Tattoo's, Piercings and Employment

Errata

I would guess that most employers want job applicants who look as if they'd fit in with their business and their employees.
Camden Lock or Brighton: Anything goes
Church of England: Beards only, for both genders.

paulwellerfan

i am a social worker.
i have been employed as a social worker for many years.
i have a small tattoo on my pinkie finger.
( it was either that or a borstal stamp on my face,
from when i was in care many years ago.)

i now wear a ring to cover up the tattoo.
however when dealing with kids who spout out you dont know what i am going though i take off my ring and say really.
although a bit off the top i know.
However i would feel really uncomfotable sitting in a legal planning meeting bearing my tattoo.

superflygal

Personally, I can't stand piercings and tats. I find many people plastered in tats and piercings and odd coloured hair unapproachable and intimidating. Those 'flesh tunnel' stretched earlobes make me gag.

I know airlines immediately, at interview stage weed out those 'alternative' looking people, as many people find this sort of look unpleasant and it makes uniforms look rather strange.

I would never be unkind to someone looking like this but wouldn't feel comfortable approaching one either, nor would I employ someone with these attributes. I was really into rock music in my late teens, and desperately wanted to tattoo myself with skulls etc. I swiftly moved on to raves and clubbing and was so pleased I hadn't gone ahead before!

SFG x

Tiddlywinks

coinxoperated wrote: »

If I met a girl with blue hair, a big 'ol set of artistic tattooed wings down her back and her cheeks pierced, I would instinctively feel warmer towards her.

How odd!

Not odd just human reaction - we are 'tribal' by nature and usually feel more comfortable with those that are similar to us.

coinxoperated wrote: »

... gothic and alternative (tattoos, piercings - not 'fashion') people just tend to be able to communicate better, seem to have a higher level of overall intelligence...

Now this bit made me grind my teeth... you comment about how others negatively view those with 'alternative' syles yet you make 'values' based judgements about those who don't look like you - which makes you just as bad, doesn't it?

Assuming that those of us without tattoos and piercings or whatever are less able to communicate / less intelligent is just prejudiced - plain and simple... so maybe you should consider revising your own opinions as well!

Ynayesta

Would you shop / visit elsewhere if the person trying to sell you something had for example, cheek piercings?

No, I doubt very much their piercing would have anything to do with the product or service they are selling, unless that service is body modifications, in which case I would look elsewhere if they did not have body modifications.

Would you distrust someone with piercings / tattoos?

That completely depends on the content of those tattoos; if it were something highly questionable (for example a racist slur) then certainly I would. I wouldn't distrust someone because they have a Lily flower on their arm.

What if they had a large non-offensive chest tattoo that you could see?

As above.

Honestly I think that the attitude to body modifications has calmed largely over the past ten years, I am seeing more retail assistants with facial and some more unique piercing. As well as stretched ears and visible tattoos.

The only real problem I see with them is when it could be a real safety issue in your job, for example when I worked with patients with challenging behaviour last year, I took all my facial piercing out, there was no incident relating to it, but that nature of the work is unpredictable and they put you at higher risk of injury.

However I am still in care, but am sporting several labrets and my septum piercing, If I were to come across a client who did have issue with them, or thought me distrustful because of them I wouldn't take them out but instead replace them with clear skin safe plastic jewellery for the time I am with that client.

In your job however it doesn't seem that they would pose a safety issue as your employer currently has no problem with it.

Cheek piercings are quite suited for tygon jewellery, which can be clear and when wearing these as retainers it'll just look like you have dimples.

Mrs_Ryan

nimbo wrote: »

My local HMV has a really funky looking indie guy work there... it must be town specific...

having said that I've worked for Monsoon where the manager was a bit finicky about visible tattoos, whereas the accessorize manager down the road not so much...

when I worked for the NHS it was specifically written in the dress code, no visible tattoos, and piercings had to be limited to one each ear.... but also technically even as reception staff i was only allowed to wear a simple wedding band, and had to be bear below the elbow as I entered clinical settings....

it depensd what kind of job you may want to go for... independent clothing shops will love them, whereas shops like M&S are less likely to like them... unless you have REAL job security in the current market it may be worth sticking to the rules extolled into me before my first tattoo - you should be able to cover them for weddings and funerals (my family are religious and although I'm not I wouldn't want to offend my ancient Aunts)...

I think there must be different rules in different areas of the NHS. My bosses are fine with my visible tattoo, and while its supposedly the case that the only ring that can be worn is a plain wedding band, I am allowed to wear my plain non-stoned Claddagh ring (I'm not married) I;ve never heard the weddings and funerals thing - when my sister got married recently both her and her chief bridesmaid had their shoulder tattoos visible over their strapless dresses but I specifically asked for a floor-length bridesmaid dress to hide the tattoos on my ankles and feet.

Kirri

Errata wrote: »

Tattoos and rivets here, there and everywhere are simply fashionable amongst certain people - at the moment!
All it tells me is those indulging in inking their bodies and sticking bits of tin in them are nothing more than slaves to fashion, and easily swayed.

I'd say the opposite about myself, I hate fashion and am not easily swayed by anyone! There are different groups of people who are into tattoos and piercings and I fall more into the alternative group than the silly young chav girl.. plus I got my first tattoo 25 years ago so bit long ago to be a fashion fad..

and to the OP yes I'd say it always will be offensive to some employers and many people - but depends on which path one wants to follow and we can't spend our lives conforming to someone else's ideals even if we have to conform to a certain extent for work.

I have tattoos and piercings but I can dress for work and no one would know apart from a tiny nose stud which is barely noticeable. Probably safe to say any employers would never get to see most of what else I have.

Kirri

pinkshoes wrote: »

I've never met anyone with a tongue piercing that doesn't either talk strangely, or flick it!

I don't do either! I talk perfectly normally, as I did before I had it and don't flick it either. I don't even let it show when talking like I've noticed some people do.

System

You really can't judge a book by its cover...

kururunfa

I'm 30, I have three tattoos (two on my arms which are visible in my normal office attire, one on my leg). I want more tattoos but I won't be able to get them for at least a year (the one I want is big and expensive, and I compete in contact sports so I can't afford the time off training to let the tattoo heal, let alone the money for the multiple sessions). The only facial piercings I have are discrete ones in my ears and nose.

I'm self employed and I work in the technology and entertainment industries. Many of the big companies that I work with have incredibly relaxed dress codes and don't care what your body or face looks like so long as you're good at your job.

Before I was self employed, I worked in customer service (telephone based for a travel company), and my team leader asked me not to wear a stud in my nose one day because the client was coming to visit the contact center and they wanted everyone to look smart. This was only a few years ago, so I guess it shows that attitudes vary massively between industries.