Never judge yourself negatively because of your dreadlocks. More than anything else, they should empower you to excel and succeed in all of your endeavors including finding the job of your dreams.



Be very clear on the job you really want. Get a job description and imagine you with your dreadlocks in that position. Write down three compelling reasons you want this job or career. With living expenses, list heartfelt dreams and goals this job will help you achieve. Read it morning, noon, and night.

Approach the search for your dream job as a full-time job. Do something every day such as scanning online job sites, reading the classifieds in local papers, and working on your resumes. Create a job searching to-do list every night or early morning.

Regardless of how long it takes, never give up finding the job you'll be happy and proud to have. Many people with dreadlocks have found rewarding jobs and careers. Talk to them, ask questions, and get advice on their job success.

Before you embark on the search of your dream job, do a present reality check. Do you have the needed experience, skills, certification, or college degree for the job? If not, figure out a way to get them. Take courses online, enroll at a local college, or take a job close to the one you want to gain experience.

Here are 5 steps to help guarantee success in finding the job of your dreams with dreadlocks.

1. Create a Personal Work Profile

- Get a notepad or open the word processor on your computer and make a list of every job and place of employment. Make sure the name, addresses, and phone numbers are accurate. Keep detailed list of employment dates and salaries.

- List your professional skills and learning experiences. Include degrees, certifications, completed training courses, seminars, and self- taught skills.

- Add accomplishments, goals achieved, and responsibilities of previous positions. Make sure to highlight computer experience such as computer type, tasks performed, and software you become skillful with.

- Get references from previous employers and co-workers. Give each one a call to verify use of names, addresses, phone numbers, and availability.

2. Write a Winning Resume

- Use the information from your Personal Work Profile to create a professional resume. Get samples from the Internet, bookstores, and libraries to create effective resumes, cover letters, references, and salary history. Ask a friend or relative with the job you want to review or compare resumes.

- Create electronic copies of your resumes for sending by e-mail and posting on Internet jobsites. The two most popular forms are Microsoft Word documents and Adobe PDF.

- Keep copies of resume in a folder, flash drive, briefcase, car, or discreetly on a computer at work. You should always be ready to hand-deliver, mail, or e-mail your resume immediately.

3. Post or Send Resumes Weekly

- Post your resumes to employment websites such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, local newspaper websites, and company websites.

- Send out five to ten resumes a week every week. Make sure you follow up to ensure the targeted company received your resume. If the company has not contacted you after you sent your resume, send an e-mail or call. Also, you can let them know you're still interested in the job or position.

- Keep a log with the company name, address, date, contact person, and follow-up dates.

4. Network Online and Offline

- Practice TTP (Talk To People). Broadcast the job you're seeking to anyone and everyone you know. Strike up conversations at grocery stores, school, church, parks, or anywhere people gather. Attend job fairs, business functions, seminars, and happy hours (try not to get too happy, your purpose is to network).

- Take part in online chat rooms and discussion forums. Many are hosted by professional associations in the field or industry of the job you're seeking. This can also be a great way to find open positions.

5. Keep a Positive Professional Image

- Set aside one good suit for interviews. Keep starched shirts and shined shoes in the same place ready for immediate change. If possible, keep interviewing clothes in a travel bag in the car.

- Groom your dreadlocks. For men, make sure your beard, mustaches, sideburns, and edges are neat. Most importantly, make sure your dreadlocks are clean and fresh. If you have long dreadlocks, wear them in a ponytail tied behind the head with a hair band.

Women can be more flexible since most companies consider long dreadlocks a female hairstyle. In either case, always try to present a professional image with your dreadlocks. Before interviews, visit a loctician or image consultant to get ideas on how to create a business hairstyle with dreadlocks.

- Make sure the messages on your answering machine and cell phone are informative. Write a script, rehearse it, and record it several times until it's perfect. Make sure you state your name slowly and clear. Call potential employers back as soon as you hear the message.

- Practice interview sessions. Think of potential questions the employer may ask and rehearse your answers. Practice how you sit, speak, and use eye to eye contact by sitting in front of a mirror.

Send a thank you note immediately after every interview preferably the next morning by mail or e-mail.

You must be prepared at all times. As inventor George Washington Carver says, "It is better to be prepared and not have an opportunity than to have an opportunity and not be prepared."

Last, but not least, be bold, positive, confident, and daring. Letting your confidence show wins many points with the interviewer. If you have the right skills, groom your dreadlocks, and keep a positive professional appearance, you should be well on the way to your dream job.