OK, so I'll admit that I have a definite personal opinion about the suitability of tattoos and piercings in the workplace. I sport a number of ear/facial piercings. As a student (sadly this was a very long time ago) it never really occurred to me that my piercings would present any kind of difficulty when I commenced 'proper' work. After all, it wasn't like my brains fell out upon contact with the needle..was it?
My first day in full time work post degree was very nearly my last. Having turned up smartly dressed with a full complement of piercings (as I had done at interview) one of the Partners at the recruitment company I was working for, suggested that I wasn't a great fit for the image of the business. The other Partner was more liberal and thought it wouldn't make a difference. Happily for me, the second opinion prevailed...
More recently, tattoos and piercings are becoming far more commonplace in professional environments and not just from the younger generation. Even Dame Judi Dench recently acquired her first tattoo at the age of 81. But in my opinion it will take a very long time before all recruiters - and employers - are able to view those with obvious facial tattoos or more extreme piercings as being as capable as a tattoo/piercing free alternative...even if the first is better qualified for the role.
65% of Britons don’t believe tattoos are a reflection of someone’s personality – but are recruiters becoming more relaxed with their own views? A recent report carried out by Direct365 found that 77% of people aged between 18-24 disagreed that tattoos affected someone’s ability to do a job. The study discovered that women were most in favour of removing the stigma that has traditionally surrounded tattoos within the workplace (73%). This was compared with 62% of men.
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