Facial Piercings and Job Interviews

[Louweasel]

Originally Posted by Insipiens

What is a scrapbook shop? Is that like a secondhand book shop?

No it's a shop that sells supplies for a craft called scrapbooking, which is making an archival quality album from your photos using coloured/patterned papers, fixtures and embellishments and other art techniques; making more of an art of it, in short. Goto www.ukscrappers.co.uk and have a look in the gallery if that makes no sense!

[Peach]

Originally Posted by Insipiens

some might say that self-mutiliating fashion choices are a lifestyle choice

Maybe if it were facial tattoos or brandings, but I can take the piercings out, and my "lifestyle" is really middle-aged English teacher. Besides, "mutilation" is a charged term which is generally used by those who abhor the whole idea and consider it seriously kinky (my husband uses "dental work" with the same emphasis I don't consider it mutilation myself. Breast implants come a lot closer to that in my mind, but that's just my opinion.

Having the lobes of the ears pierced doesn't seem to set off the same bells in people, because it's more common, but it's the same kind of thing.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by cowpaste

No no no no no. Grow up. Get rid of spiked hair. Get rid of piercings. If you look like a child, interviewers will think of you as one.

That's actually a good point. Most people no longer associate piercings and stuff with bad people, but they still do associate them with young people, especially irresponsible ones.

[Elemental]

I'm the Youth Employment Rep for my branch of the Oregon Employment Dept so lemme throw in my 2 cents.

Take it out for any job interview and if/when a dress code is brought up (either in interview or during new-hire paperwork) mention that you have a small piercing and ask what the company's policy is. If they say that piercings are not allowed work out a compromise (I take my labret piercing out at work. I keep it under my little Ganesh statue for safe-keeping)

Based off of the pictures you've posted, I don't think that your appearance is going to be a negative factor in getting a job, just dress professionally and have a good resume.

[Bokken]

Agreed. Take the piercing out for the interview, find out the policy, and put it back in afterwards...
Unless they're so desperate to have you work for them they will overlook it.

Speaking as someone who's done a lot of hiring (and firing), I want the candidate to present a professional appearance. If they don't care, neither do I and they don't get the job.
I know a lot of arguments can be made about personal expression and so on. That's well, good and encouraged, but sometimes you have to show other people what they want to see in order to get what you want.

My opinion, anyway.

[Drifter]

Ok. I've actually been in the situation of being a manger that has not only been the interviewer of a VERY pierced individual but I hired him as well. Into an almost Dilbertesque environment I might add. Corporate America is much more accomodating the further west you go. Now that having been said, he was DEFINITELY the exception and had my group not been the heart of IT (that's info technology, not a Stephen King novel... wait maybe it is a Stephen King novel...that would explain a lot), anyway had we not been in IT I don't think he'd have been hired. My point is, the position you're applying for matters a great deal. High profile sales type jobs, or jobs with a great deal of outward facing situations will never come to you. Largely due to the fact that there are too many people like some that have posted here earlier that have no compunction about thier bigoted little attitudes determining how they see other people.

[Sarcasm]
Fortunately since apparently they don't feel they should have to tolerate us I guess that means we're under no obligation to tolerate them... Hmmm... I guess that just leaves a great big intolerant world. Wow we've learned so much from the intolerant thinkers of the past haven't we?
[/Sarcasm]

[noodle]

drifter is spot on and mentioned something i didn't have time to mention.

it entirely depends on the job. for example, you aren't going to see a guy working at hooters, or an unattractive person working at ambercrombie & fitch. some jobs look for certain things, and unusual facial piercings might be one of their no-nos.

[Kismet]

I'd say it depends. Taking it out for the interview may be a smart idea...but then, if you get the job, be prepared to take it out for every shift. Just depends where your priorities lie, I think. One of my (ex) coworkers (I no longer work there) had a labret piercing, and she had to take it out every shift, but they knew she had it. It didn't stop her from being hired, as she wore it to the interview, but she did have to take it out to work.

[Inquartata]

Originally Posted by Peach

Having the lobes of the ears pierced doesn't seem to set off the same bells in people, because it's more common, but it's the same kind of thing.

In all candour I have never understood that, either. The concept of purposely undergoing pain in the name of something as superficial and inconsequential as decoration escapes me altogether...

I myself try to avoid pain and injury whenever humanly possible. Call me crazy.

[Zilverzmurfen]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Call me crazy.

No need to - we already know that you're a sabreur! *whooa*

(Ah, the love-hate situation between weapons..!)

[Kismet]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

In all candour I have never understood that, either. The concept of purposely undergoing pain in the name of something as superficial and inconsequential as decoration escapes me altogether...

I myself try to avoid pain and injury whenever humanly possible. Call me crazy.

Inq, it's really not all that painful. I have 5 piercing holes in my body (2 in each ear and my belly button), and each was no more than about 0.15 split seconds of a little sting. Besides, if you want the piercing bad enough, pain really isn't a factor at all! I love my piercings. I want more.

[Elemental]

The one that hurt the most was when I got the cartalidge (SP?) of my ear pierced. I swear that it hurt more and took longer for the pain to stop then all my other piercings combined.

[Zilverzmurfen]

Cartilage.

I'm sure that hurt. I once had a piercing which only 'touched' the cartilage part of my ear, but ouch...

[mrbiggs]

I want a piercing straight through my abdomen. I'll put a foil in it. People will say to me "WTF is wrong with your shirt?" I'll say "it's a piercing. Check it out." Then they'll have to sit with their heads between their knees, the pussies.

[Grasshopper]

As a corporate headhunter, allow me to take a stab at this piercing problem. I would say the hole point of applying for a job is to nail it in the first impression by showing your mettle, not your metal. Just waiting for the interviewer to arrive will be enough to put you on pins-and-needles, so I would scrap the hole idea. Does this ring true my precious?

Ok, I'm spent...

[gojujay]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

I myself try to avoid pain and injury whenever humanly possible. Call me crazy.

And you call yourself a saberuer

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Originally Posted by foildad

I did a major double-take when I read that you had a labret piercing; I misunderstood what that meant.

Originally Posted by cornflower

What did you think it was before?!

I did the same double-take. I did not (and still do not) know where a labret is placed. I did know, though, that a ear ring is in the ear, and a nose ring is in the nose. So, my first thought was to think of which body part has a name similar to "labret". I immediately did a reality check, but I think you get my drift anyway.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[KShan5[PrFC]]

I believe it is placed directly under lower lip. It goes from the inside of your mouth to the outside under the lip.

[cornflower]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

As a corporate headhunter, allow me to take a stab at this piercing problem. I would say the hole point of applying for a job is to nail it in the first impression by showing your mettle, not your metal. Just waiting for the interviewer to arrive will be enough to put you on pins-and-needles, so I would scrap the hole idea. Does this ring true my precious?

Ok, I'm spent...

Wow... INQUARTATA... try to beat THAT.

[cornflower]

http://www.axiompiercing.com/labret04.jpg

This is a labret piercing. This looks pretty much like mine, except mine is a bit smaller.