Hair Down
If you promise not to play with your hair in an interview, wearing your hair down is okay.
10. Classic Bob
- Part hair in the center or on the side
- Style as desired i.e. curl, straighten or wave as you wish
11. Zigzag Bob
- Place the point of a comb at the front of you hair
- Slide the comb back and forth from side to side in a zig zag motion; the choice is yours as to how big or small you’d like the zig zags
12. Loose Curls
- Part your hair as desired and section off your hair
- With a 1.5 inch curling iron, wrap small sections of your hair around the curling iron and hold for 20 seconds
- Release the iron while keeping the curl coiled in your hand
- Do this to all sections
- Hairspray, hairspray, hairspray
Watch a tutorial on curling your hair with a straightener, courtesy of The Style Blog.
13. Straight
- Part your hair as desired and section off your hair
- With a straightener, start at the roots of your hair and slowly move down
- Repeat to all sections
14. Wavy
If your hair has a natural wave, use it to your advantage and showcase it on your interview. Use a wave enhancer such as Wonder Waves from Garnier.
15. Natural
Embrace your natural beauty! If your hair is naturally curly, leave it curly. If your hair is straight, leave it straight. If it’s something in the middle, leave it that way. Simply make sure that it’s not frizzy by using a serum such as John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease.
Keeping It Simple
When it comes to job interviews, you want to come off as low maintenance. Do not do anything fancy to your hair, and do not try anything trendy. Keep it classy and simple. Please also keep your hair a natural color; a hiring manager does not want an employee with hot pink hair. Additionally, you want to be comfortable in a job interview, so keep this in mind when picking a hairstyle. Remember, you only get one time to make a first impression.