The beards are back in town!

From as far back as the Abraham Lincoln days, over 150 years ago, beards have been worn by some of the most successful & influential men in history.  In a recent article in Men’s Health Magazine, it was discovered that the beard revolution was upon us again after taking a slight decline in public acceptance throughout the 90’s.

The beards are back in town!  Men’s Health state that ‘Facial hair has made a comeback in the past decade as a fashion statement for the guys. Sorry ladies, not so much for you’. Beards can be associated with famous Hollywood actors such as Sean Connery who was one of the most successful James Bonds, in my opinion, and who is still cool as a cucumber even 30 years after his last Bond film. Westlord.com revealed ‘Sean Connery, aka the true James Bond, instills confidence and sophistication with his beard. It’s so powerful we don’t even realize he’s bald’.

The only people in Hollywood you see without a beard these days are the likes of Justin Bieber – enough said!

So when it comes to recruitment, would you hire someone with a beard before someone who is clean shaven? It is a topic of interest within the business world today as more and more men are joining the beard revolution. The sale of beard trimmers & “stubble-shapers” have risen significantly in recent times compared to that of the standard shaving-razor.

I feel if someone is going to sport a beard for an interview at least trim, shape and wash the damn thing. Nobody can listen about your previous experience as a National Sales Executive with a large MNC when you have bits of tuna salad from lunch stuck in your beard. Of course it will depend on the company and what policies they have in place however here is something to use in your defense. Even social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr & Pinterest have examples of Pro-beard propaganda to choose from – I particularly like the ‘Trustworthiness of Beards’ chart.

Unfortunately the results from the chart are of no scientific evidence.

Richard Branson, one of the most influential entrepreneurs of all time, rejected the clean shaven look and although he doesn’t state this I am sure a lot of his success is down to his beard. It’s difficult to examine whether the presence of a beard can make you a successful businessman, however it is an area of investigation which would be of great interest to the public.

If you do see someone in your office with a beard, don’t assume they are too lazy to shave it or running short of time following a weekend bender – the beard signifies confidence, boldness & creativity. In fact, here are some suggested comments to make – “cool beard man”, “wow, that beard looks good” or “the beard suits you!”

I am a fond believer that behind every good beard is a great man – Viva le beard revolution!

………………….And remember even Pocahontas had a beard