Do Tattoos and Piercings Affect Your Job Chances?

arthuredward

Anti-establishment or charming and fun?

There was a time when tattoos exclusively adorned the arms of sailors and piercings were only seen on aboriginal tribes but nowadays you see them everywhere.

50 year old women are shocking their friends and family, teenagers seem to see it as a rite of passage, a “what are you going to say about it” attitude; footballers and fashionistas are sporting the latest trends, some discretely some in full blown abandonment.

But just how does it affect your employability, your chances of securing the job of your dreams.

Are they now so common they are acceptable or do they in fact hold you back?

I guess these days it really depends on what job you want.

It might be a way of expressing your personality and style but just how do others perceive them?

We cannot help but judge people on how they look, its second nature you just can’t help it, so think long and hard about the impression you will be making both now and in the future to all the different people you will come across in both your working and personal life.

It would be interesting to run a survey across different industries, job types and skill levels and see if any patterns emerge.

In a manual, unskilledrole or creative field, if you work in entertainment, media, design or marketing I am sure you will see plenty of creative expression but just how many senior managers, client facing staff or board members have tattoos or piercings?

In recruitment we are always reminded that staff need to be brand ambassadors for their company, does the image you portray fit with the company and brands you want to be part of?

Think long and hard before you rush into a highly visible display, maybe a hidden or secret image would be better and give you more options for your personal and career prospects.