Metal Mouth Message Board

I interviewed for a few jobs while I was in braces and it didn't affect me at all. I think you are probably asking about whether or not it made the interviewer feel uncomfortable, because braces aren't going to have an effect on whether an employer hires you. I never felt uncomfortable in my braces. When I got my braces I worked in the medical recrods division of a hospital. Now, I work in the admissions department and my job is to check in patients and deal with the public all day long. I did interview for this job and they could obviously see that I was qualified, braces had no effect at all.

debonairdenise wrote:I applied for a new teaching position. I was worried that I wouldn't get the job due to the fact that I was braced, but then I realized I was qualified and I should just go in the interview and dazzle my new boss with my expertise. It worked. I just completed my first week at my new job.

I hope you dont mind me asking, what age group children do you teach and has anyone commented on your braces? I start teacher training next week and i'm worried how my colleagues and pupils will react on my placements if i decide to go ahead and get braces.

i've been informally told that it is good that i am getting my teeth fixed now while still in university instead of later. (this was by two people, one in the business ceo type group and the other in publishing). they thought it was best to 'fix image issues now' if i wanted a job in industry. i think it is part of a class thing. people in private schools or with fairly well off parents all had braces at a young age for the slightest thing (i find it hard to believe that absolutely everyone needed braces) and not having perfect teeth or having braces late in life shows that you aren't part of the group. it may end up being a subconscious assumption.

there are many jobs i can see braces having not affecting at all though.

I have been thru 3 interviews with my braces and seems like it didn't affect me a bit -- since I got 3 offers. I have the ceramic brackets w/ clear ligaments -- I have to say that it's hard to tell if you have them --unless u have something stuck on the brackets OR if the ligaments has turned really yellow.... Other than that, they are virtually invisible

Last year I taught a 4th/5th grade combination class. The kids were really intrigued by the braces for the longest time. That's because many of them had never seen them before. Most of the kids called them "bracelets" At first there were a lot of questions. but soon they became used to them. I now teach a K-2 second grade class. my students think they are cool and actually want some when they get older. Just relax and take the plunge. I wish I would have taken the leap a long time ago.

Denise

Hi!

I had a job interview and assessment day 18 days into braces. I still haven't heard anything so can't tell you if I got the job or not. I'm just about to finish Uni so I'll be stepping up my job hunting soon- so hopefully there will be a lot more interviews while my braces are still on (I don't particularly want to wait until June 2007- hopefully my debanding date- to work!)

If anything, I think I did better at this interview because, believe it or not, my braces have made me more confident.

I didn't feel I was being treated differently or that the interviewers were only noticing my braces.

Best of luck!

I enjoyed reading the opinions in this thread. I am extremely nervous and lacking self-confidence for an interview this week. But it's not directly because of my braces, it's because just within the last week I developed a slight lisp and I'm having trouble speaking.

I had to give my phone number to someone 3 times today because I was lisping/slurring the "6" and "7" and they didn't understand me

I almost wish I could cancel the interview.

Any chance the lisp will go away as quickly as it arrived?

Thanks for the advice, and for posting the rainbow passage. I'm going to sit in front of a mirror and read it to myself over and over again.

Good luck and try to remain confidant! And don't forget to stay hydrated, sometimes its hard to talk with a dry mouth. Sometimes I try lip balm when when the ole lips are dry, that keep them sliding over my braces easier.

I did 6 job interviews in a week while in braces and had 4 job offers. I was worried about the impact of my braces but just acted like I didn't have them and the interviewers were of course more interested in how I could do my job and get along with others, rather than my teeth. My job is all about speech and language and I work face to face with children and adults all day long. My coworkers and the families I work with always compliment my lig colours and my decision to get braces.
Good luck with the job search!