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Is your tattoo keeping you from your perfect job?

As the school year comes to a close, most students will be on a frantic search to find their perfect summer job. But choices you made years before – such as getting a tattoo or a piercing – may be what lessen your chance at securing the position of your dreams.

First-year accounting student Carlos Herrera has a full-sleeve tattoo and six facial piercings. He said his body art not been an issue for him. “I’ve gotten every job I’ve applied for,” he said.

Herrera currently works at Husky Energy and believes he got the job based on his personality and experience. “You obviously have to know how to dress,” he said. “I wear suits to my interviews but I left my piercings in and still managed to get the job.”

However, Travis Ouchi, employment specialist at SAIT, said most people make judgments within the first few seconds.

Do your research about the company before going to the interview, Ouchi said. Some work environments are more casual that others. “You never know what a potential employer’s background is.
“If you’re a creative person, applying for a creative position then it probably won’t make a difference if you have tattoos or piercings, but for an office job I would cover them up.”

Andrea Richelhoff, an image consultant, says appearance plays a huge role in your interview. “It shows how you feel about yourself.“

Richelhoff said students should look into the corporate culture. “Anything on your face is always a distraction, and most likely not a good distraction,” she said. “Anything on your face should be taken out, because it will most likely be frowned upon.”

Tips for interview dressing:
You don’t want to show up looking like a mess, Richelhoff said. But you don’t necessarily have to dress trendy to make an impression.
“Dressing with your own personal style can also be a benefit,” she said. “Showing some individuality is always good. You don’t want to come off boring.
“Most people will wear the usual black, brown and grey trends, but even wearing colour can make an impression,” she said. Wearing accessories like a colourful scarf or an interesting tie leave a lasting impression in the back of an employer’s mind.
She said wearing clothes that are too busy can be as bad as a tattoo because they’re distracting.

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