"Can Scruff Get a Man Fired?"
The Business of Furniture - 11/23/16 Edition
Stephen Says Column
Dear Stephen,
I am a partner in a major architectural firm and work in the interiors practice. We focus on corporate interiors. I worked my way up and although I head a team of interiors designers, I am one of the rainmakers who presents to potential clients to bring in new business. I work with the other partners, too, of course, and as a senior partner I have come to notice something about some of the more junior male associates, and even some colleagues around my age (46), who also present to clients. Let me put it this way, I shave every morning, and when I have meetings with clients, I am extra careful. Just my look, I guess.
Today, most guys I know under 30 have what they call a "scruff" look that they have carefully perfected. Essentially, it looks like they didn't shave, but I've been told a lot of work went into making what just looks like a natural five o'clock shadow. It's a "thing," and I get that. I'm sensible about these sorts of things, and I know that fashions change. Hell, I have even thought about growing out a beard myself. A number of people in the office have well-groomed, even noble, beards, which I quite like.
To me, the scruff looks unprofessional, and I worry about what the clients think. This hasn't been an issue until the last few years because of changing styles and younger associates being promoted to partner. All of this means that for the first time, some scruffier folks are taking meetings with clients. I am finally used to seeing it on our millennial employees, but when people my age or anyone in their 40s tries it, it just feels like a failed attempt to look younger. After all, the stubble comes in grey.
Ten years ago, it was the goatee thing, now it's the scruff look. I am worried this will affect business and the client's perception of how we look … should I be? If I think they look unprofessional, won't the clients as well? And what about when men go on interviews like that? What's your opinion?
Clean Shaven
As far as wearing the scruff on a job interview, all I can say is that you have to be who you are, and the culture will ultimately dictate how you look, dress, and shave.
Dear Clean Shaven,
You are a man after my own heart. My opinion is I hate the "scruff," too, for much of the same reason as you do. My real problem with the look is it seems like an oversight, like maybe you slept through your alarm and didn't have time to shave, or that you were too lazy to shave and wanted to sit with a coffee instead. Either way, more than the look itself, if you have scruff, I take it as a message that you're not taking your appearance seriously. But let me tell you, we are WRONG, out-of-touch, dinosaurs! The scruff is the new cool look. You said it yourself, looks change all the time. Get with it. I know it isn't easy, I have to change the way I think about it, as well. If we don't, we will appear close minded and uncool and old, and that might affect our careers.
Now, there are -- as always -- some exceptions. If you are older with brown or black hair, and your stubble comes in white, and you look like a zebra, you may want to rethink that look. Like all hip looks, not everyone can pull it off. Trust me, your wife or partner will tell you if it isn't working, the same way they told you when you tried to wear skinny jeans and could not pull them off. Also, if you are of Middle Eastern heritage, and you think a beard is flattering, tell me if it's worth it after you go through airport security.
Specifically, on the point of scruff or stubble or whatever you call it, it truly has become the style for young executives, and if the rest of their look shows they care about their appearance, it seems OK. My theory is that it started in Silicon Valley and was perfected on Fire Island. With that in mind, if the junior partners in your practice are chic and otherwise well-styled, the scruff likely isn't costing you any business. And by the way, the A&D world brings together the world of the corporate professionals and the world of artists, right? This is just an extension of that.
As far as wearing the scruff on a job interview, all I can say is that you have to be who you are, and the culture will ultimately dictate how you look, dress, and shave. I am told a lot more work than we realize goes into shaving around the scruff to make it look natural. Generally speaking, even though it is not politically correct to say, people do care more about how they look today than ever before. Style and fashion change, and it is important to keep up, but choose a look flattering to you. Ask not just your family but friends and strangers, too. Scruff used to mean you were unemployed or in between jobs. Today, chances are, if you have a scruff look, you are making a ton of money. Times have changed my friend, and we have to change with them. Hey, it could be worse, remember when "man buns" were in?
Stephen
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Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group,
global executive recruiters located in New York.
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