Visiting with friends over the Christmas holidays an engaged woman stroked her beau’s beard and asked “Where does the hair end and the beard begin?” All it takes for me is a good title. I wrote it down. The following flash story has nothing to do with that holiday visit except the question. Turns out that bias can be found everywhere.
WHERE DOES THE HAIR END & THE BEARD BEGIN?
It was silly, really. Literally the transition is just above a man’s ear lobe.
There may come a time when this knowledge will come in handy. It always is important when heading for a job interview. There is a precise point at where sideburns are “too long.” For some, it is easy, but for those with natural beards it never is. Fact! Not complaint.
On Wednesday, precisely at 8:25 a.m. Will had an interview. Three people would be plying him with questions and evaluating him on poise, presentation, and value to the company. He, not knowing who was the senior decision-maker, had to look at them all during his answers, swiveling his head to match heights and angles with each. Job interviews are high-stakes games and his haircut would play a role. Too short means “too traditional;” too long means “too carefree;” and the transition space also plays a part (not to be funny).
Will decided he would keep his well-trimmed beard. It was a risk, but a strength if played well. He thought it communicated “confidence.” If one interviewer was a balding man or a strong woman it could be a bad move; overplaying his masculinity. If an interviewer were a man with a well-trimmed beard or an open-minded 30 or 40 something female, such a move could signal “I’m worth listening to.”
Fact was, Will had a highly valued degree in the field and several years of experience which matched the position for which he had applied. The reason he had left Franklin Industries had nothing to do with that. There he had felt stifled, restricted, and hindered. He could have transformed Franklin. His ideas were good. He could have expanded the efficiency and profitability. The transformation he imagined had the power to also benefit the employees. It was win-win.
However, middle management is rarely given authority to enact change. Those over him didn’t like change unless it immediately applied to the bottom line. Those working the floor hated change unless it immediately showed up in their wallets.
Will was a visionary who could see a better future and was willing to strive to reach it.
At the end of the interview Will thanked them for their time. He felt good. He believed he had communicated.
Unfortunately, those interviewing him only saw his beard and dismissed his file as “not meeting our goals.”
Copyright 2026 Donald Whelpley
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