My mom tells me I will never get hired anywhere with locks, even though they are neat.

As long as you look presentable, have the qualifications and required experience and answer their questions in a way that satisfies them, you should stand a chance of getting hired.

Most people hiring r looking for someone who can do the job.
Depends what u want to do.
If u r programming computers to perform tasks it does not matter how u choose to present yourself.
If u r dealing with clients & customers, it is important to satisfy them that u r appropriate for the job.
If u r presenting a service that includes food & drink, dreads give the impression, rightly or wrongly, that u do not believe in soap & water, & a lot of people will not return if served by a person with dreads.
If u r working in a business, u need to give the idea that what ur whole person has to offer is more important than ur fashion statement - & people with left-or-right wing statements of fashion tend to p people off. Would u like to be represented by a person with Nazi tattoos & a skin haircut?
Dreads do not look clean to a lot of people, & that is what mum is telling you. Why do u wear them?You have to work it out & balance ur views & the possibility that clients, not the employer, may view it differently.
Best of luck

It depends. if you want to work at a high end snotty sort of place, then they would probably be too stuck up to give you a second look. But to be very honest you probably do not want to end up at a place like that anyways. Just do what you like and your good at, people will recognize your potential no matter what you look like.

if you are suitable for the job it should not matter

when you go to an interview come in their neat with your locks in a pony tail. also it all depend on if you are a girl or a boy. for girls no, cut that off. for boys maybe if it is neat and if you fit the mold of that job.