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Piercings In The Workplace

V

vorbb

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 18, 2010
47
0
Has this changed much in recent years? I know the general rule of thumb was that peircings, tattoos, etc. were greatly frowned upon in the past.

I currently have my eyebrow pierced, snake bites, as well as a visible tattoo on my neck. When I graduate, will this severely effect my ability to get a job in the computer science field?

Thanks guys!
 
In my recent experience interviewing applicants were introduce to a round robin 20 minute interview with 6 team made up of 3 people per table.
Two of the 10 applicants had several peircings and visible Tattoos.
There were 8 people that moved on to round 2.
I happened to know one of the interviewer and we spoke after the interviews over beer.
Him being a directors said, I wish these college kids would listen during their interships when told that peircings and tattoos may hinder opportunities.
Even at my last job, sitting their in staff meetings, some men had ear piercings, couple of the girls had brownie nose but nothing too flashy.
Now general laborers different than the Professional population.
 
In my workplace it isn't a problem. I won't come right out and say where, but I am an engineer for the largest aerospace company in the world. I work with another engineer (no, not a union laborer) who has a full sleeve of tattoos. There are also several people with piercings, several guys with gauges in their ears, women with tattoos, etc.

My point is that while it definitely depends on the place, there are most certainly professional environments where it is accepted.
 
The answer to your question is yes it will hurt you. Can you get a job with them yes you can but at the same time going into an interview with them is a quick way to have your resume ended up in the trash.
It speaks volumes about the person in saying that in a professional meeting they do not understand they need to clean up.

In your normal work day it might be find but sure as not ok for an interview.

Piecing in lets say CS will almost always hurt you and they sure as hell never will help you. If you want to get away them them you better be good and I mean damn good. If you are just good then you will be passed over by someone who was willing to clean up you you might just be slightly better than.

The tattoo might hurt you depending on how viable it is when you are wearing a collars shirt. Chances are if you can cover it up pretty well it is not going to hurt you.
 
I'm not being an ass, but yes. Big time.

My first Job was in a movie theater from age 16-18. You weren't allowed visible piercings OR EVEN the clear "filler" thing (lol, whatever it's called) to be in it's place. I now work in an ER (18-present) and the rules are no different.
 
Depends on the industry, my girlfriend works as a software engineer and has a labret, nose ring tongue bar, a tunnel and a ring in one ear and two rings in the other.

It's never been an issue with her, she's even customer facing occasionally going abroad to do work for clients.
 
Why would you want to work for any company who judged your ability to do a job by your appearance.Spending a large part of your life pretending you're someone you aren't is a recipe for disaster.

( I'm not just talking about drone white collar people but it also applies to highly skilled professional union labourers)
 
It seems like trashy appearance (piercings, lots of visible tattoos, party or concert clothing in day to day use) is becoming more and more the norm, especially amongst <35 year old females. If anything it definitely makes it easier to separate wheat from chaff.
 
I agree with most that tatt's and 'face' jewelery will probably not get you a call back in most circles, but I've come to the realization that it's not always the case especially in your field of IT. Half the guys that work in IT at my job have full sleeves, wear affliction shirts, and come to work drunk.

All VERY unprofessional behavior but man do they know how data mine. :p
 
I've had my tongue pierced for several years and it never hindered me from getting corporate HR jobs at some fairly conservative Fortune 500 companies (The Clorox Company is one example). Then again, it's not very visible unless you watch my mouth carefully when I talk. Though having my tongue pierced may bias me a bit, while I worked in HR I never encouraged hiring managers to consider a candidate's tattoos or piercings nor never really saw anyone making a big deal out of it. With that said, I can see it being a factor for a new college grad with little experience applying for a job that requires interaction with external clients compared to someone who presents a more conservative appearance. I frankly wouldn't blame a company who wouldn't hire someone with very visible tattoos and piercings out of concern for the image it would present to customers – many companies are mindful of the image their employees present to others and want to ensure it matches a desired corporate image.

In the end, I think it depends on the company and type of job for which you apply and your piercings and tattoos could prevent you from getting some jobs and there won't be a thing you can do about it. Having piercings or tattoos is not a protected class like race, religion, etc. in the U.S. and companies can throw out your resume as soon as they see you if they want, no matter how qualified you may be. So, get them/keep them at your own risk.
 
Peterkro said:
Why would you want to work for any company who judged your ability to do a job by your appearance.Spending a large part of your life pretending you're someone you aren't is a recipe for disaster.

( I'm not just talking about drone white collar people but it also applies to highly skilled professional union labourers)
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Here's the unfortunate truth, some corporations care and some of those jobs are jobs that one may want so "conforming" to their idea of "acceptable" is sometimes necessary to pay the bills. If you want to go with the "screw the man" attitude then fine, but you may find yourself in a position one day where you can't get a job at the company you want because of your appearance. It may never hinder you, but the chances, in my experience and industry, seem higher. I don't think I like it more than anyone else but that's life and I'll gladly be a drone for a steady paycheck.
 
We've been explicitly told that facial piercings are not permitted at the office, and neither are tongue piercings. I would never consider wearing one to an interview - there's nothing to be gained by doing so, and plenty to lose.

My tongue has been pierced for years, I just don't wear the jewelry to work - it's no big deal to me. I enjoy earning a living.

We don't have an official policy on tattoos, but nobody in the office has any tattoos that are readily visible when you're dressed appropriately. Mine are covered by long pants and short sleeves.
 
It depends on the environment and the job you are going for.

My dad has his ear pierced and now takes it out before he leaves for work in the morning. When he gets home he puts it back in. He already had his job when he got the ear pierced but they made him put a bandade over it until it had healed enough to take the ear ring out for an extended period of time.

My mother has 2 tattoos one that shows if she wears shorts, and the other one is hidden by wearing a normal shirt.

I have 1 tattoo that is hidden when wearing a shirt of just about any kind, so mine is a none issue in my work environment.

My sister is still in college and does not have a "real job" but she has 3 tattoos. 2 of which are not seen under normal circumstances and the third only if she wears shorts.
 
Tomorrow said:
We've been explicitly told that facial piercings are not permitted at the office, and neither are tongue piercings. I would never consider wearing one to an interview - there's nothing to be gained by doing so, and plenty to lose.

My tongue has been pierced for years, I just don't wear the jewelry to work - it's no big deal to me. I enjoy earning a living.

We don't have an official policy on tattoos, but nobody in the office has any tattoos that are readily visible when you're dressed appropriately. Mine are covered by long pants and short sleeves.
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My tongue piercing starts to close up if I take it off for even an hour.
 
Well it shouldn't--but it does matter to those who judge people entirely based upon appearance. Those types generally jump to conclusions about a variety of things they shouldn't. I don't know that you'd want to work for a company that has that culture.

As far as I'm concerned as long as you arrive on time, are respectful, and dress appropriately then tattoos and piercings don't matter. I don't have any myself, but they look good on some.
 
i have 25 hours of tattoos, with a short sleeve shirt you cannot see any. my tongue is pierced along with my ears. im currently working in a field that doesnt care about body modification. i dont see people, customers, etc. BUT i have been asked in an interview if i was willing to remove the piercings. of course i said yes, then i didnt get the job. i would say it was a huge factor in their decision making. i think times are changing but not as fast as we would like. im still careful about what and where i get body modification. at the end of the day i need a job!
 
I think as long as the piercings don't go overboard, it shouldn't be a problem... overboard meaning more than a typical eyebrow, ear, or lip or something.
 
Tomorrow said:
We don't have an official policy on tattoos, but nobody in the office has any tattoos that are readily visible when you're dressed appropriately. Mine are covered by long pants and short sleeves.
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How do you keep your tramp stamp covered up? :D
 
rdowns said:
How do you keep your tramp stamp covered up? :D
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Fat rolls. :eek:

ass_get_down_from_there.jpg
 
barkomatic said:
Well it shouldn't--but it does matter to those who judge people entirely based upon appearance. Those types generally jump to conclusions about a variety of things they shouldn't. I don't know that you'd want to work for a company that has that culture.

As far as I'm concerned as long as you arrive on time, are respectful, and dress appropriately then tattoos and piercings don't matter. I don't have any myself, but they look good on some.
Click to expand...

i agree, shouldnt matter what tattoos and piercings you have but it does. just like when someone hires a man over a woman and the woman was a better candidate for job. shouldnt be that way but it happens! thats something we (the tattooed and pierced) deal with. in a way, it comes down to: how bad do you want the job?
 
Tomorrow said:
Seriously? :eek:

I've gone months without wearing one. I wouldn't have had it done if I couldn't take it out for work.
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Yup. And I've had it for 5 years. Supposedly I can't have piercings at work either but since a tongue piercing is not that visible I never had trouble for it.
 
Peterkro said:
Or your arse antlers for that matter.:)
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Nice, classy. Nice assy too. :D

The piercings don't bother me too much, for they can be removed for the work-day.

The neck tat is a whole different matter. Am I alone in thinking that this is extreem for a tattoo?? I get images of a gang/prison tat, which is not good.

Tell me I'm in error, please.
 
iJohnHenry said:
The neck tat is a whole different matter. Am I alone in thinking that this is extreem for a tattoo?? I get images of a gang/prison tat, which is not good.

Tell me I'm in error, please.
Click to expand...

I've seen a few tattoos on the back of the neck, when worn by a woman with long hair, which don't look too bad.

But yes, right or wrong, my first impression of a neck tattoo on the front or side of the neck is that it's a bit overdone. That may come across as a bit prejudicial, but that stereotype (conjuring up imagery of gangs or prison) is definitely there, especially with the older generation.
 
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