Should I show off my body mods in a job interview?

Should I show off my body mods in a job interview?

Do you have piercings? What about a tattoo? As of 2013, one in five Americans had a tattoo; that ratio is probably even higher now. Although I may not have a whole lot of “body mods,” at least nothing too large, I know I’m not the only one in our department. So the question is…do you hide them for a job interview?

Why do I care what they think?
Despite the obvious increase in popularity, visible body art still continues to hold a potential stigma in the professional world. Many organizations even have anti-tattoo policies, or perhaps just some personal disagreements with modifications. There are no legal terms protecting people with alterations such as tattoos and piercings in the work place, unsurprisingly; and many tattoo artists even refuse to ink faces, necks, and hands in the best interest of the customer. Now the problem is, what if you already have these visible modifications? Many professionals in the workplace that will be considering hiring you (especially in the field of art) will not have a vendetta against body art; many may have some themselves, but you can’t be too sure. For example, even Walmart doesn’t allow their workers to have facial piercings, when in contrast, Borders used to consider tattoos and piercings as an interesting personality quirk and actually saw it as a plus.

In a study by CareerBuilders, over 42 percent of managers said their opinion of someone would be lowered by that person’s visible body art, and three out of four respondents believe that visible tattoos are unprofessional. In a similar study on Vault.com, 60 percent of employers said they were less likely to hire a candidate with tattoos or piercings. The reasoning behind this may be simply due to the hiring manager's personal views, body mods being something they do not agree with or perhaps they are stuck in the past with an idea that tattoos are associated with convicts and jailbirds. The employer may also believe that body art will be distracting to other workers.  The main concern, according to many employers, is how the company would be viewed or represented; they are concerned that the organizations brand/image might be compromised by outlandish tattoos, that one person’s body art could be perceived as offensive by a worker/customer, or that the employee will not be taken seriously by tradition-minded clients.

Although we may or may not agree with any of this, it is best to take into consideration if you want to find a job.

How do I know what to do?
One thing you can do before going into an interview is to do some research into the company. Maybe you check their websites or any available contracts/papers for any information you can find that may tell you if they are accepting. If you know anyone in the location, that is even better, as you could merely question them about it beforehand to get a better idea. Perhaps you could even visit the workplace to scout out the appearance practices of current employees or even look them up on LinkedIn. Basically, it comes down to judging whether or not to hide your body mods based on what you already know of the company.

In order to get off on the right foot, it may be suggested to remove your piercings or cover your tattoo for a job interview; but if you’re not planning on doing that on a regular basis for your job, should you really do it for the interview? Maybe. Some places you apply for may be completely fine with it, while others may consider it unprofessional if you wear it to an interview. Some may be fine with it on the job but still consider it unprofessional if you show up with them to an interview. Take into consideration that standards for professionalism in interviews are often higher, just like how you could be expected to wear a nice suit to a job interview even though you wouldn’t be expected to wear one on a daily basis at work. 

I came across this statement on a blog and thought it was a good insight into the decision; rather than paraphrasing, here is the quote: “At my previous firm, we were interviewing interns, and one showed up with a visible foot tattoo. While her work was good, we felt the fact that she showed up like that said something about her judgement. We were also concerned that clients would be put off by it. While ours is a creative business, we don’t want to do anything or present an appearance that might prejudice potential clients against us. Another intern showed up with a very small diamond stud in her nose. While it was actually more tasteful than the previous interviewee’s tattoo, ultimately, we chose another equally qualified person who showed up for her interviews with no visible piercings or tattoos…My husband does a lot of hiring, at his tech firm and visible tattoos and facial piercings and weird hair colors don’t generally get hired. The overall consensus being that if an interviewee does not possess the good judgement to present themselves professionally during an interview, where else will they exercise poor judgement?”

Should I show off my tattoos?
One option when going into an interview is to camouflage your tattoo. Whether or not you do this may depend on the size an nature of the tattoo. If you have any tattoos that could be considered offensive by another person, it is probably in your best interest to cover them for your job either way. How big is your tattoo? Walking into an interview with a giant tattoo on your arm may not be the best idea, as it simply doesn’t portray you as very professional in a business setting and seems to concern employers the most. Modest tattoos that are easy to cover or perhaps just small in size are probably okay. It may still be a good idea to cover it with concealer or a bandaid depending on the dress code of the company you are applying to. If you’re a female, you can potentially wear some nice jewelry to cover tattoos on fingers or wrists; or either gender could just wear long sleeves. Although proud of and comfortable with their tattoos, some bloggers give this as a reason for showing modesty in interviews: “I don’t want interviewers to focus on anything but my qualifications.”
 

Should I wear my piercings?
Piercings may be an even more difficult decision. A good idea may be to downplay your jewelry. If you have a nose ring, perhaps you should wear a stud. If you have ten holes in each ear, maybe consider removing some for the interview. Clear, plastic retainer jewelry is available for holes that cannot be kept without jewelry all day long. Large earplugs usually are not well received, and you should definitely take into consideration what jewelry you wear in them. Tunnels basically call attention to your holes, as do tapers and pinchers; so plugs that look more like a standard ear piercing are definitely a better idea. I don’t know of anyone in our major that has one, but tongue piercings seem to be the piercing that concerns employers the most.

The way you present yourself in an interview is the way your potential employer will expect you to present yourself at the job. If you go into an interview looking all clean cut only to show up at work with full metal covering your face, you can be certain someone will put up a fuss about it. So that being said, don’t be someone you’re not. While it may be a good job to downplay your jewelry, especially one’s considered more risky; if there is a piercing that you are not willing to downplay on a daily basis, do not minimize it for the interview. “Show that you can look professional, but don’t be someone you’re not." 

If you have any piercings, I strongly suggest you take a look at this article as it has some really good insight and tips on piercings in job interviews: http://community.tribalectic.com/articles/the-pierced-person039s-guide-getting-a-job

So what do I do?
Ultimately, there is no sure answer. Your decision boils down to where you’re applying, how badly you want/need the job, and how obvious your tattoos/piercings are. If you are not willing to cover up your tattoos and/or take out your piercings on a daily basis for the job, then don’t do it for the interview. If they don’t hire you for that reason, then chances are that it's not a company you would fit in and feel comfortable at. “A sign of maturity is choosing the battles you wish to fight.” Weigh in how important the job is and compare that to how important showing your tattoos and piercings are to you.

Personally, I am a little unsure of whether or not to cover up tattoos/take out my piercings for an interview. I don’t want to give up a job for something so small, but I don’t want to show up without them to an interview only to go through the potentially awkward aftermath of showing up at work with piercings in and tattoos revealed. What is your opinion on the matter? What do those of you with tattoos and/or facial piercings plan to do when it comes to this?
 
"A sign of maturity is choosing the battles you wish to fight. Why take a risk that has no return?"

While researching, I found that these blogs/websites had some really good input on the topic:
http://community.tribalectic.com/articles/the-pierced-person039s-guide-getting-a-job (previously mentioned)
http://www.everydayinterviewtips.com/question-should-i-wear-my-lip-ring-to-the-interview/#ixzz3RE4vIzuD
http://www.workingworld.com/articles/tattoos-and-piercings-in-the-workplace