As-Is: Job Hunting Au Naturale

Each time I meet with a client, or go to a job interview I have long straight tresses. They cascade down my back. They float in the wind. They come off at night.

I wear wigs.

While I enjoy changing my appearance, I also enjoy donning my natural tresses. The issue? I'm not sure if Corporate America embraces a foot tall afro. My "foxxy cleopatra" can easily be viewed as a "crazy

nappy afra" to employers. While this can be a non-issue for some employers, one never knows when hair is an issue.

This knowledge serves as the catalyst for a more "corporate appropriate" appearance. It's not worth taking the chance of losing a job opportunity when I can increase my chances by putting on a hairy hat for a few hours. Sometime after I have earned respect and tenure, the wig is retired.

I arrive to work with a spongey mass of hair on my head and the comments begin.

I'm flooded with "Oh my God" 's "Can I touch it" 's and "You changed your hair!" 's.

During those moments I outwardly sport a sheepish grin and internally lament over the predictable response to my reveal. I did a bait and switch and everyone thinks I went to the Hair Cuttery. No one understands why I did it. No one understands that the change in my appearance was no more dramatic than a whore dropping her drawers for an expecting John. I knew what I was doing. This story played out for my entire career.

Is it right to feel this way? No. Am I willing to find out if I don't need to? No.

So if you see me with hair blowing in the wind, just know I'm handling business.

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