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Toward the end of college, I started becoming really aware of how young I looked. At first, it didn’t bother me much. People always say looking younger is a compliment. But once I started working in private equity and venture capital and walking into meetings with executives and clients older than me, it stopped feeling flattering and started feeling like a disadvantage. In that environment, most men are clean-shaven, but some have beards, and it becomes obvious when someone can or can’t grow one properly because it comes in patchy quickly.
No client ever outright asked for someone else, but I noticed my judgment being questioned more often than that of my older-looking peers. Other co-workers were chosen for roles I had more experience in. In one instance, I helped source and evaluate a potential company for the firm, leading the research and early planning. When it came time to form the final deal team, I was passed over and someone else was selected as a better fit for the client-facing role. It was a significant position for me to lose out on. Nothing was ever said about my appearance, but I couldn’t help wondering whether I wasn’t seen as serious enough for that level of visibility.
