 
It’s a professional norm to appear for an interview clean shaven! During my final year of college, when companies started streaming in to recruit the leaving batch, some people inquired whether I’d be going in with my beard and cap intact “like this?” in disbelief.
Although I said yes, deep down I was uncomfortable at the thought of not making it through, despite of matching the job profile much, given my unprofessional appearance. After all, making it to a top company is all that is fed into your system and all that you work diligently for in the final year of college.
Finally, the day of the interview arrived. My first job interview ever!
I went in, beard and cap intact and landed with the job in my kitty at the end of it, along with 4 other candidates.
I’m working for the same company till date. Not even a year has passed and I’ve been promoted to the position of a senior engineer. A star team award from the CEO was another feather in my cap instilling the pride of not having compromised my faith to adjust with wordly norms. My looks neither stopped me from achieving pinnacles nor made it hard for me to blend in. I have friends from different parts of world with whom I hangout like a normal person, looks no bar!
You know, it’s often tempting to do what is easy than what is right. It is when you sidestep the easier stuff to do the ideal thing, what is actually right no matter how hard it is initially, is when you earn reputation in your own eyes. Do not underestimate your power to strive in faith.
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#MuslimAndProud is campaign to celebrate the Positive Muslim Identity. We are gathering stories of Muslims doing well in life without compromising their identity, and share it with the world.
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