i might have to straighten my hair soon!

[Rapunzel*]

hey ladies im going get another job. i recently applied for a bank and i think i might have to straighten my hair for my interview. its not because im ashamed of who i am, but my twa might be a distraction and i dont want that to be the case at all . I know im different in many ways but i dont want to bring the wrong message. its not like i can pull my hair back in a bun

what do you ladies think................
and what is the best heat protectant that you know works ?
tia

 

[JustKiya]

I'd rock the TWA, personally. If you can't get hired with a TWA (which in my mind is the 'neatest' of all hairstyles) I don't see your future as a natural in that job being very good...... but that's just me.

 

[eunique]

I don't think you need to straighten your hair. If you feel you have to straighten it to keep the job then you'll have to do the same to keep it. Conforming only keeps things complacent.

 

[danigurl18]

i agree with the rest of the ladies!! Don't straigten and rock your TWA with pride

 

[Rapunzel*]

I'd rock the TWA, personally. If you can't get hired with a TWA (which in my mind is the 'neatest' of all hairstyles) I don't see your future as a natural in that job being very good...... but that's just me.

your right i agree with you, i really want this job though. i dnt think the recruiter will work at this bank he/she lives in Sacramento i believe.
i thought abut getting a wig too buts its hot out here

 

[blkbeauty]

I'd rock the TWA, personally. If you can't get hired with a TWA (which in my mind is the 'neatest' of all hairstyles) I don't see your future as a natural in that job being very good...... but that's just me.

ITA! Besides in most cases, interviewers or managers are looking for a candiate that can naturally be themselves, thus stand out. What would happen when you actually show your natural texture? If they are not accepting of you, including your natural hair (which is very cute and neat)then they aren't accepting of YOU period.

 

[Rapunzel*]

I don't think you need to straighten your hair. If you feel you have to straighten it to keep the job then you'll have to do the same to keep it. Conforming only keeps things complacent.

you have a great point and i agree with you.
i want to wear my twa i just dont want it to be a distraction[not that id wear my fro hawk ]

 

[Rapunzel*]

i agree with the rest of the ladies!! Don't straigten and rock your TWA with pride

you all are right but im still thinking about it
id love to wear it straight for a few days but im going to pray about it and ask the lord to have his way on the situation

 

[JustKiya]

you have a great point and i agree with you.
i want to wear my twa i just dont want it to be a distraction[not that id wear my fro hawk ]

If the interviewer is distracted by short, super curly hair, that sounds like an issue with the interviewers focus, not you.

 

[Irresistible]

I say do it if you feel it is best

 

[Rapunzel*]

ITA! Besides in most cases, interviewers or managers are looking for a candiate that can naturally be themselves, thus stand out. What would happen when you actually show your natural texture? If they are not accepting of you, including your natural hair (which is very cute and neat)then they aren't accepting of YOU period.

yea i agree if they arent accepting my twa they arent accepting me period.
i dont want to wear a wash and go and they look at me like

 

[Sunrise]

Totally agree with the ladies.

Wear your beautiful TWA with pride!!!

Providing it is neat, they should not have any complaints.

 

[blazingthru]

I agree with everything everyone has said. However it is your choice. what you decided to do. As soon as you get hired and you come to work with your natural that might be a problem. It was a problem for me but I had been here for 8 years before I went natural. There are only three other AA on my floor and they wear wigs and one is a male and it was hard for my coworkers to adjust. My frame of mind was oh well this is my hair and I am not changing for you guys. They got use to it. Good Luck and I hope you get the JOB!

 

[Rapunzel*]

If the interviewer is distracted by short, super curly hair, that sounds like an issue with the interviewers focus, not you.

yea i agree i should be myself and if they dont accept it they dont and if they do they do. i just thought that might hinder this job opportunity but in the end i love my hair more than a job that wont accept me.

 

[Irresistible]

you have to go in there feeling totally comfortable or it will affect your whole vibe and possibly the whole interview, do what your going to 'feel' the most confident in, because thats going to show

 

[glam-]

Hmm, I can tell my opinion is going to be unpopular, but...
Seximami, if you have gotten the vibe that it might be best to straighten- or if you just feel like you will have a better shot at the job if you conform a little more, than I would say straighten for the interview. There is always time to push the envelope after you're collecting a paycheck. Get the job, wear your hair straight the first week, and then after you've made your first impression go back to the TWA.

Don't get me wrong- I think the TWA is a very professional style, but you never know what prejudices or biases your interviewer is coming to the table with. I work in an uber-conservative organization and I know biases exist. But once you are on the job and show who you are and how great you are, the fact that you are wearing braids or a fro or anything else tends to fade in the background because they know your work. They no longer see the style, they see you (to a greater extent.)

 

[Rapunzel*]

I say do it if you feel it is best

thanks iris

im pretty sure im going to wear my twa:locks:

 

[Irresistible]

Hmm, I can tell my opinion is going to be unpopular, but...
Seximami, if you have gotten the vibe that it might be best to straighten- or if you just feel like you will have a better shot at the job if you conform a little more, than I would say straighten for the interview. There is always time to push the envelope after you're collecting a paycheck. Get the job, wear your hair straight the first week, and then after you've made your first impression go back to the TWA.

Don't get me wrong- I think the TWA is a very professional style, but you never know what prejudices or biases your interviewer is coming to the table with. I work in an uber-conservative organization and I know biases exist. But once you are on the job and show who you are and how great you are, the fact that you are wearing braids or a fro or anything else tends to fade in the background because they know your work. They no longer see the style, they see you (to a greater extent.)

it may be unpopular but I am also with you on this one

 

[Rapunzel*]

Totally agree with the ladies.

Wear your beautiful TWA with pride!!!

Providing it is neat, they should not have any complaints.

thanks love i appreciate that
i cut off my relaxed hair so i could present myself on who i really am inside =]
and going back and thinking i needed to change me for a day isnt acceptable at all

I agree with everything everyone has said. However it is your choice. what you decided to do. As soon as you get hired and you come to work with your natural that might be a problem. It was a problem for me but I had been here for 8 years before I went natural. There are only three other AA on my floor and they wear wigs and one is a male and it was hard for my coworkers to adjust. My frame of mind was oh well this is my hair and I am not changing for you guys. They got use to it. Good Luck and I hope you get the JOB!

oh really im glad they got use to it and it wasnt a problem. it was hard for my mom to adjust because she had me get a relaxer at 9
shes just starting to adjust to my hair last month

 

[hopeful]

I agree with Iris and Glam. Do what you feel is best, trust your instincts. You are not a sellout for straightening your hair or giving a false impression. Also, you may want to consider getting individuals that you can wear up in a bun, that way you won't have to get it flat-ironed. But of course you would be beautiful with your twa as well. Good luck.

 

[Sui Topi]

I'm with you too glam-. I mean, there are certain things that are not changable to me such as, I'm not working on my Sabbath, but I have a baby to feed, and if I know I have to play their game to get in the door, so be it. After I'm in then I will start doing things my way. It does all depend on the job though. If you think they will really REALLY not like the twa, and you really REALLY need that job in particular, as in, there's no time to shop around for jobs....you gotta do what you gotta do. If this is just in your mind, and you can make your twa work, then don't bother with straightening.

 

[Rapunzel*]

you have to go in there feeling totally comfortable or it will affect your whole vibe and possibly the whole interview, do what your going to 'feel' the most confident in, because thats going to show

i only had to interviews in my life and they both hired me
i agree. well my 2 other jobs in the past i was relaxed but i wore my hair back in a bun. my present job i have, my interview dec 3rd 2006 and started on the 9th of dec.

 

[hopeful]

i only had to interviews in my life and they both hired me
i agree. well my 2 other jobs in the past i was relaxed but i wore my hair back in a bun. my present job i have, my interview dec 3rd 2006 and started on the 9th of dec.

Not surprised at all, looking at your pics, you are very pretty, likable, outgoing, confident, etc.

 

[RegaLady]

I say straighten if you fell you must. I had this issue a while back for a high-end retail store. I wore a TWA for the interview and didn't think twice. I didn't see it an issue. Anyway, long story short, they hired me. I was the only AA girl there(which always seems to be the case)Throughout working there, I had worn weaves, long straight hair, everything! After a while the ladies said they preferred my TWA. It represented variety, I think! But, that was retail. With banks it might be tricky. I say where it straight, but once you get the job, the sooner you go back to TWA the better!

 

[Rapunzel*]

Hmm, I can tell my opinion is going to be unpopular, but...
Seximami, if you have gotten the vibe that it might be best to straighten- or if you just feel like you will have a better shot at the job if you conform a little more, than I would say straighten for the interview. There is always time to push the envelope after you're collecting a paycheck. Get the job, wear your hair straight the first week, and then after you've made your first impression go back to the TWA.

Don't get me wrong- I think the TWA is a very professional style, but you never know what prejudices or biases your interviewer is coming to the table with. I work in an uber-conservative organization and I know biases exist. But once you are on the job and show who you are and how great you are, the fact that you are wearing braids or a fro or anything else tends to fade in the background because they know your work. They no longer see the style, they see you (to a greater extent.)

thats what i thought about, i have good qualities they'd like i speak little spanish, i know sign language im good with money, great at typing/ computers, professional etc. i just dont want them to get the wrong idea,but at the same time see potential in me.

 

[Rapunzel*]

I agree with Iris and Glam. Do what you feel is best, trust your instincts. You are not a sellout for straightening your hair or giving a false impression. Also, you may want to consider getting individuals that you can wear up in a bun, that way you won't have to get it flat-ironed. But of course you would be beautiful with your twa as wellyb . Good luck.

aww thanks
i thought about braiding my hair. if i start soon ill be done by tonight or tomorrow morning ill able to wear it in a bun because ill have to worry about getting up early in the morning and my so up as well. my hair is the last thing that i want to think about.and thank you i love my twa too.

 

[JustKiya]

I'm curious as to what sort of 'wrong idea' they could get?

*sigh*

I'm sure my opinion might be generally unpopular, but if we, as natural women, don't stop acting like our natural hair is something that is a hindrance to doing what we want to do - whether it's getting a job, a man, a promotion, whatever, then it's going to continue to be a hindrance to all natural women - who else is going to stand up for us? Sista's with perms? Why? They are the norm. White women? Please. Black men? Triple please.

*sigh*

I think it's a disservice, both to yourself, and to other people, to fall into the belief that you have to have straight hair in order to be 'accepted'. It's a trap that we have dug for ourselves, and it seems like, even today, we just want to keep digging it deeper.

*sigh*

And the REALLY sad part? Most of the time, it's OTHER black people causing the most stress about it. The white folks don't give a damn.


At the end seximami, it's what feels best and right to you - if in your heart, you really feel like you HAVE to go straight to get this job that you really want/need - hey. It's just hair, right, and ain't none of us on this site finna start paying your bills for you.

 

[glam-]

thats what i thought about, i have good qualities they'd like i speak little spanish, i know sign language im good with money, great at typing/ computers, professional etc. i just dont want them to get the wrong idea,but at the same time see potential in me.

I understand exactly what you mean. You know your qualities and you don't want them to be distracted. I know its old-school but my parents and professors have always advised me to err on the conservative side for interviews and I believe it's worked. Plus, if you didn't get the job you wouldn't want to have to worry that it was because of the TWA. Even one of my professional mentors who retired from the Army at a very high rank told me she wore a wig for her interview for her present job (she's natural, too), because you want them to feel comfortable with you.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

My sister has worked at at bank for about 15 years and went in there Bald headed and she is still there and Bald headed, she hates to comb her hair so she keeps it to where all she has to do is brush and go. I see so many Corporate Ladies with Twa's, But like others said if you feel it is a problem then do what you have to do, You couldn't cornrow it back and put a phony bun on it? I know it is hot, but a cute short cut wig would be cute, all I can wear is a short cut wig when I wear one! But I love your Twa! I hate to hear that A Twa is keeping you from a Job! Or you think it might. A Twa is a Hard style to wear for some! I mean I just don't understand! But I agree with Justkiya!!!

Good Luck To You! Do what you feel is best!!!

 

[Rapunzel*]

I'm with you too glam-. I mean, there are certain things that are not changable to me such as, I'm not working on my Sabbath, but I have a baby to feed, and if I know I have to play their game to get in the door, so be it. After I'm in then I will start doing things my way. It does all depend on the job though. If you think they will really REALLY not like the twa, and you really REALLY need that job in particular, as in, there's no time to shop around for jobs....you gotta do what you gotta do. If this is just in your mind, and you can make your twa work, then don't bother with straightening.

thanks for your opinion. i do as well have a son, but i do have another job im just working on the weekends for now.i want to make a few more dollars per hour, and more per week [9-5]thats my thing. i wouldnt know if it is acceptable or not because there isnt a black person at this branch. every woman has there hair in a bob or straight.