Rashida
If you’ve ever had body modifications or non-traditional hair color, chances are you heard (more than a few times) that you wouldn’t be able to get a “good job” with them.
As someone with 5 small tattoos, I can’t say their discrete placement was accidental. I certainly considered how the tattoos could affect me in a professional setting.
But why is that?
Piercings, tattoos, pink hair, or any other body modifications don’t say anything about how you do your work. So why are they considered “unprofessional”, and will this ever change?
The History of Common Body Modifications
When you understand the history of tattoos and piercings, the reason they are seen as unprofessional makes more sense. Tattoos and piercings originated from non-white societies. Modern culture is based on what the majority of members consider acceptable, which is why any sort of “alternative” appearance can be flagged as unprofessional.
Essentially body modifications and alternative appearances don’t adhere to typical beauty standards. For this same reason, certain hairstyles connected with black hair and culture tend to also be marked as unprofessional. The variation of the norm, unfortunately, causes people to label hairstyles, tattoos, piercings, and more as unprofessional.
Judge a Book by Its Cover
Ah, the infamous in-person interview. It may seem like a distant dream (or nightmare) by this point, but it plays a huge role in this conversation. Think about it. I’ve never seen a job application that asks what color my hair is or if I have any visible tattoos.
So when do employers decide these modifications are unprofessional? When they see you. One of the biggest issues with interviews is interview bias. The interviewer is not only judging you on your answers to their questions or your experience, they are judging you on how you look. Do you look professional? Do you look like a good fit for the company?
You might say the interviewer judges the book by its cover, or the person by their appearance. If the interviewer does not like alternative appearances or has a bias against them, they will judge someone with tattoos, piercings, or colorful hair as unprofessional.
The Effect on Different Professions
Interestingly enough, the way that tattoos, piercings, colorful hair, and the like impact professionalism depends on the job. Let’s take a look at some examples.
Customer-Facing Jobs
Most jobs that require interacting directly with customers in person tend to label modifications as unprofessional. The big reason is because of their clients/customers. Some employers may know that their typical customers may not accept modifications. Others are not sure, but they want to be safe and present a palatable image. This varies based on the status of the job, but some examples include:
- Front desk receptionists
- Waitresses, hostess, or servers (especially at fine dining restaurants)
- Salespeople (car sales, furniture sales, etc)
Corporate Jobs
Corporate jobs, or your typical office job, tend to find modifications unprofessional. These are the same kind of jobs that required “business casual” up until recently (and many still do). They tend to have a certain cookie-cutter outline of what’s acceptable in the office. However, it will depend a bit on the industry and company culture.
Creative Jobs
For some jobs, it’s pretty acceptable, and maybe even preferred to have modifications. Jobs in creative industries like art, writing, beauty, and more are often more accepting of unique appearances.
Specifically, it’s to your advantage to have tattoos and piercings if you are a tattoo artist or professional piercer. You interact with people who are looking for those services, so you can serve as a walking billboard. Likewise, if you are a hairstylist who specializes in colorful hair, it may be a benefit to have your own head of it as well.
Will Things Change?
The future of body modifications and unconventional appearances in the workplace is already changing. For one, more remote opportunities are opening up. I’ve gotten jobs where the employer has never seen me. There’s always the chance that they check on your social media, but many remote employers are not nearly as concerned about how you look. The cookie-cutter in-person office is phasing out, and there are many remote jobs available that don’t have a dress code or appearance requirements.
Jobs aren’t the only thing changing, people are. Tattoos, piercings, and colorful hair are becoming more and more common 36% of US adults between 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo, compared to 21% in 2012. Interestingly, tattoos are more popular with those who have higher levels of education. As more people get tattoos, they become more socially acceptable and less likely to be labeled as “unprofessional.”
Realistically, not every company or job will accept body modifications in the years to come. For certain positions, it really is a tough call for an employer. However, there are many great jobs that are already becoming more accepting of alternative appearances.
