Keeping up appearances

On Saturday I got my first haircut since July. No, I am not posting pictures.

One of the things I realized relatively early on in collections is that no one cares what you look like. You're on the phone. No one actually ever sees you, so what does it really matter?

In theory there is a dress code, but if the building hits goal for the month everyone is allowed to "dress down" for the month. We've hit goal every month since I've been there, so the only time I ever dressed up was my first month in training.

There are a few criteria that can never be neglected. No hats. No open-toed shoes. No cargo pants (the extra pockets make security people nervous). No shorts. No shirts with inappropriate language.

So there is a wide range of appearances among collectors, especially among the younger crowd. Some with long crazy hair, some with a lot of tattoos, some with ear spacers (those odd tribal rings that stretch ears).

Managers, for the most part, dress business casual. There's one person I see around in a tie all the time - I'm not sure what his deal is, but more power to him.

I tend to show up mostly in jeans and a t-shirt or polo shirt of some kind. But when I saw the guy with the ear thingys and sleeve tattoos, I decided I could just grow my hair out and let the beard grow and be done with it. Heck - no one cares.

The thing I didn't realize was the way hair changes over time. Aside from growing grayer at an alarming rate, the consistency and pattern of hair changes. Those of you who remember me with long hair might remember the ringlets and curls, and thick billowing hair.

Not so much now. Right before I got it cut, I bore a striking resemblance to the Unabomber, or Nick Nolte's mugshot. (Okay, maybe I'll post pics on my Facebook page.)

I got lots of comments walking in today with short hair and a neatly trimmed Vandyke beard. A couple of people asked who the new guy was before realizing it was actually me.

Everyone seemed very approving, but I only got a couple of short comments from my manager. I'm guessing he figured out the reason for the haircut - if I'm going to start interviewing, I need to look slightly respectable. Which, on his end, means I've decided I'm not hitting goal this month.

And given that it's currently March 8th with not a single rehabbed loan, he's probably right.