What Your Hipster Mustache Says About Your Workstyle
The Confident Fu Manchu
Hulk Hogan is a notable figure sporting the Fu Manchu. The wrestling star’s slogan was, “I fear no man, no beast, or evil [sic], brother.” The recruiter who goes searching for a team with the same sense of fearlessness looks for confident individuals. But when does that confidence go too far? Seventy-two percent of candidates are confident they can present their skills to recruiters, but, only 15 percent of hiring managers feel the same way.
Where does this disconnect come from? It’s not surprising that candidates go into interviews thinking they have the necessary skills when they read the job descriptions. Little do they know the job description they just read isn’t really what the position requires of them. Six out of 10 employees say the job, in reality, is different from what was written in the description.
The Versatile Handle Bars
Mustaches come in all shapes and sizes. You’ve got the Tom Selleck, the Mark Twain, and the Sam Elliot, to name a few. Although impressive, none of these quite match up to the versatility of the handlebar. Let’s be honest: beyond the facial hair, you want a team that is as versatile as the handlebar mustache. Curl-up the sides with wax or go au naturel even. As a recruiter, you’ll want a team that can both adapt to the changes in technology in the office and use old tools in new ways. Anna Case explains why it is necessary for candidates to be such jacks-of-all-trades:
“It’s vital for today’s employees to hold valuable skills and maintain a competitive edge. Sure, having focused expertise is great! But, for many employees, versatility can prove even more important. Companies are always looking for ‘Swiss Army Knife’ employees.”
Consider that handlebar mustache team to be your Swiss Army Knife.
The Leadership-Potential Beard
Mustaches — although they go through changes — have been in style for decades. Zach Galifianakis beards, on the other hand, come and go. With that said, beards can come in handy in the office. At least, they did in the early ’90s: managers actually preferred beards to mustaches or clean-shaven faces, rating them higher in personality, appearance, competence, and composure. The team that has the neatly trimmed beard fitting of their faces is the team that brings reports and presentations to higher-ups. They are the more professionally respected individuals around the office, the ones recruiters know have a potential for leadership within the company.
The Trusted Pencil
Brad Pitt was recently seen sporting a pencil mustache. As one of the most famous celebrities today, he has somewhat of a trustworthy air about him. Why? I’d like to think it was because of the mustache. Studies show that men with mustaches are more likely to get hired than those with clean-shaven faces. In fact, men with mustaches make 8.2 percent more than men with beards and 4.3 percent more than the man with clean-shaven faces. Perhaps it’s the trust of the ‘stache. Recruiters search to find people who can fill positions in the trusted teams. They check references, thoroughly interview, and read body language in order to determine someone’s dependability and honesty.
Facial hair goes through cycles just like recruiting does. Sometimes you need the “don’t take no for an answer” type associated with a Fu Manchu; other times, you need a jack-of-all-trades with a Tom Selleck mustache to pick up the pieces around the office. But really, every recruiter strives to find the Walter Cronkite: the iconic symbol of trust as reliable as the nightly news.