Appearance Regulations for Interviews

Okay, I do know the base requirements to follow for interviews and such :) However, I am concerned about a few things ...

My husband and I are applying to teach English in Japan. There is an interview required (in person) prior to being hired. I assume that the interview apparel will be similar to actual on the job apparel.

My concern is that I have one cartilage piercing like this:
http://bodypiercing.ygoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/Pinna.jpg
... in my right ear (not my left) plus normal earlobe piercings (one earring in each lobe) for a female.

Would I need to take my cartilage piercing out during the interview/on the job? I totally understand if I do, I just want to make sure if I should :)

My husband also has a piercing and I KNOW this must be taken out, however, I am concerned with his facial hair.
Should he have NO facial hair what-so-ever?
This poses a problem because his skin has severe reactions to razors if/when he shaves all facial hair completely gone. Though, he does take care of it and maintains it.
His is kind of like this:
http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/162976-facial.jpg
Just not as bushy on the sides and short hairs on the upper half of the neck.
- As the photo shows, it's perfectly maintained! Though, I know Japanese are a tad more strict with facial hair.

I'm so sorry if these seem rather odd ... but we really want to make good impressions during the interview so we may secure the jobs ^_^

hey good question

Japanese are real conservative and image oriented, many people have tattoos or piercings but when going for a interview the following should be respected.

business attire is a must, suit etc.

NO facial hair! trust me once you get in grow a mustache or beard but the boss does want to see that and most teachers will not have facial hair for interviews.

if you have long hair you can cover its not a problem but if you can take it out and put it in later best to do that.

the rule of thumb in japan is play it conservative and not risk not getting hired for something simple.

forgot to add, i don't know if your in japan already but if you can buy VEET, its painless and removes hair, personally i don't like chemicals but if he cant have razors then it might be the way to go

Thank you so much for your feedback :)

We are not in Japan yet (I wish!!) but we will definately try something similar to VEET :) If that doesn't work, we will just try to get his skin used to shaving a month or so before the interview. Perhaps should invest in moisturizer lol

Just to make sure I get this: Zero facial hair for interview. If hired MAY be able to grow some if employer allows.
That correct?

depends on the employer but if you're coming to japan i would just tell your husband to get used to shaving, it's unlikely facial hair will ever be considered acceptable at a reputable school.. just the way things are here

p.s. slightly unrelated but if your husband is having reactions to shaving i'm positive his shaving technique needs improvement and he needs a new kind of razor. turn him to wet shaving with a straight edge razor and his problems will go away forever, i promise. it's scary at the beginning but once he gets used to it he'll never go back - i'm someone who used to get severe razor bumps and infections from shaving until i learned "the way"

Facial hair isn't necessarily a problem once you're actually working in Japan. As long as it's well kept and tidy. I've even seen Japanese teachers sporting beards in recent times, though moustaches are less prevalent.

To be honest, Japanese job interviews aren't too different to Western interviews. I used to work for an employment agency (in the West, not in Japan) and one of our most important rules was to NEVER show up to a job interview with facial hair or noticeable earrings. (not to mention, don't have bright nail polish, bright hair colors, over-the-top makeup, too much perfume/cologne/deoderant, too-high heels, etc. You'd be surprised how many people make these mistakes in interviews and effectively ruin their chances as soon as they walk in the door).

We basically told our clients: Pretend you're going to be interviewed by the strictest, most conservative boss in the world.

Rule of thumb: If you are unsure about something, don't do it.

So if you're unsure about your earring, don't wear it.
Same goes for your husband's facial hair. If he has skin irritation with razors, either try veet (or facial wax). Or try looking for razors and shaving cream that is created for sensitive skin.

Just wanted to update those that posted responses to my question ^_^

We have bought a creme for the face to remove hair, however, we haven't used it yet. We first had him shave his neck (under the jaw) so it was baby face smooth ^_^
Well now, it's horribly broken out!!
We did buy a skin regimine that included washing, scrubbing and moisturizing. He also uses a battery razor in the shower to cut down on razorburn. The only issue is that once the hairs start growing back, they get completely infected and rather painful.

We will try the creme after his neck heals. But if we still get the same results (very smooth then infected the next few days), we're thinking we might have to go to a dermatologist.

So, in short, we have taken all advice and are slowly working on getting the perfect interview look :)

This is completely unrelated to your original query, but my father, like your husband, has a very reactive skin when it comes to shaving creams and razors, and his job is one that doesn't allow for much facial hair either. So instead of ordinary razors, he uses a rotary electric shaver. It doesn't make the skin 'baby-face smooth', and there's a bit of a shadow on the face, but perhaps it could be a solution for your husband as it's not that different from trimming the hair with a scissors (it just does it a lot closer to the skin) - only mechanical action, no chemicals involved.

Pirilampo ...
Thank you for that ... we were wondering if we should do that or not. We think it's not so much the chemicals/razors but the growing back of hair that is causing problems. If the electric razor cuts very close but not completely all the way down, then this might be a very good option.

Thank you so much for this. If the creme doesn't work, we will be sure to pick up an electric razor

You're welcome, glad I could be of help. If you do end up getting one, make sure it's not one of those super cheap ones, because depending on the thickness and resilience of your husband's hair, the motor can die very quickly. On the other hand, some motors are so expensive that you might be better off buying a new shaver when it stops working.

This is all stuff my father has told me, it's not like I know it from experience lol.

Looks like your husband might have Pseudofolliculitis barbae

Here is a little info from wikipedia:

Pseudofolliculitis barbae (pronounced /ˈsuːdɵfəˈlɪkjʊˈlaɪtɨs ˈbɑrbiː/) (also known as barber's itch,[1] folliculitis barbae traumatica,[1] razor bumps,[1] scarring pseudofolliculitis of the beard,[1] and shave bumps[1]) is a medical term for persistent irritation caused by shaving.[2]

Prevention

Many dermatologists recommend using products that are alcohol-, fragrance-, and oil-free. Alcohol can dry out the skin significantly, and fragrance is a well-known skin irritant that can exacerbate PFB. Products with oil can clog pores and prevent release of the hair from the follicle. Some men use shaving powders (a kind of chemical depilatory) to avoid the irritation. Others may use a razor with a single blade or special wire-wrapped blade to avoid shaving too closely. Some men trim or grow a beard instead of shaving. In severe cases, some men get electrolysis or laser hair removal, or use exfoliating products to minimize PFB.

Electrolysis and laser hair removal should be considered when all else fails, but these are expensive and take repeated visits. There is a risk of skin discoloration and very small risk of scarring. A few insurance companies will cover some or all of the cost.


If laser hair removal is an option for you, it might help thin out your husband's facial hair enough so it doesn't get ingrown, making shaving a much easier and smoother process.

Good luck :)