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Would You Hire Me? - Tattoos and Piercings in the Workplace
Mr Pink
I got catsfor youRegistered User regular
I got catsfor youRegistered User regular
Last semester, I completed a research project that was designed to discover if college students held a 'bias' towards hiring a person with tattoos, piercings, or other 'deviant' behavior. Participants were asked to take on the role of a hiring manager for a prominent company, and given a set of potential employees, each with a picture.
Each employee set was presented in two, with one being a 'deviant' and the other being 'normal'. For the first run of the test, both applicants had the same qualifications. In the second run, one client had obviously better qualifications. The better applicant varied between the deviant and the normal.
The results we found were basically what we expected. The younger the person participating in the experiment, the more likely they were to ignore the physical appearance and go for qualifications. However, there were enough exceptions to that conclusion that it seems to be more of a personal bias than an age one. Also, we could only complete the experiment at my college, which is located in Georgia, so I'm sure that influenced it as well.
So what do you guys think? Is there as much of a bias in the workplace against body art now as there was twenty years ago? Is it disrespectful to not look 'professional' at a job? Does anyone even still care what color your hair is?
Each employee set was presented in two, with one being a 'deviant' and the other being 'normal'. For the first run of the test, both applicants had the same qualifications. In the second run, one client had obviously better qualifications. The better applicant varied between the deviant and the normal.
The results we found were basically what we expected. The younger the person participating in the experiment, the more likely they were to ignore the physical appearance and go for qualifications. However, there were enough exceptions to that conclusion that it seems to be more of a personal bias than an age one. Also, we could only complete the experiment at my college, which is located in Georgia, so I'm sure that influenced it as well.
So what do you guys think? Is there as much of a bias in the workplace against body art now as there was twenty years ago? Is it disrespectful to not look 'professional' at a job? Does anyone even still care what color your hair is?
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This is incredibly unsettling when you think this person might be responsible for handling medications with potentially serious side-effects. I was relieved, when the actual script was handled by an old guy in a white coat who I physically saw.
Do you think if she had a lip ring, but not the drawl or gum, that you would have been as upset?
Want to be a sales rep for a big respectable company? No visible tattoos or piercings (other than earlobes for females)
Want to be an IT guy that never interacts with customers in a company that doesn't have customers wandering through on a daily basis? Probably doesn't matter.
Want to be a sales rep for a company trying build a rep as being cutting edge and in touch with youth? Won't matter at all and in fact might be a plus to have some small, tasteful tattoos or piercings.
Want to be hired to sell temporary body art and body jewelry at concerts or a similar venue? Probably required.
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I have a friend who has this "lever" made of copper that can flush the sinuses out. When he explains(or demonstrates(not at workthankgod)) what it does everyone's pretty impressed.
I'm not sure I understood you correctly, but if I did, fuck no.
A tattoo or a piercing is an accessory and I do not consider it part of said person's personality. If you show me you're detached of your outside looks while in a professional environment and are suitable for the job, I'd have no problem hiring you. Unless there is a very specific disadvantage outside of HR's control(a specific niche clientele with prejudices etc), any unusual(they are still unusual) fashion accessory, obsessive gesture or other behavioral quirk that shows up at an interview will give a slight disadvantage for the interviewee, but nothing more.
Edit: impressed(n.) - grossed out of their mind.
That's pretty...unique.
As the current generation starts to become the decision makers it will go away, of course other things they don't want to see in the workplace will come up I'm sure.
Shocked, then moderately bemused by the practical applications of such a thing.
Proud supporter of the Atlas diet, can hold his breath underwater for about three minutes.
I think with younger people, tattoos in and of themselves are not the issue, but what the tattoos represent. Tattoos are a statement of things that are important to a person and if the person has some tattoos that indicate that the thing that is very important to them is also the same thing they will be doing in their job, it becomes a positive.
So you're saying my full back tattoo of a CMS 1500 HCFA is a plus? Excellent.
I expect that joke to be gotten by very few people, but I'm still proud of it.
No one has ever even mentioned it. I've honestly been surprised by this.
uc berkeley?
Add me to the list of people teaching college with visible body modifications. I have, as far as most people can see, lots of tattoos, 5/8" earlobes, and a 2 gauge septum.
What do you teach?
That is surprising, but in a way the kids might be able to relate to you as a normal guy who's not that different to them. I can understand however how some schools don't want their teachers to have visible tattoos, parents may not approve.
I didn't know what I was clicking on but wow.
If when attending an interview (or even when picking an application up) if I forget to remove the piercing, I know I will not get the job.
=/
Exactly, in media, arts and fashion careers I think tattoos are seen as an expression and can often be seen as a talking point, sometimes a positive thing.
I think gender may play a part, if a male and female had the same tattoo I think the female would have a harder time getting a job. Some people see tattoos as vulgar and therefore much worse for a girl to have, on a guy they can sometimes be seen as a masculine thing and not necessarily bad.
As a female and a florist having a visible tattoo would not bode well for my career as floristry can be seen as a very traditional trade. Customers talking to me about funeral flowers may not have the greatest confidence in me if had a tattoo on my forearm. The field of work and ability to "wear" a tattoo is important - some people I think can naturally wear a tattoo and not have it effect their daily life due to their confidence/charisma.
Also, depending on the field, having a graduate degree can make your contributions valuable enough that it simply doesn't matter what you choose to do your body.
From a dating perspective I never found septum piercings attactive on a girl. Monroe, now that's a hot facial piercing along with lip IMHO.
On the other hand, men are supposed to present themselves in a very reserved fashion, with dark suits being the standard, so the bright colors of tattoos, hair dye, or even a garish tie can be a major turn-of.
Honestly, were I in management, I'd try to discourage loud anything, with black or natural color piercings being favoured.
True, employers may seem conservative and traditional in an interview then once you get to know them you can be more relaxed later. If you stick to a more natural look for an office/non-art-related job like you say you'll probably be safer in case they aren't or until you know what the standard is.
As a guy I suggest against it as it's a feminine piercing. It'd be up there with having your belly button pierced.
You know, since I only get piercings to get dates anyway...
I agree wholeheartedly.
That said, in my experience, most workplaces hold people to a standard that is much higher than necessary.
I'll give you an example: two offices, same company, about 20 miles away from each other. At office 1, the receptionist had visible tattoos (along her neck, upper back, and shoulders). It was common for jeans to be worn during the week (as long as they weren't frayed or torn) and if somebody was coming in for a half-day, it wasn't that unusual for them to come in in a T-shirt and sneakers too - as long as the t-shirt didn't have any printed text on it and the sneaker were in good condition.
At office 2, t-shirts were never allowed except underneath button-down shirts. Jeans were acceptable only on Fridays. Sneakers were never acceptable. While there was no specific policy regarding tattoos or piercings, nobody who worked in that office had any visible tattoos or non-ear piercings.
What was the difference? Was one a sales office and the other back-end administration? Did one service a different clientele? No, not really, on any account. They both had occasional client visits.
At office 1, the office manager would make sure the employees there knew when a client visit was scheduled and expected that employees would dress appropriately on those days. If they didn't, they were suitably and swiftly reprimanded.
At office 2, the office manager didn't bother. She didn't want to concern herself with when clients were in the office and when they weren't, so her policy was that employees were always expected to dress as though clients were present.
The office manager's laziness basically meant that dozens of employees were inconvenienced.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
In the grocery store, things are different. I don't do any of the hiring, and our HR manager himself has long scruffy hair, and visible piercings.. he's not nearly so picky.
I just am a picky bastard. I don't know why. I was just always raised to give a great first impression, dress up, and know what my potential employer expects. Weirdly, I'm also annoyed at the dress code at most retailers. There's no reason that I need to wear a shirt and tie, even if I'm a manager, because I work at a grocery store. I think it's more envy, though... many retailers have been switching to a casual dress code (which feels like it was started at book stores), and I'm looking forward to most others following suit soon enough.