Piercings, Tattoos, Gauges and the Job Search

When I was a kid it was a big deal in my family when I got my ears pierced. If I wanted earrings, why didn't I just go with those dreadful clip-ons that pinched and hurt? Looking back now it was a lot of bluster about nothing.

Let’s fast forward to the 2000s; my tiny piercings pale in comparison to the gauges, tattoos and facial piercings that I see on the younger Millennial Generation kids. Like ear piercings, maybe they won’t make a bit of difference in forty years but as a job search coach, I worry about today. I have a young friend with a facial piercing (called a micro dermal or dermal piercing) and a nose ring. This guy has a vibrant personality, is friendly, has great communication skills and had a couple of waiter/server jobs before getting pierced. What has troubled him lately is that the summer server jobs he has applied for all turned him down because, “Facial piercings are against corporate policy”. Many of these restaurants also let him know that if he removed the piercings (not just covered them) that they would hire him in a New York minute.

The same type of disappointment may face a lot of other pierced or tattooed job seekers; especially since most companies have a choice of many qualified job seekers and like it or not, are going to select the person that not only has the skills but also reflects the culture of the business. My suggestion to anyone who is considering a visible piercing or tattoo is to really think about it. The choices you make now may not be same as what you will want down the road and unfortunately may interfere with your current successful job search. Sure it is a sign of your individualism and personhood; I get that. Like it or not though, companies can be selective, especially these days.