Take out your piercings, damn it!

[KittenMoon]

Hahaha...I've never seen an email address quite that juvenile, although there was one girl who included a pic of herself modeling lingerie.

 

I saw a resume once where a girl spelled out her name alphanumerically. Like "N8T" or something like that.

 

And she had "cute" section titles, like instead of "Education" and listing her colleges, she called it "Where I partied".

 

She was making copies at a shop on our campus where my friend worked- he snagged a copy and put it up in our dorm hallway. :laugh:

 

Now THAT"S worthy of not hiring someone.

[KittenMoon]

Telling Grandma So and So anything or even giving her a reason to complain means she speaks by taking her All Mighty Dollar to your competitor..

 

I believe in accomodating a customer, but only so far- I know this isn't the way we like to do business in this country, but sometimes I think the customer's "sense of entitlement" to get anything, anyways, anytime could use a good smackdown.

[norajane]

This was her second interview with the managing partner. Blah. I wonder if she knew why she was being ushered out of the office so quickly. Maybe she thinks she just blew the second interview. Too bad you can't be direct with these kinds of things.

 

Did she come through a placement agency? You can tell the recruiter who works with her to give her some interviewing pointers...

[norajane]

I believe in accomodating a customer, but only so far- I know this isn't the way we like to do business in this country, but sometimes I think the customer's "sense of entitlement" to get anything, anyways, anytime could use a good smackdown.

 

You can't tell them anything if they don't come back...

[blind_otter]

Did she come through a placement agency? You can tell the recruiter who works with her to give her some interviewing pointers...

 

Nope, I think she heard of the job through acquaintances or something.

[KittenMoon]

You can't tell them anything if they don't come back...

 

Oh well!

 

I have a wonderful memory of a Spanish woman I worked for literally yelling at this lady who came in and got all huffy when she couldn't have what she asked for at the price she wanted (which was neither a standard item, and the price she wanted to pay wouldn't cover the ingredients).

 

She chased the rude lady out, saying she didn't need her business.

 

And she didn't.

[hotgurl]

most people expect a certain apperance for certain positions.

 

It is just life. You wouldn't go to an interview with ripped jeans and dirty hair.

and expect to get a job.

 

First impression re very important. Just as you have aperson have only seconds to make one a business has only seconds to make a good first impression and hopefull win a new customer. so details matter.

[Trimmer]

God, I want to argue this- IMO, a good receptionist is worth twice that of a middle of the road CEO!

 

I believe in accomodating a customer, but only so far- I know this isn't the way we like to do business in this country, but sometimes I think the customer's "sense of entitlement" to get anything, anyways, anytime could use a good smackdown.

Kitten - nobody is trying to curtail your right to hire people with tongue piercings, or to smack down your customers. I think that if you have a good business idea that can accommodate receptionists with tongue piercings and customer smackdowns, you should, by all means, start that business and prosper! Why not lead the revolution into the next generation yourself?

 

Employment is not an entitlement; professionalism is not a requirement; fawning over customers and good customer service is not legally mandated; producing a quality, long-lasting product isn't the only way to do business. We aren't dealing with questions of right or wrong, simply questions of what one employer thinks will make sense to its bottom line.

 

Go out and start a business and do things your way. You absolutely have the right to call the shots.

 

But, depending on the business, the clientele, etc., I can imagine some employers deciding to go on the more cautious side. Will they miss some possibly qualified employees with tongue piercings? Maybe yes. In the long run, will it hurt their company health and/or bottom line? Probably not. Do they really care about much else? Likely no.

[uniqueone]

I believe in accomodating a customer, but only so far- I know this isn't the way we like to do business in this country, but sometimes I think the customer's "sense of entitlement" to get anything, anyways, anytime could use a good smackdown.

 

 

 

....said the person standing in line at the unemployment office.......

[uniqueone]

 

There are days I look very conservative, and days I look punk, and no matter how I'm dressed, as long as I act maturely and address people respectfully, I've never gotten so much as a dirty look.

 

 

It's one thing to dress a certain way after you've been there for awhile (considering they don't mind). It's entirely another thing to dress that way on an interviews.

It doesn't matter how much people get away with wearing on the job, for an interview you should dress conservatively and this means no tats or piercings. Tats and piercings are not conservative.

 

 

Let's say that "Joe" shows up for the job interview wearing sandals and has painted toenails. With the job he's going to be doing (receptioist), he's going to be sitting at his desk most of the time so no one will see his toes much.

 

Should Joe get hired too?

[Curmudgeon]

No offense meant to you at all, but this way of thinking is just stupid. It's discrimination on a lesser scale.

 

 

Discrimination is minimizing someone for something over which they have no control, such as gender, ethnicity, color, disabilities (as long as they can still do the job), etc.

 

In this case, it's an individual and reversible choice, not something inherited or inbred.

 

What has been described here is simply perception and a company's desire to project a certain, professional image to the public they're reliant upon for its very existance. It's their right.

 

I'm a manager in a highly visible arena in which appearance is extremely important. If someone comes to an interview anything less than dressed and groomed for professional success, they may as well not come at all. Long hair on men, inappropriate attire on women, multiple piercings or visible tattoos on either don't cut it.

 

By the way, as a former cop, tattoos remind me of body graffiti by inmates and gang members and it doesn't matter how "tasteful" or artsy they are.

[Ocean-Blue]

I have my nose pierced and wear a very small stone. I too worry about the consequences of having a piercing when it comes to jobs.

 

Right now it's not a problem because I'm a student...but once I go into the working world, I wonder how it'll be received.

 

My reasons for piercing my nose are cultural as well as aesthetic.

 

I didn't even know they had flesh coloured rings. I must seek these things out.

[Trialbyfire]

I have my nose pierced and wear a very small stone. I too worry about the consequences of having a piercing when it comes to jobs.

 

Right now it's not a problem because I'm a student...but once I go into the working world, I wonder how it'll be received.

 

My reasons for piercing my nose are cultural as well as aesthetic.

 

I didn't even know they had flesh coloured rings. I must seek these things out.

At the expense of being called a reverse racist, O-B, nose piercings for your culture aren't a-typical, therefore, in my opinion, wouldn't be unacceptable. As long as it's discreet and tasteful, wouldn't affect a hiring.

 

I'm going to be blatantly reverse racist but honest. If a nose piercing is being worn by anyone else, where it's not cultural, I wouldn't hire.

 

If you're uncertain, why not remove it for the interview?

[uniqueone]

At the expense of being called a reverse racist, O-B, nose piercings for your culture aren't a-typical, therefore, in my opinion, wouldn't be unacceptable. As long as it's discreet and tasteful, wouldn't affect a hiring.

 

I'm going to be blatantly reverse racist but honest. If a nose piercing is being worn by anyone else, where it's not cultural, I wouldn't hire.

 

If you're uncertain, why not remove it for the interview?

You're right....that IS reverse racist. Who's to say what someone's "culture" is?

 

Look at African American women who were born in say....Pittsburg.....can they come into an interview wearing their tribal getup? I am guessing if they came into an interview wearing some sign of tribal decoration, you would not descriminate against them. And yet....they were born in Pittsburg!!!

 

I'm Scottish.....how about if I go to an interview in a kilt? Better yet, how about if my male relative goes to an interview in a kilt? It's cultural, isn't it?

 

I mean, c'mon...they're friggin Americans! Enough with this "cultural" bias which makes it ok for some and not others.

[Trialbyfire]

You're right....that IS reverse racist. Who's to say what someone's "culture" is?

 

Look at African American women who were born in say....Pittsburg.....can they come into an interview wearing their tribal getup? I am guessing if they came into an interview wearing some sign of tribal decoration, you would not descriminate against them. And yet....they were born in Pittsburg!!!

 

I'm Scottish.....how about if I go to an interview in a kilt? Better yet, how about if my male relative goes to an interview in a kilt? It's cultural, isn't it?

 

I mean, c'mon...they're friggin Americans! Enough with this "cultural" bias which makes it ok for some and not others.

You bet and I stand by being racially tolerant, as long as it's discreet.

[KittenMoon]

....said the person standing in line at the unemployment office.......

 

Never been there. Never had to.

 

We live in a "tolerant" diverse culture, that rolls over at the tiniest hint of possible controversy. I thinks that's damn silly, I don't do it in my life, and I wouldn't do it in my hiring practices.

[glamgurl36]

i see where you are coming from, that she should have taken out her tongue ring for her interview..its unprofessional...in the same respect, I don't think having a tongue ring would effect her ability to be a receptionist. If they liked everything except that, they should just tell her no piercings when she is hired and tell her not to wear her tongue ring to work. not a big deal in my opinion...but that sucks for you

[KittenMoon]

Tats and piercings are not conservative.

 

What about military tats? If a guy walks in with a USMC tat (I see these everywhere) he'd probably get bonus points, but someone with a flower would lose points? Yet neither tat would affect their job performance.

 

And the old folks would probably swoon over a patriotic military tattoo.

 

I understand business is conservative, but I also know the difference between what affects someone's work and what doesn't- and forcing people into a narrow business ideal when they could be awesome assets to a business seems like bad business practice to me.

 

You don't need to break boundaries, but in business, pushing them isn't always a bad idea.

[KittenMoon]

If they liked everything except that, they should just tell her no piercings when she is hired and tell her not to wear her tongue ring to work.

 

This is totally on the mark! Boundaries w/o discrimination.

[Ocean-Blue]

At the expense of being called a reverse racist, O-B, nose piercings for your culture aren't a-typical, therefore, in my opinion, wouldn't be unacceptable. As long as it's discreet and tasteful, wouldn't affect a hiring.

 

I'm going to be blatantly reverse racist but honest. If a nose piercing is being worn by anyone else, where it's not cultural, I wouldn't hire.

 

If you're uncertain, why not remove it for the interview?

 

Personally, I'm fine with removing my nose ring when it comes to work (for the sake of conformity). My future line of work is such that...well appearances are everything. Although I have seen some in the industry sport tats and piercings...even crazy, bright coloured hair (engine red anyone?)

 

I would take it out, but you can tell that my nose is pierced (if you looked closely). So I'd much rather put a stud in that blended with my complexion...

[Trialbyfire]

Personally, I'm fine with removing my nose ring when it comes to work (for the sake of conformity). My future line of work is such that...well appearances are everything. Although I have seen some in the industry sport tats and piercings...even crazy, bright coloured hair (engine red anyone?)

 

I would take it out, but you can tell that my nose is pierced (if you looked closely). So I'd much rather put a stud in that blended with my complexion...

A little cover up makeup applied over the hole, could easily conceal it. No one cares if it's discreet. People have acne scars more obvious than a piercing.

[Ocean-Blue]

A little cover up makeup applied over the hole, could easily conceal it. No one cares if it's discreet. People have acne scars more obvious than a piercing.

 

Hmm... Never tried that.

 

I'm also afraid that it'll close up if I take out the stud for too long.

 

I could always paint a stud pale brown - I'm sure that'd be real subtle.

[O'Malley]

If they liked everything except that, they should just tell her no piercings when she is hired and tell her not to wear her tongue ring to work. not a big deal in my opinion...

 

This would have been the best way to handle the situation, if it was felt that she was the most qualified person for the position. It's the company's loss not to at least notify her at the interview that she would have to remove the piercings if she wanted to work for them rather than disqualifying a potentially good employee outright without asking. Plenty of other professional places have asked prospective employees if they would cut their hair, shave, or cover up tattoos for the company - some will do so to get the job, some will not.

[Trialbyfire]

This would have been the best way to handle the situation' date=' if it was felt that she was the most qualified person for the position. It's the company's loss not to at least notify her at the interview that she would have to remove the piercings if she wanted to work for them rather than disqualifying a potentially good employee outright without asking. Plenty of other professional places have asked prospective employees if they would cut their hair, shave, or cover up tattoos for the company - some will do so to get the job, some will not.[/quote']

I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. It would leave the door wide open for a civil suit.

[blind_otter]

I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. It would leave the door wide open for a civil suit.

 

That's what I was thinking.