Job Discussion Forums

[kenna]

Like many i am looking into teaching in santiago in the up coming school year. After reading many posts about dress code and such i was wondering what the chances of me working with dreadlocks? Different countries have different views on them so i was curious if anyone over there now has them or knows someone who has them?? For me this is not a new radical hair style, i have had them for years.

Any information or observations would be great!

thanks for your time

[JosephP]

Are you that attached to a particular hairstyle that you would not modify it to take advantage of an opportunity? Sure, hairstyles shouldn't get in the way of judging someone's suitability for a position, but if you go around looking like Sideshow Bob you are probably going to find you will get some knockbacks based purely on your appearance.

Lop the dreads. Once in a job you could always grow the hair back.

[Dia]

Dreadlocks are actually fairly common here within within the non mainstream group, as are rattails and mullet inspired cuts etc, there is variety... however my understanding is that the norm is to cut your hair to a neater cut when you start a professional type job, just as most school aged boys are required to do during the schoolyear.

I'm not sure if that's the norm or the rule though, maybe you could write a couple emials to employers and ask if, other factors aside, the dreadlocks would be a problem in hiring someone.

Regardless, I think living in Chile with dreadlocks would be pretty normal but you may get some questionable looks with them in a job, especially bc ESL teaching here is frequently for adult professionals who may have different expectations

[kenna]

Thanks for the replies...

dia yours was about what i figured and i am all good with that. i was just making sure it was similar to what i am used to.

[mike30]

I would say that having dreadlocks will definitely affect the quality of job that you'll be able to land. But I would suppose that to a certain extent this would be the case anywhere.

The people I met in Santiago who had dreadlocks or similar looks such as Jesus hair & matching beard definitely made much much less money than I was making. This may have been a completely irrelevant correlation but I do think that looking clean cut and professional in Chile makes a big difference as it is still a classist society and the upper sphere are the one's with enough money to pay you a decent salary.

But if you're willing to work for 5-6,000pesos/hr you'll find a job.

[Amani Renas]