I'm looking to get my hair cut, and I thought it was time to try something a little higher on the scale than Great Clips. So I found a couple of places, and the reviews use words like Trendy and Hip. I am neither of those things, and I feel like they're not going to be pleased to see a middle-aged fat woman when their preferred clientele is probably cute college students. On the other hand, I probably have more money than the cute college students ("I'm older and I have better insurance"), but I do occasionally lose my aplomb when confronted with objective assessments of my physicality.

I suppose I can just go in and say "I need a better salon, and you're recommended." Appeal to their own ego.

I suppose I can just go in and say "I need a better salon, and you're recommended." Appeal to their own ego.

You'd be surprised. Most stylists don't have a preference for model-pretty girl. They really want to make you look good and happy with the experience.

I suppose there are some stylists who fall short of that ideal, but the ones I know love doing it because they feel privileged to make people feel good.

I tend to think "trendy" and "hip" are buzzwords for "we'll give you that haircut that is so hot right now even if it looks terrible on you because it's what you desperately want."

On the other hand, I probably have more money than the cute college students

You'd be a better tipper and probably an easier haircut, so I can't imagine why they wouldn't want you as a client.

First part went OK, even if I couldn't remember the grammar for expanding an array. Or ".indexof()" SIGH. The interviewer is convinced that I can program, though, so he's calling me back in about 45 minutes.

I feel like they're not going to be pleased to see a middle-aged fat woman when their preferred clientele is probably cute college students.

I get feeling like that, but the fact is you have money to pay and tip, and you have every right to get a haircut from any place you like. Be a little fancy!

That sounds good, Theo!

Connie, if you can, swinging by a salon to make that first appointment should let you know if you're interested in them. (Learn from my mistakes! I have ended up getting my haircut in a couple of places that were 100% not for me on sight, and neither was the experience!)

Yay!

Good luck, Connie. It will probably be fine. I'd encourage you to try a few places before deciding on one. I'm amazed how much happier I am to have a salon and stylist I really like as opposed to one that is, you know, okay.

Jesse makes some excellent points.

I still miss my NYC stylist.

The interviewer is convinced that I can program

This is really the only important thing in coding interviews -- if they see that you can break down a problem and come up with a sane way of solving it, and that you're familiar with how the language you're using should fit into that solution, that's a win. Forgetting some specific function name, or needing to look something up, or whatever detail thing, is way less important.

Good luck on the next step!