Being yourself in a professional world

Hey guys! Only my second post but I'm glad I found this forum where people have similar mindsets as me!

I've been struggling mostly with my image and a bit with my personality over the past couple years as I've been entering a professional career. I'm currently in veterinary school stuck in a big city (but I'm able to deal with that) and just working my butt off to try and have a job that I will really enjoy. As I'm getting closer to finishing my degree, I'm starting to see how difficult being accepted as anything but a clone can be in the professional world.

I normally have hair near my shoulders and have worn the same comfy clothes that I've had for 6 plus years. Recently I've cut my hair and started dressing more in casual collared shirts since I'm starting to do practicals and am hoping to make connections with vets for future job opportunities. I however don't feel like this is me but I don't see another choice.

I know that you guys definitely aren't the majority but I'm hoping to get some insight on how you have managed to cope in professional careers while still maintaining your image and views? Also how would you or others view hiring or walking in to a veterinary clinic to be helped by a guy with long hair and patchwork pants?

 

For too often; and sadly so, image can be everything in the 'professional world'. Sometimes we have to conform to progress, though it is to the degree (non pun intended) I think is key.
Having conviction of conscience does come at a cost, though it is one's calibre of character that defines us.
Maybe consider a compromise for the battle in order to win the war (?)
In the end it is you that has to live with the consequences
- (keep the Faith)

 

keep the hair, buy some khakis.

Most importantly, articulate yourself and form progressive ideas

 

Hello,

well, who cares about your patchwork pants if your arm sticks in the rectum of a half dead cow ?

I can't be labeled as a hippie. I look very different than others of my peer group (I'm an engineer), but more 'business compatible'. My advice is to become clear about the consequences and then do what you like to do. If long hair is a problem to become an accepted vet and for some reason you want to be an accepted vet soon, cut the hair off. If you can be a just vet with long hair, keep the hair. I've always done what I liked best at that time. I'm not fscking rich, but I had always enough money to have a decent life.

Regards
Gyro

 

Be yourself, but adapt a little. Sacrifice your image, keep your views.
I now dress more profesionally for school/lab/clinic, I keep my nails short and I rarely paint them (even though I like it!), my hair is always tidy...
When you really want something, things like that shouldn't be that difficult to sacrifice.
And some battles are just useless.

 

Yeah I guess conformity is key to an extent. With no conformity I could only imagine how terrible the world could be and similarly with absolute conformity. That's a big part of life I suppose, constrained individuality. At least from 9-5 depending

Haha, yeah hard to look very professional with my arm covered in shit anyways. I agree though, every choice has consequences, just have to weigh them and choose what's best for me. One day it would be nice to see stereotypes wiped from the face of the earth, but unfortunately that will probably mean we're all dead. :ack2:

 

Yeah, i guess it just bothers me that we still hold on to these generalized expectations of certain individuals. I never had my long hair untidy and I would never do something aesthetically that would compromise my patients or myself (eg. having long nails, not wearing shoes, etc.) It just seems funny that for a species that considers ourselves so radical and forward thinking that we have so much social conformity although I do see it slowly coming undone with time.

 

Good thread.

I've more or less forsaken having a career because of what it entails. That, and the fact that I think careers and the American ideal of success are bullshit.

But yeah, it's very hard to get by in the real world when you are an individualist or "different."

 

I know your frustration. I have been hardcore into funky hair colors and the idea of piercings since I was about 14, it's not something I've really outgrown even 10 years later, but to be able to keep the job I have or get one elsewhere, I have to stick with "natural" hair colors, short and unpainted nails (I cook for a living, it makes my skin crawl to think of polish chips in the food I cook), and studs if any earrings at all. It bums me out to be really honest because I just really like playing with my appearance and I can't do that as much as I'd like. But I sacrifice those things for the sake of being "professional," because the older I get, the more I realize that's really all life is, sacrificing what you want for what you need.

 

I don't really think of vets as collared shirt-wearing, stuffy people. My vet is a Deadhead with long hair and as far as I can tell, none of his customers seem to mind. He owns his own practice though; you're probably going to have to compromise your image initially to find a job. If you open up your own practice one day, I hope you let your freak flag fly.

I agree with what everyone else has said. Dress accordingly but keep your ideals. Clothes are superficial. Sadly, people are shallow and will form negative or positive opinions based on your appearance. If you have to dress a certain way to make people take you serious in a professional setting, it doesn't really change who you are. You can wear khakis to work and still retain a strong sense of self.

 

Dress codes suck. I cant wear jeans or tee's to work. At least I dont have to wear a tie. Thats the most bullshit elitist symbol there is. Ties serves no purpose. Its an intimidation tool to show others who's boss and authority.
I envy the union guys and ladies. They can show their individuality. Bikers, punks, hippy's. I see all types. And being in the union they have protection against discrimination based on what they wear or their hair styles.

 

If you want to look/dress like that then the solution is be your own boss. You just have to wait till you can open your own clinic and then you can do whatever the fruk you want.

I constantly have to deal with opinionated Aholes in my profession. It's honestly not worth my time challenging their views. I just nod and smile and laugh to myself because they are so lacking insight. And at the end of the day my goal is that when I am my own boss I can pick and chose who I deal with. Until then I think it's best just to play the cards and keep true to yourself inside.

 

I definitely have problems with the idea of a career nowadays. I think a career is definitely not a bad thing if you love what your doing but as a society many of us are having to work longer hours and driving ourselves into the ground just to maintain a level of security in our lives. I don't think this is right and I also don't think it can continue to go along the path its been going. People can only be pushed so far before they just stop caring. I see a slow push in society towards a more personal life. Many people I know are willing to make sacrifices in their personal consumerist comfort in order to have the life they want because they see their parents killing themselves just to keep payments on that fancy car and house and are missing out on what life is about.

I don't think a lot of people mind working, I think they mind overworking.