The hirsute teaching staff at Washburn U. does raise an interesting question for everyone in or out of the job market. Once you decide to hide behind a curtain of hair, what style of beard do you adopt?
If you want to convince people that you are an innovative, out-of-the-box thinker, I recommend the goatee. This devilish little beard says that you are not afraid of anything, including making yourself look ridiculous. A long, full beard suggests that you have the tenacity to start a major project and keep at it. You are a keep-a-going, keep-a-growing individual. Either that, or you're Amish.
The well-trimmed stubble look says that you love your work, almost as much as you love yourself. The fact that it takes more time and effort to keep your stubble mowed than actually shaving the darn thing tells potential employers that you are not afraid to sweat the details, no matter how futile the task. (This advice does not apply if the job for which you are applying is the male lead of a television cop show, or are Brad Pitt.)
Finally, we come to the "soul patch," the tiny dot of hair worn below the lower lip by jazz musicians, poets, and anyone in the IT department with enough testosterone to pull it off. This sorry excuse for a beard says that you are hip and with-it, though it says it better if you avoid the cream of mushroom soup in the company cafeteria.
So, what kind of beard do I suggest for today's job seeker? I'd go with the full Abe Lincoln, sideburns and all. It says that you are honest, hardworking, and could someday have your face on the penny.
