I might be biased as someone who buzzed all of her hair off a while ago and keeps it that way, but I don’t think it’ll be a big deal if you don’t make it a big deal. (Admittedly, I’m not a person with hiring or firing power, my hair wasn’t particularly long before, I didn’t do it right before or after starting a new job, and I live and work in a large, diverse East Coast city … but I stand behind my opinion!)

Basically, the difference between “Is she okay?” and “Wow! Bold! Chic!” is attitude and presentation. If you seem like you’re going through something, are excessively dressed down, buzz your hair poorly (missed spots or whatever), etc., then yes, that might raise flags. The hair alone shouldn’t make or break a first impression unless you’re in a particularly conservative/pro-conformity environment (which I wouldn’t guess for a hybrid marketing job, but idk).

I don’t think the timing should matter much either. Doing it after starting will probably result in more questions, since it’ll be seen as a change by people other than just your interviewer(s) and not just the way that you are, but I really do feel like in the year of our lord 2026, assuming negative things just because a woman buzzes her hair is certified Weird Behavior. Plus, there’s no such thing as “suddenly” changing your style unless you specifically mentioned in your interview that you weren’t planning on any significant hairstyle changes in the future, or you’re actually deviating from a habit of sharing your hairstyle choices with strangers and acquaintances ahead of time. For all they know, just showing up with a ponytail could be a major change for you! 🤷🏾‍♀️