Usually about 2" long, sometimes shorter but more often longer.
What do other people think? You can never know for sure, but nobody gives me crap about it. I don't really care, either.
The stake did make the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric shave, which is a shame because that dude had a great beard, but apparently clerks are cool to have beards.
I'm not sure what I'd do if they called me to a calling that they wanted me to shave for. My wife has never seen my irl without a beard.