You can probably get away with it at a flight school. However, don't.
Foreign pilots often have beards. It's not at all uncommon for pilots in european and middle eastern countries to sport facial hair. However, in the US, it's not.
You're probably new, starting out, and young. All sporting a goatee does for you is make you look immature. There are a lot of ways to do yourself a disservice in your demeanor as an instructor; you've probably already been given examples during your reading and training of things that can work against you, such as wearing cowboy boots, profanity with a student, etc. Wearing a goatee does something similiar.
When I see an instructor with a goatee, right or wrong, I think "punk." Merely because you can get away with something doesn't mean you should. A cleancut look, or at least a very conservative one (moustache, okay; beard, not okay) will serve you well, and conveys a message that you're serious about your job. Beards, long hair, short pants with white shirts and epaulets portray a message about you that says "could be doing this, or working at burger king...don't care."
Likewise, the use of language such as "dude" in your conversation reduces who you're perceived to be. Looking, acting, talking like a fourteen year old creates an image that's hard to shake, and does you no favors at all.
I worked for a company that hired some foreign pilots. Among them was a gentleman from Europe who really wanted the job, but absolutely refused to shave his beard. He was told to shave it in the interview, and he refused. He didn't get the job. I put him up at my place while he was in town interviewing, and listened to his tirade...do they want a pilot or a fashion model? They wanted a pilot, but they also wanted someone who looked like a pilot and acted like a pilot.
If I walk into a flight school, I'm looking for someone to assist me who doesn't look like a kid. Someone who doesn't act like a kid. I don't care if they can remember Reagan, but I don't want to see earrings, goatees, or hear "dude." I want someone who acts like an adult. If you want my business as an instructor or a flight school owner, you'll take note of that. A savvy flight school owner does, too...and that's who will be doing your interviewing, and that's for whom you'll be working. That guy, of course, and the student...someone like me.
Lose the beard.
Foreign pilots often have beards. It's not at all uncommon for pilots in european and middle eastern countries to sport facial hair. However, in the US, it's not.
You're probably new, starting out, and young. All sporting a goatee does for you is make you look immature. There are a lot of ways to do yourself a disservice in your demeanor as an instructor; you've probably already been given examples during your reading and training of things that can work against you, such as wearing cowboy boots, profanity with a student, etc. Wearing a goatee does something similiar.
When I see an instructor with a goatee, right or wrong, I think "punk." Merely because you can get away with something doesn't mean you should. A cleancut look, or at least a very conservative one (moustache, okay; beard, not okay) will serve you well, and conveys a message that you're serious about your job. Beards, long hair, short pants with white shirts and epaulets portray a message about you that says "could be doing this, or working at burger king...don't care."
Likewise, the use of language such as "dude" in your conversation reduces who you're perceived to be. Looking, acting, talking like a fourteen year old creates an image that's hard to shake, and does you no favors at all.
I worked for a company that hired some foreign pilots. Among them was a gentleman from Europe who really wanted the job, but absolutely refused to shave his beard. He was told to shave it in the interview, and he refused. He didn't get the job. I put him up at my place while he was in town interviewing, and listened to his tirade...do they want a pilot or a fashion model? They wanted a pilot, but they also wanted someone who looked like a pilot and acted like a pilot.
If I walk into a flight school, I'm looking for someone to assist me who doesn't look like a kid. Someone who doesn't act like a kid. I don't care if they can remember Reagan, but I don't want to see earrings, goatees, or hear "dude." I want someone who acts like an adult. If you want my business as an instructor or a flight school owner, you'll take note of that. A savvy flight school owner does, too...and that's who will be doing your interviewing, and that's for whom you'll be working. That guy, of course, and the student...someone like me.
Lose the beard.
