Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More Reasons to Keep Me Out of the Mainstream Corporate World--My Hair

I saw this article on MSN today called "10 Ways to Be Taken Seriously at Work." Read it for yourself here.

One of these tips is for women w/long hair to pull it up or putting it up.

You know how I look w/my hair put up in a business suit? If I put it in a ponytail, I look like I'm going jogging or to a gym to work out. Headband or clip? My hair's too long for most of them & it doesn't make me look any older. Elaborate updo? I'm white so I can't do that unless I'm going to a formal event & wear it differently the next day. If you don't, you hear rumblings about how you didn't wash your hair. This is where black women have an advantage; my black friends in high school could do that & no one gave them grief. Plus, I don't have the $ for weekly salon visits or a trusted, local salon that won't charge too much or screw up my hair.

Cutting my hair isn't a solution since A) my spouse would kill me as well as anyone working w/me creatively since my long hair is part of my creative persona & B) I'd just look like Molly Ringwald in some '80's movie. I had collar length hair before & I didn't look any older; I just had shorter hair.

Glasses don't even make me look older: they just make me look my nerdy cousin or maybe like I'm trying to imitate Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink.

I also refuse to give myself premature baldness by pulling my hair in a ponytail all the time for the Man. Screw him!! This is very true; read about it.

Another tip might as well be called "Be a robot." Good news for me, then. Having a personality is essential in the creative field. All things being equal, I think most people would get rid of a drudge before someone who makes them laugh or feel better about life. Any business owner dealing with clients might wish to have the person who can bring levity to the proceedings & passion as opposed to some button pushing robot. How many stories do you hear about someone in a job who's personable & able to generate more business b/c of it?

Finally, I also believe that none of these writers have ever worked for the government in any capacity or in a union job. Their last little gem of knowledge is completely worthless in the experience of one person I know (Going the extra mile). You don't get praise or recognition for such things in that atmosphere so why the hell do it?

Yes, I admit that I'm very much self-interested & feel any employer will need to impress ME first but based on my personal experiences + stories I hear from others about how going the extra mile only led to ridicule from co-workers & not so much as a simple "thank you" from the higher-ups, I stand by my views. You have to look out for yourself & that means not allowing others to disrespect you. Save those efforts for people who appreciate them, not the clods who could care less.

Other evidence none of these people ever worked for the government? This gem!

There's nothing to do but complain when no one will change anything that's a problem for you & you're being discriminated against in moving upward in my spouse's situation. It's get out or put up with it. Plus, it ignores what happens when the management is nothing but self-interested, greedy assholes who blame unions for workers getting laid off & attempt to blacklist people who aren't butt-kissing cheerleaders. No real solution there unless you know a professional hypnotist who can make someone act like a human being.

Doing a job badly: goes back to the whole "lack of morale/appreciation/respect point." Obviously, this author never had a job like the one in "Office Space" or with any local government.

Avoiding company functions: see a pattern? Unless you can tell the heads of particular departments where to go (and my husband + his co-workers have been warned that I will freely tell these higher-ups some choice things if I ever see them so unless they want me to do that, they'll prevent it from happening), no point. They listen to no one & being another fawning angel is a waste of time. Quite frankly, from what I hear about the HR folks at my spouse's job, I wouldn't trust them to manage a child's lemonade stand.

You're also not making friends when you exclude spouses from things. People's spouses are important to them & if you truly gave a damn about your workers, you'd be wanting to meet and talk to them. They can be great advocates & might encourage someone to do better. How many powerful politicians had spouses who helped them along the way?? I wouldn't want to go anyplace where my spouse was seen as an interloper or unwelcome in anyway. Trashing him is trashing me & vice versa.

So I think there should be some new advocates on things & the old guard in some places needs to pack it up. If someone would invite me someplace where they intended to tell off a truly horrible CEO or management person, I'd love to watch. Please???

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