Many women are very skeptical about going natural because they fear that they won’t be able to succeed in the workforce. It concerns me that people are worried about their hair more so then what they can bring to the job. I want to reassure you that wearing your hair natural is very professional. Wearing an Afro is a great style, but most of us know that depending on where you work, it won’t always be the style that you should choose to wear at work. What is so awesome about natural hair is that you can change up your look. Great styles for the professional environment are buns, twists-outs, braids, and even curly Afros.
Below is a style that I have worn many times to work. A pin-up hairstyle works great for all natural hair lengths because your hair is out of your face, off your neck, and it gives you volume. All you really need to do is use your bobby pins and get creative. Just make sure everything is secure and in place.
Professionalism depends on how you style your hair not by it being natural or straight. If a job only encourages certain types of hairstyles than this place is not a healthy situation for you or the company. Initially, I also was scared to go natural because some of my family members did not support me. My grandmother told me that I would never get a job because of my “nappy hair”. This stuck with me for awhile because she made it seem like people would be scared of me. Now, I have been natural for two years and never had an issue with getting a job in a professional environment. Being natural has made me go into interviews more confident than ever and that positive energy feeds off to the interviewers. Your natural hair should never be a hindrance on you. It represents who you are and your individuality.
Professionalism deals with your expertise and how you can carry yourself in a business atmosphere. Still don’t believe me that there are many natural hair women out here who are professional and work in a corporate atmosphere, then take a look here! The natural hair scene is thriving and I am glad to be part of it!
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