I AM NOT MY HAIR!

A tuesday i could never forget.

It all started on the friday of the previous week. I finally get the long awaited call that i have been shortlisted for the third and final stage of a very important interview that could change my career in ways unimaginable! My excitement and optimism was through the roof.!

I was oh so sure i would nail this interview and get the job. Or so i thought.

Got into my car and started driving to the venue of the interview. Not even the hot abuja sun that was literally melting my makeup could bring me down nor the crazy driving of other road users could get me to utter the plenty cuss words going through my head which i ended up muttering.

10 minutes to interview time:

After bribing my way to get a damn near awful parking spot, literally flying out of the car, i make a hopeless last minute attempt to touch up my makeup, grab my documents, straighten my jacket and i start to run to the venue!

Finally! I get to the venue! Panting and sweating like i was trying to represent my country at the olympics .

I take a seat amongst the other two already seated potientials that were hoping for my dream job . Shortly after, three more candidates join us. Making a total of 6.

And then the interview started.

First person in,

Second person in,

Third person in,

im still sitting and hoping to be called in as i thought it would be in the order of arrival

Fourth person in,

still waiting

Fifth person in,

After more than four hours of waiting

I hear the door open and then my name is called.

Finally!!

I gather my tired self, put on the biggest smile i could muster and muttered a quick prayer .

And i went in and The following conversation took place:

Me: good evening ma

interview is being conducted by two ladies

Interviewer: you can have a seat .

Me: thank you .

Interviewer: what is this on your head??

Me: its my natural hair.

Interviewer: i can see that. Why did you dye it?

i have been on a dark shade of auburn hair color for four years prior to this interview

Me: ive always had my hair in this shade.

Interviewer: i dont like it .You have to change it to black or cover it .We cant accept it here.

Me: visibly stunned i dont have a problem with covering my hair maam if its company policy but i dont think my hair should define my level of productivity, my abilities and capabilities.

during this short exchange, she has not even made an attempt to look at my resume

Interviewer: i just dont want to see this .You had better find something to do it.

After managing to ask me one or two questions, i was done.

My interview was the shortest out of the six candidates.

Fours days later, a text comes through:

\"We are sorry to inform you that even with your impressive resume, we cannot offer you this position\".

I dint need a soothesayer to tell me that my hair was used to define me.

Many other women go through this all over the world. Using our hair to define us, label us and judge us without even giving us the chance to prove ourselves .

And just like that, i was thrown out of securing my dream job like a pile of rubbish. Not because i wasnt qualified, but because of my hair .

Im guessing this trend amongst recruiters isnt going away any time soon.