has a tattoo or piercing ever worked against you?

LasMa
Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:49:34 +0000

If people get them somewhere they can’t hide them i bet alot of companies wouldn’t hire you.



Parent here (sorry to barge in, but the OP asked for employer perspective).

If you have a visible tat, you will not be hired at the company I work for. Period. Ditto for piercings in the nose, lip, tongue, eyebrow, gauges, and dreds. You may think it’s stupid or narrow-minded but the fact is, you’re not calling the shots about hiring at my company. My boss is, and no matter how qualified you are, you won’t get the job.

Before you make any irreversible decisions about your body, you need to think about your future bosses’ viewpoint. Image is important in the workplace. Bosses want to present an image of their company or department that says “We’re serious, we’re professional, we’re capable, we’re reliable, we’re steady.” To many bosses, body decoration says “I’m impulsive, I’m frivolous, I’m not too bright, I’m a druggie, I’m cheap, I have poor judgment.” Even if they don’t personally think this, they have to consider customers or colleagues who will.

Also keep in mind, your future boss will be older than you, perhaps much older, and tats and piercings just are not acceptable to many older people. You may disagree, but it’s a fact that you’re going to run into when you begin your job search. And again, it’s their opinion that counts, not yours.

So if you must have a non-traditional piercing, go for the belly button. If you must have a tat, put it someplace that will never show on the job. Otherwise, you are limiting your options and that’s really not smart in this economy.